A Plea for the Pony 183 



and as kindly disposed as any other animal on offer 

 for general ride and drive purposes. 



While perhaps the pony height of 14. i or 14.2 is 

 rather a small standard to preserve throughout a 

 whole stud, it is beyond doubt true that any one 

 living in the country will do well from all points of 

 argument and usage to approximate this size closely, 

 and not to exceed two or three inches more in 

 height. For riding or driving, these sizes are more 

 generally handy and enduring, while they may be 

 doubled and quadrupled in pair, four, or tandem 

 fashion, as occasion demands. The small saddle- 

 horse is much easier to mount and dismount, and 

 therefore more suitable to the uses of all the family, 

 young as well as old ; while in almost every locality 

 there is always to be found an abundance of small 

 native horses, cheap to purchase, and inured to hard 

 work and long drives, which would promptly place 

 their larger stable mates on the shelf for repairs. 

 Naturally the sizes and shapes of vehicles and har- 

 ness must be suited to the animals used with them, 

 and it will be found that satisfaction universally 



