HORSES: THEIR POINTS AND MANAGEMENT 



for a ponv, with an average of 12.2 hands. The smahest ponies 

 are the Shetlands, and the largest polo ponies. The last named 

 ought reallv to be included under the term " cob/' but the 

 " suffix " })ony, being easy of aj^plication, has been adopted 

 bv universal consent. The different types of hill and moor 

 ponies seldom appear on the show ground, consequently there 

 is a difficulty in knowing what standard of points should be 

 regarded as correct, but the XW^lsh pony's points are well known 

 to breeders of these ponies, and at some shows there are classes 

 for them, also for Welsh cobs. The same remarks apply to the 

 Shetland, hackney, and polo })onies. As a commercial asset, 

 the polo pony must have premier honours, followed by the 

 hackney, \\'elsh, and Shetlander. 



Breeding ponies should, if carried on in a thoroughly 

 systematic manner, prove a lucrative business, and one 

 that it has long been the author's ambition to take part 

 in, but it is an undertaking that should not be commenced 

 without a reasonable amount of capital. Given this, and sound 

 judgment, success is almost certain. Every variety of pony 

 should conform to certain " general " points of conformation, 

 briefly as follows. The head should be light — free from any 

 tendency to cart horse type — linely chiselled in its outline, 

 covered by thin skin and fine hair. Expression on face, keen 

 and intelligent ; ears, small, thin with hair on them short 

 and line. Back and loins of medium length, ribs well 

 sprung ; the body or middle piece to be well coupled fore and 

 aft. Although flat sides are better for hack work, short fore 

 ribs make a pony look " w^eedy," in front, whilst short, flat 

 back ribs, give it a herring-gutted (the reader must pardon the 

 vulgarism) appearance behind. 



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