WELTER WEIGHT— WHEELS TIGHTENING 



plenty of character and style, combined with strength and 

 activity ; whilst those which possess hackney blood step well, 

 but their natural action more resembles that of the hunter. 

 To the above recommendations may be added those of sure- 

 footedness, excellent constitutions, and a great capacity for 

 hard work. 



Welter Weight. — A heavy weight. The limit is usually 

 recognised as being 1 5 stones. 



West Highland and Island Ponies. — The ponies run- 

 ning in Mull, Skye, Uist, and the western mainland of 

 Scotland possess a good deal of Arab character, and are 

 supposed to be descended from horses of this blood which 

 were wrecked in the district at the time of the Armada, or 

 else from Arab chargers left behind many years ago by 

 military men who were stationed in these parts. At all 

 events the heads of these ponies, for the most part, are very 

 neat, whilst the shoulders of many of them are better than 

 those of the Arab ; they are, moreover, good all - round 

 ponies, and famous for their staying powers and capacity 

 for carrying weight. The most common colours are black, 

 brown, dun, and grey. 



Wheat is not a good grain to give a horse, as it is 

 indigestible. Wheat straw in particular is bad for light 

 horses. (See Feeding^ 



Wheels. — See Axle, Felloe, Nave, Spokes, Tyre. 



Wheels Tightening. — After wheels have been in use 

 for a few weeks they often wear loose, the result being that 

 they cause a rattling sound. It is best, therefore, to send a 

 vehicle periodically to the coach-builder to have the wheels 

 tightened and the condition of the tyres seen to. 



357 



