PONIES. 149 



at all events as the historical varieties are concerned ; for so 

 much foreign blood has been introduced into most of the most 

 famous pony-breeding districts, that many of the original cha- 

 racteristics of each race have been either lost or improved out 

 of recognition. Other instances exist where, owing to neglect, 

 important features of a strain have been permitted to become 

 absorbed by defects which, like ill weeds, will always grow 

 apace. At the same time a few enthusiastic breeders to 

 their infinite credit be it said have devoted their attention to 

 the maintaining of a strain, and by their good offices many a 

 pony lover is still enabled to indulge his tastes. Possibly, 

 however, not one specimen in a hundred assuming, of course, 

 that it has not been raised by one of those owners who, having 

 inherited a stud of ponies from his father, has permitted the 

 stock to interbreed just as they pleased can trace its pedigree 

 back to the founders of the race, without encountering a bar 

 sinister in the shape of a dash of foreign blood. In the case 

 of ponies, as of many other kinds of stock, the periodical in- 

 troduction of fresh blood is almost a necessary addition to the 

 operations of a breeder, and certainly if the cross selected is 

 the result of serious consideration, and its effects are closely 

 watched not for one generation, but for many the experi- 

 ment should be attended by success. 



A possible increase of size may be apparent at first when a 

 new strain is brought in, but the necessary, and in the writer's 

 opinion, absolutely essential, amount of in-breeding being 

 applied, this difficulty should be surmounted without much 

 waste of time, or any great trouble on the part of the owner. 

 In the case of well-established strains, such as that of Mr. C. 

 W. Wilson, there should be no necessity for the introduction 

 of any outside cross, as the shape and characteristics of the 

 breed are perfect ; but when it happens that a breeder has to 

 commence the foundation of a strain with only crude materials 

 to work upon, it is but natural that he should endeavour at 

 once to gain possession of the required points and quality by 

 the help of such animals as already possess the points he 



