HORSES 123 



It should then be carried upward and forward so that it comes 

 well above the ground, and then be set down, not toe first 

 or heel first, but flat. 



A pacer is a horse that moves both legs on one side forward 

 at the same time. This makes it necessary for the horse to 

 wabble a little but at the same time it saves motion in its 

 legs. These are not bent so much. To many people the 

 pace is not agreeable but it is just as fast a gait and possibly 

 a trifle faster than the trot. Since the horse, however, does 

 not lift its feet so high and goes rather stiff-legged it is not 

 so good a gait for rough roads or when there is sand or snow 

 on the roads. Sometimes horses pace on account of poor 

 conformation. The croup may be too steep or the underline 

 too short. Under such conditions the horse will forge (hit 

 front foot with hind foot) when trotting. This is prevented 

 by pacing. 



Horses of all kinds but especially of the roadster type should 

 be strong in nervous temperament. Their work sometimes 

 calls for extraordinary exertion or long endurance. Also, 

 their action should be quick, snappy and vigorous. The only 

 way these things can be obtained is by a strong, well-developed 

 nervous organization, 



PONIES 



Ponies are simply" small horses, and they are as a rule built 

 more like a draft horse than a roadster. There are various 

 breeds and kinds of ponies ranging all the way from small 

 horses of 900 pounds to the small Shetland pony, weighing 

 about 300 pounds. There is even a great variation in Shet- 

 lands in size. Some are much smaller than others. The 

 small ones as a rule are preferable. 



Origin. — The Shetland pony comes from the Shetland 

 Islands. These are comparatively small islands in the cold 

 regions north -of Scotland. The soil there is not of the best. 

 On account of these facts, the horses simply do not grow large 

 and are called ponies. With good feeding and care, the 

 Shetland pony grows larger. But on account of the influence 

 of ancestors, which is called breeding, it takes time to make 



