538 



The Book of the Horse. 



Amongst the various forms of family pony phaetons, boat or clothes-basket shaped, or 

 wagonette, or %'is-a-vis, fit for a cob, a twelve-hand pony, or even a donkey, all tastes and nearly 

 all incomes could be suited. With the very plainest harness, with a breast-plate instead of a collar, 

 and a pony, plucky and free, perfectly steady, but without a particle of shy in him, even if rather 

 shaky on his fore-legs, you have something that will do for the daily exercise of the children, 

 and for use as a market or luggage cart, or to take any one to the station at five minutes' 

 notice; accessible, without a let-down step, to the feeble and fat. The first cost is trifling, 

 the tax nominal ; the cost of the pony, a truss of hay a week and an occasional feed of oats. 

 In no description of vehicle is there more choice in any part of the countr}', of any material, 

 from the more costly and highly-finished to the simplest demands of utility, new or second- 

 hand, at all prices, from £^ upwards. 



BASKET PONY PHAETON. 



SPORTING, RURAL, AND MISCELLANEOUS FOUR-WHEELED CARRIAGES. 



The names of the four-wheeled carriages intended solely for country use, which go 

 under the name of dog-carts — although many of them have barely room to stow away a full- 

 sized tom-cat — which have been invented since 1852 would alone fill many pages. There is 

 the dog-cart proper, on high wheels, which carries four persons — two facing the horse or horses, 

 and their backs to their two fellow-passengers ; with room beneath for dogs, if needful, or 

 a great quantity of baggage of any kind. This is a compact class of vehicle that follows well, 

 having the fore and hind pairs of wheels near together ; the body so constructed that fairly 

 high fore-wheels will lock completely under. In a word, it is a very good inaiis carriage, 

 although it may be used at a push by ladies. It is a carriage in which severe utility should 

 be the rule, and no money wasted on mere ornament. Of this class of vehicle, where great 

 capacity is an object, and one full-sized or a pair of small horses can be used, the style known 

 as the Perth dog-cart is one of the best. In its largest form it holds six, and one or two 



