126 THE HORSE 



even in them the cart-horse generally predominates, with all his attendant 

 disadvantages. Few breeders take any pains to obtain the cob, and his 

 occurrence is chiefly accidental, being a dwai^f among those colts intended 

 for hunters, or an unusually well-shaped and active little cart-horse. The 

 former is the more valuable by far, as his action will be cleaner and less 

 hcav3% while his limbs will stand fast work much better, and if wanted for 

 the gallop his wind will be far more lasting. 



The term " cob" has become very generally used as denoting a stout little 

 horse or large pony, and one frequently sees animals advertised under that 

 name but having no claim whatever to be so classed. 



As TO THE Galloway, the term itself as well as the animal it i-epresents 

 are quite out of date. Originally, the word was confined to the full-sized 

 ponies which were bred in fhe south of Scotland, and which showed 

 more Eastern blood than the Highlanders. They seldom exceeded 14 

 hands, and are described as possessing all the attributes of a clever hack. 

 The distinct breed, however, is now lost, though the revival of so-called 

 Galloway races at Barn Elms and other places keeps alive the name. 

 Undersized thoroughbreds, polo-ponies, et hoc genus omne take pai^t in these 

 competitions. 



Among modern ponies there is great variety, but the breeds are seldom 

 kept distinct. It may, hoAvever, be said that the following are sufficiently 

 so to be considered as sub-varieties of this division — namely, those of Wales, 

 the New Forest, and Exmoor, in the South ; and the Highland and Shetland 

 pony in the North. 



The Welsh Pony is a strong, useful animal, averaging about 13 

 hands in height, and possessed of a neat head, good shoulders, a capital 

 back, and most enduring legs and feet. Many of them are of a cream or 

 dun colour, and if the latter, marked with a dark stripe down the back, 

 which colour extends to the mane and tail. These peculiarities are sup- 

 posed to be derived from Norwegian sires, which some years ago were 

 introduced into the district in the hope of improving the breed, which was 

 then very small and weedy, with a remarkable preponderance among them 

 of " cat hams." The cross has proved useful ; but either from it or from 

 the original breed, the Welsh pony is extremely disposed to be obstinate ; 

 but as man is very apt to convey his own qualities to the dumb creatures 

 about him, and as obstinacy is notoriously prevalent among the biped 

 inhabitants of the province, it seems probable that Norway is altogether 

 innocent. These ponies are bred in considerable numbers by the farmers, 

 and suffered to run on the hills till they are three years old, when they are 

 collected and either sold by auction on the spot, or sent in droves into 

 England, where they are readily disposed of at prices varying from 5^. to 

 \bl. The Rev. T. Williams of Try-y-cwm, near Swansea, was one of the 

 most celebrated of these breeders, and I have seen some of his ponies, 

 especially a stallion ridden by himself, of very fine symmetry and action. 



The New Forest Pony. — In the earlier editions of this work the New 

 Forest Pony was spoken of disparagingly, and with good reason, as he had 

 suffered neglect and deterioration, and the author contemplated his early 

 extinction by laying down the forest and cutting it up into farms. Such 

 has not proved to be the case. The rights of the foresters, as well as the 



