PONIES 



enclosed rough land. Or, they are allowed to run about the 

 farm land, the mares often being used for general purposes, and 

 for breeding as well. This class of mares, especially in South 

 Wales, are mated with entires up to 14.2 hands, bred like them- 

 selves on pony lines, distinctly Welsh in their type and con- 

 formation. They cannot be called Welsh mountain ponies ; 

 but they are pure Welsh in all their characteristics. In North 

 Whales, mares of this class are often mated with pony hackneys, 

 and also with the larger hackneys, with success for riding and 

 driving purposes, but often at the expense of losing the pony 

 character and type in their offspring. 



(4). The fourth, or last class, is the Welsh hack, 14.2 to 

 15, and often higher. 



The breeding in this section often varies ; but many 

 breeders, by care and selection, have managed to retain, even 

 in this size, the pony characteristics of the others. I have 

 seen some of the best specimens of brood mares in England 

 amongst this section. Great roomy mares they are, long and 

 low, with great flat bone, covered with the ever welcome 

 silky hair, great long necks, deep through the heart, ribs well 

 sprung, loins and quarters covering immense strength, with con- 

 stitutions of iron, lit for a sixty mile day's journey, and often 

 afterw^ards turned out (in the grazing season) with no time to 

 cool themselves. But they are used to it — they are bred to 

 it. These mares are well adapted to breed hunters and high 

 class carriage horses, if mated with large and suitable sires — 

 either half bred, thoroughbred, or pure, if possessing sufficient 

 bone \ also, with the best class of pure bred hackneys. 



I have thus endeavoured to bring before your minds the 

 different classes of horses which are to be found, and which are 



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