116 BREEDING PONIES. 



to the general public. Among many fine 

 performers of this class I recollect a pair of 

 small ponies driven tandem, which for several 

 years were quite a feature in the Bath 

 Horse Show, whose knee and hock action 

 were simply marvellous, and evoked roars 

 of applause as they spun with the precision 

 of clock-work round the ring. Nor do such 

 ponies, as very high-actioned horses were once 

 wont to do, now put down their feet pretty 

 much where they picked them up ; many of 

 them, which can use the hind legs as well 

 as the fore, having considerable pace. They 

 are, of course, essentially harness ponies. 

 Extravagant action is not pleasant to the 

 rider, and the ponies which possess it 

 have not generally Avhat we call " riding " 

 shoulders. Even in harness it is not 

 desirable for ordinary work : the legs and 

 joints soon give way on macadamised 

 roads ; indeed, I believe that the owners of 

 our high-actioned show horses find about 



