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PONIES. 145 



infrequency with which real clinkers are met with, even by 

 those who scour the country in search of a good-looking one 

 that can go. 



The production of a race of polo ponies, in particular, is one 

 that appears likely to be opposed by many difficulties, the 

 principal of which is the source from which the original stock 

 would be derived. It is to the highest degree improbable, in 

 fact, that the produce of thoroughbreds, who have for genera- 

 tions been kept for the greater part of their career in hot stables, 

 would at first be robust enough in their constitutions to stand 

 the effects of persistent in-breeding, and the hardships which 

 alone can produce the article that is wanted. Yet. thanks to 

 the truth of that admirable doctrine the survival of the fittest 

 it is absolutely certain that time would effect that change in 

 their systems which would enable them to found a strain of 

 miniature thoroughbreds. At present there are plenty 

 although not enough of clean bred ponies in the country, 

 and it is to these that the founder of a polo stud would have 

 to look for his foundation stock. It appears to be quite pos- 

 sible, moreover, that the introduction of a strong dash of Arab 

 blood in the first instance would have the effect of strengthen- 

 ing the constitutions of the members of the stud ; but once 

 again, it may be repeated, in-breeding and short commons are 

 absolutely essential to all prospects of ultimate success. If 

 these methods are not drummed into the heads of would-be 

 breeders, and if they fail to act rigorously upon these lines, 

 it is almost certain that their time and money will alike be 

 wasted. So far, therefore, it would appear that as regards the 

 establishment of a breed of bantam thoroughbreds, the chief 

 difficulty that persons who have set themselves the task will 

 have to encounter will be the possible delicacy of their stock, 

 for the lines and points of the clean bred article are so clearly 

 established as to require that no experiments need be made to- 

 perpetuate the same. 



It becomes a different, in fact an exactly opposite matter, 

 however, when the foundation of a strain of blocky, weight- 

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