SHETLAND AND WELSH PONIES. 231 



ing in some instances at least a varietal if not 

 a specific characteristic. 



Britain has many, and all northern Europe 

 is studded with different breeds and types. Asia 

 possesses many distinct sorts and even South 

 Africa has its peculiar variety. In Canada and 

 the United States the various pony strains, 

 such as the Chincoteague and Sable Island, can 

 not be classed as breeds, though distinguishing 

 homologous character is becoming more 

 marked. These American strains are surely 

 degenerate horse reduced in size and altered 

 in conformation to suit their environment. 



Best known of all the breeds of ponies in the 

 United States is the Shetland. This breed is 

 indigenous to the Shetland Isles, lying off the 

 extreme north coast of Scotland and distant not 

 much over 350 miles from the Arctic circle. 

 How long these ponies have existed on those 

 islands history does not record, nor yet tradi- 

 tion, but we have authoritative statement that 

 they were there in their present size, or smaller, 

 in 1700. Eeared under constant hardships im- 

 posed by nature in her most unrelenting mood, 

 the breed from the time it was first written 

 about has been famous for its utility, strength 

 and endurance. Its original use was for riding, 

 packing and work in coal pits, where its small 

 stature and phenomenal strength enabled it to 

 thread the low galleries and drag great weight 

 of coal to the shaft. 



Extremely docile in temperament, the Shet- 

 land was early transplanted to the richer en- 



