CHAPTER VI 



PONIES. 



THE pony has always been popular, but probably never 

 more so than at the present time, more especially the 

 show pony. The utility of these diminutive horses 

 can hardly be over estimated, the amount of hard work that 

 many of them can and do perform is remarkable, some doing 

 work quite equal to that of a 15 hands horse. One can keep 

 and use a pony where it would be inconvenient to accommodate 

 a larger horse. 



Until recent years the breeding and mating of ponies has 

 been carried on in a very slip-shod fashion, consequently the 

 different varieties were fast becoming intermingled. 



Almost every variety of pony has now a society — with its 

 stud book — to regulate the selection of suitable sires, and to 

 register stock bred in accordance with the regulations formu- 

 lated. The reader may ask : " What constitutes a pony, and 

 what is the difference between this and a cob ? " 



Although it is difficult to lay down any rule as regards 

 type, the differences are not difficult to settle as regards height. 

 Approximately, one may fix 14.2 hands as the maximum height 



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