IG-t VARIETIES OF THE HORSE 



Dartmoor will, in course of time, multiply and become more generally dis- 

 tributed throughout the country. In this respect the modern breeders will 

 only be following the example of a little band of energetic pony-lovers, who 

 laboured hard to introduce stamina and quality into their herds, but, as 

 suggested above, the great difficulty that invariably presented itself was 

 the acquisition of a suitable cross-bred pony that was small enough to be 

 turned out with the native mares. 



Perhaps the best known breeders of the past were a well-to-do fernier 

 named Elliot, known as Lord Elliot, owing to the fact that he was lord 

 of the manor of Brent, and Mr. John King, who possessed a herd of ponies 

 that ran upon the Buckfastleigh moors. The former died about the year 

 1860, and many of his stock came into the possession of Mr. Hamblin of 

 Buckfastleigh, where their offspring are no doubt to be found at the present 

 time. 



Probably the best representatives of the Dartmoor pony more closely 

 resemble the pocket edition of the Hunter than any other variety of the 

 equine bantam tribe. They certainly might display a gi'eater amount of 

 quality about their heads, but their shoulders, as a rule, could not be 

 improved upon, whilst their weight-carrying capacity and powers of 

 endurance are extremely great. Being ponies of a most robust constitu- 

 tion, they can rough it anywhere ; they are wonderful stayers, and excellent 

 in both harness and saddle when they have not been ruined !)y injudicious 

 crosses. As regards their fore-legs and feet, they are excellent, though in 

 the eyes of some judges they might be a trifle heavier in bone; but light- 

 ness below the knee in the case of a showy, blood-like looking pony is a 

 very venial fault, whilst it may be added that appearances are very often 

 deceptive, and the little horses are frequently far heavier below the knee 

 than they ajDpear to be. 



The chief point that is unsightly in the composition of the Dartmoor 

 pony lies in the direction of the quarters. Here, besides being wanting 

 in length, they not infrequently droop, disturbing the otherwise elegant 

 top line and symmetry of the whole. Cow-hocked specimens are unfor- 

 tunately to be found in too many instances, and no doubt this defect is a 

 great cause of trial and disappointment to breeders who are desirous of 

 raising good-looking stock for the market. There is, however, consolation 

 to be derived from the knowledge that, even if a pony possesses such 

 defects, the cost of his production is so small that a very fair margin of 

 profit may still remain after he is disposed of The ears of the Dartmoor 

 are rather large for a pony whose height should not at the utmost exceed 

 13 hands, but they are characteristic of the variety and must be accepted 

 as such. 



