New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-12-26
PONIES.

INDIAN PONY.
In rome papers, recsnty published, We have tes.,d
Of The principal races Of ponies peculiar to the Old
World, and to those more particularly which are rs
malhsble for good qualities and are worthy Of eutvs
ton. We nov come to the ponies Of our own cont
rent. For although IL is not to be dsried tost the
hones Of America are all, in the beginning t,sceabe
10 foreign or gin, sod although We have no Gstinct
breed OF family Of the fusized horse which % nos dis
tirctls 10 be traced back 10 particular Es
ropesn family, Of which it still preserves the principal
characteristics, we have certainly two families Of
ponies which, though they are probably 10 be dscov
cred originally in two European breeds Of larger size,
differ from the original type 20 widely that they may
now be Get down q distinct. These are the Hexicsa
Mustang ard the Indian pony Of the North, which are
in themselves distinct breeds although there is us
doubtedly growing up hybrid race bssssentAe twoin
those contssminous districts where the border tribes Of
the North m and Southern Indians make war on each
other and forage on the horse herds Of their enemies
time Of ostites, or trade and barter for them ia
time Of preosrous peace.
The Mustang of the Mexican aud Texan prsiries,
where 1t has spread much Of the Western coun'
try beyord the Mississippi and the croes timbers, Is
clearly of Spanish origin, and both las and shows
considerable share of Moorish blood. II is not, how
ever, generally of the pure Andaussn type; or If II
be 60 originally, is greatly degensrsted by having run
wild for years centuries. 1t 10 under-sized, very
sliebthmbed, and often III ard disproporsionstely
made with the neck the back or both, fer too long
for either ymn ety strength Their hoofs are ofen
very badly formed and their posterios are generally
weak, lorg and slender On the other hSrd, they
show blood in the shape and setting on OF their lean,
long heads, in their wide nostris and tne manes ana
-; o,H = and
sometimes vicious at first, but ~heu rssoatsly COM
hated lack perseverrg pluck, and easily give up The
CONTEXT. It is aaid, also, that although when first
mounted they diapI.y much life, vigor and snowy ac
ton, they lack hadhood and endurance. II is well
proved that, in wild state, they csn be- ridden down
ard captured without. much difficulty by good trained
domestic horses, even carrying the weight OF rider;
whenever they can be approached sufficiently close to
allow anything approaching to an equality in the stsrt
They are, however, the cavalry horses Of the Conan
che srd Apache Indians; and although they are con-
fsssedy unable to stsrd the shock oa charge OF Amer.
lean Ioor horses does not appear to us, from the
facility with which they evsde Illustrate the pursuit
of our mounted regiments sn6 tie extreme difficulty o.
brr grg them 10 engagement tina. they Can be 60 def
Gent in endurance power Of sustaining fatigue a.
they have been represented It is clear, however,
that they In oil respec go far inferior to the
lean horse that they can never sustain any comparison
With him. Nothing 10 to be gained by crossing them
Nth cur borses sne the only utility which they eau
ever tubstrye Is as the riding animals Of chjren or
very ourg lscies. They do not generally run so far
a. We can Judge from the specimen wrich We have
seen in the Northern States TO above l3 or "a hsnds;
AID though some Of them are certainly pretty grace
ful. eless ant creatures and some Of them easy and
s gorg natural pscers they hsve not impressed US
favcraby, O. comp. red either with any the imported
European pones, or with that Of the Northern To-
dams It is, however, not only probable, but nearly
certain that We have not the best specimens Of
The breed, ss they not 10 very bgh reputs or 10
general use in the North They are OF all colors,
brown bays blackp sorrels, duns, and, by no means
unrequeLtly piebslds, wb 10 90 extremely pleosisn
c. lor o. which almost certainly implies detefora-
ton Of blood from the Oriental or deeer type When
/; 10 teen in domesticstion, Il lie held 10 imply
a cro.s Of the Hsnoversn or Porerarisn horse,
both of which to fancy coOrs spots aud peoald',
end both OF which appear TO possess less Eastern
blood Ian sry other European varieties. The only
spotted horses Known among pure ArsbaIs ere bi&ck
speckltd rather than spotted, on white ground aod
blood red blotched on the same color White or gray
Arabs have, invariably, black ,lins snd mules
Hsnoveriars invariably aesh.colored, and We have
seen Muitspgs with lo~.bred brand 1t has been held
that all the wild horses Of the American psmpss or
p,aies are dstcerded from the Spsni,h chargers en-
lsrgtd at the siege of Buenos Ayres; as those OF
Europe sre raid to have sprung from the Turkish
horses released at that Of Azof We believe neither
fac: to be wholly correct. The siege Of Basno' Ayes
/. cot 20 far remote 10 pon. Of time, accouot Tor
the immense multitudes OF horse herds nov running
wild, both in North and South America nor does II
seem 10 rs probable ii possible that the horse should
have made its gay through the dense forests ana
svsppy tropical thioket;-s sort of country to Which
be !, most avens-of the I.tlmus Of Pansms sod
Central America, from South to North Amsncs. we
therefore lean TO the belief tina. the wild horses OF
Mexico Texas and the western prsiries OF the United
States are the descerdsDts Of chargers escaped from the
Spanish Florida and Mississippi expeditions OF Ponce
de- Lscr, Csteca de Ia VEGA. fernando Soto and
Others, incres,ed BY escaped spimss ton cary
voysgerr and early settlers in the West.
The pony of the Northern Irdsns, prevailing from
Csp.ds downward west Of the lske', over the Upper
Mississippi country, is totally distinct animal nc
,.r,v exceeds thhtsen, rever fourteen hands aad
veritsble pory-shoIt bs,rel.j, round ribbed strong
Iubed. .hort and thick neebed, With less fe'-
Loci. ard feet literally firon His legs are covered
with thick hair bis name is almost as vol1minous Is
,h.t Of Hop, ofen faDug on both sides Of bis GEEK,
While the foreck covers his eyes, sd MS tai IL neAvy
ard waved like that Of she Canadian. 10 enc r'fa'
he the pure Norman vsr.hosss Of the iafssa oide'
,osrssst and mott massive type ra'eeG into pony
We are not aware that there s any history or tradition
a. to hi. origin, bat Gallo. doubt 'hst 10 nothing
more or kss than the ongi q Norman horse OF inc
Carsds, seeerers.ed in size but in DO oher respeH,
By sees Of neglect, misuse, scsnty fustensecs "ss'
,b.lter, ud cruel ussge, generation altar eensr1aon
NJ. ao,h, "A. thai the, cold be bred up 10 nzs ~