Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-01-08
Shetland Ponies.

The ponies are not an agricultural, but do
Mestlc necessity. In Shetland, as in parts OF
Ireland, every family depends for its supply Of
fuel On peat, and as the peat Is seldom found
near at hand on the shore where the houses
stand, but ION the hill behind them-there is
island consisting mainly of hill, with patch or
TWO OF smooth" land in few snug hooks ty
the shore-and as 1t often Is at a distance of
several steep and stony miles, each house re-
quires several ponies. the numoer depending
on the distance and the character of the road.
A family living "cOnyenient'' to the peat may
require only two peat carriers, and another
family may require half dozen. The ma
terial, after it has been dug and dried In the
usual manner, is carried home on the backs OF
the ponies in baskets called 'cassies." 1t is OBJ
ylous that the back which has to perform this
kind OF service should be broad and strong.
The Shetland pony is a striking example of de-
velOpment; for generations past he has been
bred and reared and trained with uniformity
which could not have been secured In any
other part OF the United Kingdom. Hence his
physique and general character, his hereditary
Instincts and intelligence his small size, and
Ing to breed which has had to pick its zigzag
way down steep declivity during many gen.
erat1onS must be Sure-fOoted. By the same
rule pony whose grooms and playmates in
clude dozen juyeniIes--the children of the
neighbOrhOod. who roll about underneath him
or upon his back-must be gentle; and the
same pony, living on the scathod on air some
The pony OF the Shetland Isles is, In fact, the
offspring OF circumstances. He Is the pet OF
the family, gentle as the Arabs steed under
similar training. He will follow his friends In
doors like dog, and lick the platters or the
ch1ldr6n's faces. He has no more kick In him
than cat, and no more bite than q puppy.
He Is noble example OF the complete sup
preston OF these vicious prOpenSlties that
some OF his kind exhibit when they are Ill
treated, and OF the intelligence and good temper
that may be developed IN horses by kindness,
There Is 10 precedent for his running away.
nor for biz becoming frightened or tired, even
when he has carried some stout laird from
LerWfck to his house; many Scotch miles across
the hills. He moves down the rugged hill.
sides with admirable circumspection, loaded
pann1er-fa with two heavy ''casStes" OF
peat, picking his way step by step, sometimes
sideways. In crossing DOGGY spots, where the
water lis retained. and a green carpet OF
bring them headlopg to grief IN the spongy
trap, he carefully smells the surface, and is
thus enabled TO circumvent the danger. In tn,
winter the Shetland pony wears coat made
or felted hair, aud specially suited for the
season. His thick winter garment is well
adapted for protecting him against the fogs
and damps OF the climate. 1t is exceedingly
warm and comfortable. fits close to the
Wearer's dapper form, and Is not bad looking
ward. spring, at the season when the new one
Should appear, 1t becomes the shabblest gar
ment of the kind that you often see. It's very
amplitude and the abundance of the material
render 1t the more conspicuous, when it peelS
and hangs for awhile ragged and worn out,
and then falls bit by bit till the whole OF 1t
disappears. No horse looks at his best when
losing his old coat, and the more coat there
may be to lose the worse he looks.-Tte London