THE GENERAL PURPOSE HORSE 77 



but to believe just as much, or as little of the 

 pedigree given as he thinks wise. Even a heavy 

 man can be well carried by some of these stout 

 half-bred hill ponies and I have known many 

 that were well master of fourteen or fifteen 

 stone. 



Rather smaller than these ponies are the 

 Highland ponies, but when they come south and 

 get better pasturage I am told that they increase 

 in size. I have not had much experience of them 

 myself but I know of some and rare little fellows 

 they are, untiring and energetic and doing an 

 immense amount of work on a small ration. They 

 will travel thirty or forty miles in a day and they 

 can carry a man of medium weight well enough, 

 but I should think 13 st. to 13 st. 7 lb. would be a 

 limit for them. The Fell ponies of Cumberland 

 and Westmorland, and the Dales ponies of the 

 west side of the county of Durham are also 

 excellent ride and drive ponies, some of the latter 

 being almost like miniature cart horses for 

 strength ; but they are comparatively scarce 

 now-a-days, more's the pity. 



The Hill and Forest ponies, amongst which 

 may be classed the Shetland, the Exmoor, the 

 New Forest, the Dartmoor and the Welsh ponies, 

 are too small to be described as ride and drive 

 ponies, though some of the crosses from them 

 may occasionally grow into a stout and powerful 

 14 hands pony. But these small ponies answer 

 a capital purpose either in a small establishment 

 or a large one. They can do an immense amount 



