CHAPTER X 



PONY BREEDS 



Heee are discussed the Shetland ponies, the Welsh ponies, 

 and the Hackney ponies. 



THE SHETLAND PONY 



Environment has had more to do in determining the charac- 



o 



teristics of the Shetland than any other hreed of horses. It has 

 not, however, been the only factor, as suggested by Darwin, there 

 having been a separate pony race indigenous to this part of the 

 world, the Eqiius celticus of Ewart. The Shetland Islands, 

 situated about 200 miles off the north coast of Scotland and 

 within 350 miles of the Arctic circle, are rough and unproduct- 

 ive, and the people poor. Only a few of the large group of 

 islands are inhabited. 



This breed of ponies has developed under the most adverse 

 conditions, being close companions in adversity with the native ' 

 crofters, even to the extent of sharing their huts and provisions. 

 Their most characteristic diminutive size, hardiness, good dis- 

 positions, and meagre requirements may be thus accounted for. 

 Their chief occupation in the islands is to carry peat for the us^' 

 of the crofters, the customary load consisting of from 120 to 

 14:0 pounds, which is packed and carried over the roughest and* 

 hardest of trails. 



The first real impetus to their systematic breeding came froni^. 

 Scotland and England, where they were found to be of service 1 

 in working out the shallow veins of coal. They were bred most'i 

 extensively for mine use by the Marquis of Londonderry. It 

 was later that there arose an active demand for Shetlands as 

 children's ponies, and it is claimed this call came chiefly from 

 America. 



The type of the old country Shetland is that of a draft horse 

 (Fig. 92) in miniature, the maximum of horse power in the 

 smallest compass. In this country more refinement, in keeping 



133 



