The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1886-02-27

your pony Ill;tlt' 40 no knp" winch
was the finest riding ground, this that |
have just described or that along the
seashore, with the clean, moist sand
cracking beneath your pony's flying
feet, and The fresh, bright wind, with a
salt sting in it, blowing in yonr face, and
every now and then sharp dash of spray
and flake of white scud on your glow
ing check. This is exercise, this the acme
of pleasure pure and unaloyed.
Since the days have been telling You
about have learned a good deal more
thought you might like to hear some
thing about these interesting animals.
Shetland is il rather remote quarter of
the world, and | should not wonder #
the majority of boys knew very little
about it. Many Of yor have no doubt
heard OF old Odin, the Scandinavian god.
Well, it is supposed that when he aud
his followers travelled up from the Gu
casian Mountains northwald to Norway
and Sweden, they took with them num-
Der of small Cossack horses, ard that
some of these found their way TO Shet
land, for the Shetland ponies cry close ly
| resemble the small horses of certain parts
| of Norway.
Shetland ponies are chiefly remarkable
for their small size and their wonderful
| strength, hardness and pluck in proper
ton to their size. They would need to
| be hardy, for, to say the truth, though
! greatly valued. they are nevertheless not
| particularly well cared for by their mas
! tiers. They have, in great measure, to
| find food for themselves, and, in fact, to
| shift for themselves in every way,
! He has trt 4uentIy to endure cold, hun
| ger and exposure of all kinds in a bleak
ard cheerless country. He has, therefore,
every need for his rough, shaggy coat
and his hardy little frame.
Almost every family in Shetland Uwns
| two, thee or more ponies. which are
USED for all purposes of draught aud car
riage, for bringing in the farm produce
corn, hay, potatoes and the rcst-as well
as for ridit z.
| If a Shetlander has no cart, he sliugs a
couple of wicker baskets over his pony's
back, in which baskets he places his
marKetngs, or his load of peats, or clods
of dried turf, which form so large part
of his winter fuel.
In Shetland, as you may suppose, the
pasturage is not the highest or most
abundant, and when i becomes so scanty
| as not to afford even native pony a bite
of food, he has recourse to The seaweed
on the beaches, off which he can >one
times make a plentiful if not a verv
dainty meal
Another quality which distinguishes
these ponies is surefootedness, quality
which renders them invaluable in a c0un-
try where the roads are often narrow and
rugSed-mele briGle-paths along the hill
| sides-where slip might be fatal to the
rider.
y Shetland pony is usually sood-tem-
PS'>' anu Easily DuG lt Has
also some qualities which ale not SO ad
mirabe. He is apt to be both selfish
and lazy. He has not, for instance. near
~ the same faithfulneSS or aft elton for
his master as a dog, nor the same saga
| city. lie has often good deal of fnn in
his composition, and onr pony Tally was
only true to the general character of his
race in being rather tricky. But, as
rule, Shetland ponies, unless they have
been mjuGiciOusly trained or their train
ing has been neglected. are not vicious.
We cali these little animals ponies, and
rightly; but the Shetlanders always
speak of them as horses, for good rea
son, suppose, that they are almost the
only horses they know. They are often
great pets in the family.
\ writer on Shetland, a native of the
island, in speaking Of the ponies says:
"All sorts of pretty and uncommon
names are chosen for them. Some of
them develop great prediction for
swe" tmeats, for which they will I'M
couthly seek the hand that careSses
them. One of these animals, when on a
journey, will, every quarter of an hour
or So turn his head round to his rider
seeking the bit of biscuit which is ALWAYS
provided for him."
Altogether the Shetlanders would do
very badly without their STURDY. useful
little horses, and when the ponies are
taken far south to England, or to coun-
tries much furtI er away still the II value
by no means diminishes.
! have known as much as three hun
dred dollars to be paid for a pair of
them, and dare say even more is some
times given. They find homes among
the rich of the land; become the pets on
many Il home farm and country house.
and any boy or girl, Whatever their con
dition Oh circumstances, think them
selves lncky in the possession o. Shet
land pony