208 
Shetland Ponies. 
important that all that is written about the Shetland pony at the 
present time should be strictly true, and it is therefore desirable 
to point out a few of the errors made by the writer of an article 
on the subject which appeared in the January number of the 
Cornhill Mayazine. To begin with, it is asserted that there is no 
such thing as the genuine Shetland pony, in the sense of a single 
pure and original breed ; that the ponies in Unst, South Mainland, 
Fetlar, Fair Isle, and Bressay, are all different varieties ; and that 
the pure-bred pony may be anything in height- between 36 and 48 
inches at the shoulder. Such statements as these are erroneous, 
but, unfortunately, contain just sufficient truth to render them mis- 
leading and dangerous. 
Dr. Edmondstone, a well-known authority, and a native of Shet- 
land, writing about the commencement of the present century, says: 
" The Shetland pony rarely exceeds 10 hands," and adds, "that the 
largest only are sold, the smallest being retained for breeding 
purposes." Having measured many hundreds of them, I am con- 
vinced that 10 hands is the average height, and that very few are 
found outside a range of from 9.2 to 10.2. An occasional specimen 
is met with as low as 8.2 when full grown, but anything under 9 
hands is extremely rare, and the largest of the pure breed rarely 
exceeds 11 hands. All above 11 hands are crosses, and chiefly 
of two kinds, namely, those bred by Lady Nicholson in the Island of 
Fetlar, and those met with in the South Mainland district, known 
as Dundrossness. The Fetlar ponies were produced by the use of 
an Arab stallion which the late Sir Arthur Nicholson introduced 
about forty years ago ; and the crosses thus established have been kept 
as a distinct breed ever since, and are known as " Fetlars." They 
range in height from 11 to 12> hands. The Dundrossness ponies 
were produced by crossing the native breed with Orkney and High- 
land stallions. The system was begun by Mr. Bruce, of Sumburgh, 
and the late Mr. Grierson, of Quendale. 
The ponies so bred are excellent, and well adapted for their 
work : they suit the residents in the South Mainland district, 
where good roads render the use of wheeled conveyances both 
practicable and necessary ; but to call these ponies the ideal Shetland 
breed, as the writer in the Cornhill does, is absurd. » 
About fourteen years ago, I purchased from Mr. Bruce an Orkney 
horse about 15 hands in height, which had been used as a stallion in 
the district. The mere statement of the fact that a great many of 
the ponies are descended from him will show how much claim they 
have to be regarded as a pure breed. 
These two districts excepted, all the other Islands adhere to the 
pure, original breed, .and no one acquainted with the native pony 
can possibly fail to distinguish between it and the crossbred. It is 
a mistake to say that the Unst, Bressay, and Fair Isle ponies are all 
different. Of course, there are individual differences, but the general 
characteristics are in every respect alike. 
The writer referred to says : " Extremes of size either way 
fetch correspondingly extreme prices." This is only true of the 
