THE WILD PONIES OF SABLE ISLAND 215 



twelve to thirteen hands ; head large and ill-set, with usually the 

 Roman nose and thick jowl ; the ear small, short and square at 

 the top ; crest very thick and heavy in the male ; neck swelling 

 in front ; withers very low ; quarters short and sloping ; legs very 

 strong and robust with thick upright pasterns ; the eye not large 

 or bright ; often seen to be the ' wall eye ', or opaque ; the mouth 

 very short ; the forelock and mane abundant ; tail also reaching 

 as does the mane nearly to the ground and covering the nostril ; 

 the weight of the mane often pulling the crest over so that, especially 

 in the mares, the animal seems ' ewe necked ' ; the fore hoofs 

 usually turned out, ' paddle footed ' ; and the withers seemingly 

 lower than the rump or quarters, although they are exceedingly 

 short and sloping ; the coat during winter long and shaggy, 

 especially under the chin and on the legs. 



Thus the descendants of the first stock have lapsed during 

 something over three centuries into the habits and shape of the 

 original primal stock of the world. 



The master horse of the herd sweeps between the intruder and 

 his mares, and cruelly banishes his colts just as the ' Sultan-stallions ' 

 are described as doing on the Steppes of Tartary. Varro, Strabo 

 and all the ancients in relating of wild horses refer to such a sturdy 

 form of low-set horse, having heavy manes, great forelocks, long 

 bushy tails, robust barrel and strong thick limbs. Such must 

 have been the ' million ' of war-horses we are told of (doubtless 

 with great exaggeration) which drew the chariots of Semiramis, 

 the founder of ancient Babylon. Would the descendants of 

 Ormonde, Persimmon, Isinglass, crossed with such mares as Sceptre 

 for example, left in such inhospitable environment deteriorate 

 to this type in the course of a few centuries ? Who can say, if they 

 survive at all, that they would not ? One is almost forced to the 

 conclusion that the descendants of Flying Childers, Herod, or 

 Eclipse of a past generation, might under similar conditions have 

 degenerated to a race of stunted ponies. 



The original stock appear to have carried the germs of all colours 

 save grey ; none of that colour have ever been found on the island. 

 Chestnuts are the most numerous, having tails and manes of a 

 lighter colour, and a dark streak on the back and withers. Next 

 come the bays and browns, which are perhaps the more natural 

 equine colours, but there is now and then a pure white and an 

 occasional piebald or ' paint horse ' of the Indian prairie. These 

 last are usually quickly deported from the island as their increase 

 is not desired. Yet the piebald ' snow ball ' bore on his back for 

 many a tough gallop over the strand for a long term of years the super- 

 intendent, who had upwards of fourteen stone to his credit. There 



