BREEDS OF HORSES AND THEIR CHARACTERISTICS. 141 



begat Shales, and from this latter sire are descended, in a direct line, such 

 well-known Hackney sires as Driver, foaled in 1765; Fireaway^ foaled in 

 1780; Fireaway, foaled in 1815; Wildfire, foaled in 1827; Phenomenon, 

 foaled in 1835; Performer, foaled in 1846, and Denmark, foaled in 1862. 

 The progeny of Denmark is known all over the world through his son 

 Danegelt, who is the sire of Matchless of Londesboro, Ganymede, Lord 

 Wilton, Saxon, Gen. Gordon, Astonishment, and others too numerous to 

 mention Although many Arabian stallions found their way into England 

 in the course of the fifty years prior to 1800, the infinite superiority of 

 those old Eastern sires, the Darley Arabian, imported in 1706, and the 

 Godolphin Arabian, about 1730, has never been surpassed and it is remark- 

 able, but nevertheless true, that these two animals not only founded the 

 English race horse, or Thoroughbred, but also the Hackney breed. They 

 have continually increased in value of late years, and bring high prices 

 when bred by horsemen of intelligence and aptitude in their art. 



The Gaited Saddler. 



The "combined" horse or Gaited Saddler is a product of Kentucky. It 

 is a horse combining fine action, docility and intelligence to acipiire gaits, 

 and, as now bred, has the heredity that makes the several gaits come natural 

 Hence, when acquired, they are not lost from disuse. It is an animal that 

 is as good in the light carriage as under the saddle. Now is it the fact 

 that light driving injures the horse for saddle purposes, as some 

 suppose? It is true that combined horses are not plentiful, but they are 

 becoming more and more so year by year. But do not acquire the belief 

 that any harness horse may become a saddler. The walk, trot and canter 

 does not constitute the saddle horse of to-day. The gaited saddle horse 

 must have saddle horse breeding, saddle horse action, saddle horse instinct, 

 and saddle horse education. 



XV. Ponies. 



Ponies are much sought, of late years, for children's riding, and for pony 

 carriages. Indian ponies, Canadian ponies, and Shetlands have all been 

 called into requisition, while in the West and South the smaller Mustangs of 

 Texas are used. Unless taken young, the Mustangs are wild, intractable, 

 and often vicious. The Indian pony is fast becoming extinct, and Canadian 

 ponies are also growing scarce. These latter, many of them^ are really hand- 

 some, small horses, of thirteen to fourteen hands high, hardy, docile and of 

 tne most steadfast nerve, courage and bottom. They are self-willed, but 

 perfectly tractable if not abused. Shetland ponies are stili smaller, and 

 rougher; but they are ambitious little fellows, and scamper along easily at 

 a good pace, with a twelve year old boy or girl on their backs. The illus- 

 cratioD show.s a grpnp gf these hardy little animals. It is claimed that 



