THE PONIES OF CONNEMARA. 34& 



for purely practical reasons has continued undiminished for centuries. One 

 important result of this has been that Connemara, by sending all over 

 Ireland " colts " reared under natural conditions, has helped to gain for 

 Irish horses their widespread reputation for vigour, hardiness, and intelli- 

 gence — through Connemara Irish horses have, as it were, kept in touch 

 with Mother Nature. 



Without a pony the peasant farmer in the west of Galway is all but 

 helpless. Fortunately, except the original cost, there is but little outlay. 

 A two-year-old filly having been purchased, usually at a very low figure, a 

 bridle is soon woven out of horse-hair — -after the fashion, but without the 

 artistic feeling that prevails in Arabia — and a primitive pack-saddle con- 

 structed out of four pieces of wood. The only additional pieces 

 of furniture needed are mats or sacks to place under the saddle, and a 

 cushion or pillion for the hindquarters, on which the owner at times sits 

 when on the way to market, horse-hair or ordinary ropes hold the 

 various trappings in position. The work of the ponies varies with the 

 season of the year. At one time they may be seen climbing steep hillsides 

 heavily laden with seaweed, seed corn, or potatoes ; at another they convey 

 the produce to market. Sometimes it is a load of turf, oats, or barley ; at 

 other times creels crowded with a lively family of young pigs. 



During summer and autumn the ponies are often seen trudging unsteadily 

 along, all but buried in a huge pile of hay or oats, each with a puzzled foal 

 thoughtfully bringing up the rear. 



Returning from market each pony generally carries two men, one in 

 front and the other on the pillion behind. A good pony can easily carry 

 two men thus disposed for a considerable distance at the rate of ten miles- 

 an hour. The women seem to be quite as much at home on the pillion as 

 the men. In Clifden and other centres, as on the larger holdings and some 

 of the small farms close to the main roads, cars, turf, and other carts take 

 the place of the pack-saddle and pillion. 



IV. THE CONSTITUTION, TEMPERAMENT, AND CAPABILITIES OF THE 



CONNEMARA PONIES. 



In Arabia, where horses are prized above all other possessions, and in 

 England, where so much is sacrificed to appearances, make and action are 

 often the chief points looked for ; but in Connemara strength and staying 

 power, hardiness, and tractability are the main considerations. If the 

 ponies happen to be fast and shapely, so much the better. 



All are agreed that the better Connemara ponies are strong and hardy, 

 and possessed of great endurance. But all ponies reared under natural" 

 conditions and in a suitable environment have, or in course of time acquire, 

 these attributes. 



Though hardiness, endurance, and strength, are of vital importance, they 

 often pass unnoticed until ponies have the opportunity of working alongside 

 delicately-reared thoroughbred and large half-bred horses. It then becomes 

 evident, as Sir Richard Green Price has pointed out, and as recent expe- 

 riences in South Africa have so abundantly proved, that ponies " beat 

 moderate horses of double their size," and have " twice the constitution and 

 thrice the sense." 



