THE IRISH HORSE. 



105 



chaise?" said his friend. The strange experiment was tried The sheltie was 

 placed in the bottom of the gig, and covered up as well as could be managed 

 with the apron ; a few bits of bread kept him quiet ; and thus he was safely 

 conveyed away, and exhibited the curious spectacle of a horse riding in a gig. 





THK SHETLAND PONY. 



In the southern parts of the kingdom the Shetlanders have a very pleasing 

 appearance harnessed to a light garden-chair, or carrying an almost baby-rider. 

 There are several of them now running in Windsor Park. 



THE IRISH HORSE. 



Tn some of the rich grazing counties, as Meath and Roscommon, a large, long 

 blood-horse is reared, of considerable value. Pie seldom has the elegance of 

 the English horse ; he is larger-headed, more leggy, ragged-hipped, angular, 

 yet with great power in the quarters, much depth beneath the knee, stout and 

 hardy, full of fire and courage, and an excellent leaper. It is not, however, 

 the leaping of the English horse, striding as it were over a low fence, and 

 stretched at his full length over a higher one : it is the proper jump of the 

 deer, beautiful to look at, difficult to sit, and, both in height and extent, 

 unequalled by the English horse. 



The common Irish horse is generally smaller than the English. He is stinted 

 in his growth ; for the poverty and custom of the country have imposed upon 

 him much hard work at a time when he is unfit for labour of any kind. He is 

 also deficient in speed. 



There are very few horses in the agricultural districts of Ireland exclusively 

 devoted to draught. The minute division of the farms renders it impossible 

 for them to be kept. The occupier even of a good Irish farm wants a horse 

 that shall carry him to market, and draw his small car, and perform every 

 kind of drudgery a horse of all-work ; therefore the thorough draught-horse, 

 whether Leicester or Suffolk, is rarely found 



