PONIES. 141 



Having been accustomed all their lives to rough it, the 

 majority of ponies readily adapt themselves to circumstances 

 which would be objectionable, and prejudicial to the health of 

 other horses. Of course no animal can be expected to thrive 

 or do well in an ill-ventilated, stuffy stable, but a pony can 

 stand fresh air better than any other horse, and in this respect 

 should prove attractive to a buyer. This hardiness cannot, 

 however, be received as a proof that the little ones are not 

 benefited by care and attention in their stables, for no living 

 creature ever flourishes if neglected. No owner need expect 

 that his animals will show good coats if left unattended to, 

 and it is only natural that the spirits of a pony that gets good 

 corn will be higher than his neighbour who gets none. 



In the case of a pony breeder, it is one perpetual war against 

 an increase of size on the part of his stock, and to ward against 

 this he has to see that they are inbred, foaled late, kept on 

 short commons and not pampered. In offering this opinion 

 the writer most certainly has no intention of implying that 

 the animals should be starved, or subject to any sort of cruelty. 

 In the first place, the nature of any right-minded man would 

 shrink from either proposing or adopting such advice ; and 

 secondly, it would be extremely bad policy were they to do 

 anything of the kind. At the same time, all stuffing and 

 coddling must be rigorously tabooed, or the ponies will soon 

 become horses, and disappointment will ensue. In order to 

 emphasise this opinion, which has been founded not only upon 

 personal examination and experience, but also upon the ideas 

 of many leading breeders who have been consulted upon the 

 point, the writer may so far enter upon a digression as to 

 invite his readers to consider for one moment whether the 

 steady increase in stature which is so obvious in most, if not 

 all, breeds of English horses, is not directly the result of high 

 feeding and scrupulous attention ? It may also be remarked 

 that ponies are always commoner in sterile districts than are 

 horses, and this circumstance is most unquestionably due to 

 the fact that their food, and that of their ancestors, does not 



