APRIL. SHETLAND PONIES. 213 



attention was taken up by the young sportsman, 

 who went dashing through water and swamp to 

 seize the first bird that fell : it was nearly as big 

 as himself, and he brought it up to them in tri- 

 umph, a successful right and left at wild-geese 

 being rather an era in the sporting adventures of 

 a boy ten years old. The well-earned game was 

 then slung across his pony in company with sundry 

 rabbits, etc., and was brought home with no small 

 exultation. 



The Shetland pony, than which I never saw a 

 more perfect one, is of great use in many ways. 

 After the hours devoted to Latin, etc., are over, one 

 of the boys, when the weather is tolerable, gene- 

 rally rides out to meet me, if I am in ground 

 which I cannot drive to; and having anchored his 

 pony to a weight sufficient to keep him from wan- 

 dering far, but not too heavy to prevent his feeding 

 about the rough grass, furze, etc., he joins me, and 

 the pony has all the hares and rabbits slung across 

 his back to save the shoulders of the old keeper. 

 Standing fire perfectly, the little Shetlander seems 

 rather to enjoy the shooting, and to take an in- 

 terest in what we kill. With proper treatment and 

 due care these Shetland ponies become the most 

 docile and fine-tempered animals in the world ; but 

 if once they are badly used they soon become as 



