Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1878-11-08
NO. 45.


Far north from Scotland, and but seldom
visited by southern travellers, are the Shetland
Islands. From these rock bound, treeless islands
come the Shetlandponies that we so often see at
the circus, or pulling little phaetons patiently
along. A Shetland pony Is almost child's
first desire, unless, perhaps, it may bo to own
a monkey. To have pony to ride, or 10
drive, and especially a real Shetland, long
haired short-legged pony is dream of per-
feet happiness.
Now the people of the Shetland Islands nre
very quiet, orderly and industrious. They
live by many means. Some of them have
shops in the towns where they sell groceries,
and dress-goods and cured meats. Others
live by catching fish to send south. Some let
themselves down by ropes over the edge Of O
great high cliff, and gather the eggs Of birds
Then the women knit shawls and hoods and
wells and socks, and so gain few pennies to
buy food with. But there is yet another class
of people who have TO make living, and this
class raise ponies and sheep, to send to Eng
land and even to America. And before we
speak or describe carefully the making of
shaws and gathering of eggs we will imagine
ourselves in the town of Lerwck and all
ready for a start to Moss Island, where man
lives who has large herd of real Shetland
ponies.
In the ono house on the island, lives the
hctBtE VI lHt DDnltb anu illh ANO CnluIeu. L
wish you could have seen these children when
they saw us coming in the boat. They hardly
ever leave the island themselves, and so
when any strangers come to sec their ponies
how happy it makes them They were very
pretty and bright children too. They had
light hair and bright blue eyes, and cheeks as
red as roses Running down with them was
their pet dog, who seemed Just as glad as any
of the rest to sec strangers. The house the
a.,
was built of stone and then painted white
and stood on little knoll overlooking the
blue waters of the cold North Sea
There must have been fully two hundred Of
the shaggy-maned little fellows. Some were
eating, some biting one another. some run
ming as though having race, and others stood
still looking at us. When we came nearer the
whole herd pricked up their cars, gave little
snorts of anger, and galloped away as fast as
their short legs could carry them.
The keeper told us that when one wishes d
pony to ride or sell, he must take the one he
keeps near his house, mount him. and then
riding out to the herd, lassoo one at time
until you obtain all you wish. In winter the
ponies of Moss Island have rather hard time
of it. Though there is not much snow on the
island, still the winds often blow very fierce
ly, and poor pony has no warm barn to go to-
Sometimes the keeper builds wall about a
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the enclosure and SO be somewhat sheltered.
But usually he must face the wind and storm,
no matter what the weather.
Among the ponies we saw on cur visit
were some little wee fellows, hardly larger
than Newfoundland dogs When we saw
them scampering about SO free from care, we
couldn't help wondering how long it would be
before they would be carrying SOME little lady
up and down Rotten Row, or about New
W Il
for a great many of them each year are sent
away from their island home to England.
But a pony in the Shetland Islands, even,
has often hard work to perform. II poor
person is possessed of a pony, then, indeed,
he feels rich. Now on certain days in the
week, there are market days at Lerwick.
From all about come the people bringing
things to sell. Some walk to the town, some
sail, and others come riding on their ponies.
Just inside of Lerwick is a narrow path lead
ing over the hills. have often seen, coming
along this narrow way, long line of ponies
and women. And such curious appearance
as they present. The ponies seem only legs.
They have no bride, only a cord about the
neck, and each follows the one in front. You
can't make them go at the side of one anoth-
vr. On either side of each one are two i'm
luense saddle-bags filled with peat, or pota-
toes ON his back are piled other goods, and
even his neck has a cloth or other saddle-bags
strapped, so that seen from a short distance it
seems just as though the bags had legs, and
poor pony seems buried out of sight Some
times, too, if there is room to keep seated, his
mistress, with shoeless feet, and short dress
and white cap, seats herself in great state, and
away goes pony, bags and woman, of to Ler-
wick. Sometimes, when on these pilgrimages
pony will watch his chance, and if his mis-
tress should be absent, will dart away down
the steep hillside, to nibble a bite of some
thing good he has seen and then when the
mistress sees him, such pounding as pony
gets as she leads him back to his proper
place.
Shetland ponies are very sure-footed. They
will walk along the very edge of high cliff,
and before putting q foot down will carefully
feel if the ground is firm or not. Some of
them are driven by their riders down steep
passes where one misstep would send both
rider and pony down to the depths below.
Ponies of Shetland, too, are not always very
well behaved. Near our cottage was an old
ladys garden filled with cabbages. One day
her pony walked into it, and enjoyed himself
feasting ON the forbidden fruit. We never
asked him, but should imagine the beating he
received when discovered would help him to
digest his stolen dinner Then Shetland
pony on his native heath is extremely wilful.
If they dislike a rider they will spare no pains
to unseat him. rode one once who expend-
ed great deal of unnecessary strength in this
manner. He would sit down suddenly and
rise up more SO. He would bite, shake him
self and roll over, if allowed. As he was al
most small enough to be carried by his rider,
these antics were more amusing than danger
Gus.
And so the ponies of the Shetland Islands
live and wait for masters in the South. In
the cold winter of fog and rain, when there is
almost no day, or in the summer time, when
the sun does not set, they run wild about the
Moss take burdens to Lerwick, or carry the
| stranger over the bogs and dreary hills
Edlrrrlla R.nLcria IN Nnre,ll haa. lIide A.nnLe