144 SHETLAND PONIES. 



The pure Shetland Pony I consider the purest in blood of 

 all ponies, and the only breed of ponies of which I shall treat 

 as a distinct breed in this work on " American Horses and 

 Horse Breeding." 



In color they are variable, embracing all colors, I believe, 

 from black to white, while many of them are speckled and bear 

 the marks, in some instances, of what I believe to be their an- 

 cestors, in part, at least, the Spanish horse. 



Their manes and tails are heavy and bushy, which is a 

 characteristic of horses raised in cold countries. The breeding 

 of these ponies as pets and playthings for children among the 

 wealthy and well-to-do classes of our country has already be- 

 come one of the American industries of importance, and is 

 largely on the increase. 



The Shetland Pony of to-day, as we find him in America, 

 either imported or home bred, is a tough, rugged, usually sound 

 (with the best of feet), gentle, clever, good-dispositioned 

 animal, suitable for pets and very tractable, but too small for 

 general use. He is an animal loved by women and children, 

 and as salable to-day, perhaps, as any other breed of horses in 

 America. The American Shetland Club Book, Yol. I, was 

 issued in 1893 ; the Club contains 85 members and the Book 

 932 recorded animals. 



