PONIES 



227 



are the horse-of-all-work, yet in America their use is 

 limited nearly exclusively to children, whom they serve 

 very w^ell, being even tempered, intelligent and active. 



In 1888 the American Shetland Pony Club was organ- 

 ized and a stud book established. In 191 1 eight volumes 

 had appeared, recording about 8,000 ponies. The Shet- 

 land Pony Stud Book Society is the official organ of the 

 breed in Scotland and on the Shetland Islands. 



Description of the Shetland pony. — The limit of height 



FIG. 118.— SHETLAND PONY "VESPA OF BELLE MEADE" 



established by the Shetland Pony Stud Book. Society is 

 10 hands and 2 inches. Ponies over this height cannot be 

 registered, although in America the Shetland Pony Club 

 has increased the height to 11 hands and 2 inches. The 

 size is more or less the result of feeding, "but the weight 

 on the average should approximate 300 to 400 pounds. 



