170 THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 



The Exmoor pony has long been known on the moors of 

 southwestern England in West Somerset and North Devonshire. 

 Here, on some twenty thousand acres, these ponies have been 

 bred more or less wild for perhaps centuries. This breed has 

 been classed as the highest type of pony, closely resembling the 

 Arab in conformation. Captain W. C. Kerr describes the Exmoor 

 in part as follows : 



The true Exmoor pony is a strong, well-knit, i3-to-i4-hand animal of the 

 dray-horse sort in miniature type . . . , sure-footed, docile, generally bay in color, 

 and possessing an iron-clad constitution. . . . His salient points are strength 

 of loin, well-sprung ribs, great breadth of chest; in fact, he is what your 

 people would term a "chunky" little fellow. . . . All are natural fencers, and 

 the way they surmount the tremendous banks is marvelous. I ought to men- 

 tion that their heads are very neat and blood-like, in some cases very Arab- 

 like ; they carry their tails gayly, have a little silky hair about the heels, but, 

 like all our ponies, are often faulty about the shoulders. 



These ponies commonly have a mealy color of the muzzle and 

 flanks, and their color is dominant, it is claimed, even in the 

 crossbreds. The standard colors are bay or brown, but those of 

 dun color are not infrequent. A dark streak along over the spine 

 is also characteristic. The Polo Pony Studbook gives the height 

 as ranging from ill to 13 hands. Exmoor ponies have been 

 considerably improved by Arab and Thoroughbred blood. The 

 improved form meets with favor for polo playing, for use with 

 children in saddle, and as a harness pony for cart, phaeton, or 

 other light vehicle. There are but few Exmoor ponies in America. 



The Dartmoor pony derives its name from an extensive tract 

 of about two hundred thousand acres of land in Cornwall, in the 

 extreme southwestern end of England. Here ponies have been 

 bred and run wild for many generations. They closely resemble 

 the Exmoor. Bay, brown, and black are the more common colors, 

 though chestnut and gray occur. These ponies stand close to 13 

 hands. They are very hardy and are comparatively little known. 

 Vero Shaw states 1 that it cannot be claimed for the Dartmoor 

 that he possesses anything in the way of extravagant action to 

 commend him to the attention of the public, nor is his appearance 

 so striking as to extract expressions of admiration from strangers. 



1 Charles Richardson, The New Book of the Horse, Vol. II. London, 191 1. 

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