The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1897-12-18

ordinary sense OF the word. he Is
horse; In bone and snew. In strength
and endurance In manners and deport-
ment-a horse In everything. In fact.
except inches and sober. steady.
hardworking horse. too. lie Is a very
"mulium In payo." a concentrated
essence Of horsenesh. lie can swim
like a fish, climb like a goat and jump
like a deer. He sticks at nothing. and
takes every variety OF trayel-bog.
lava bed. sand. powders and grass
mounds-with undisturbed equanimity.
II he has TO ford one or two rivers. with
strong currents flowing glrth deep. It
IL all In the days work. Only give
him time and periodical hslts for re-
treatment and he will do his iity miles
per day and thrive upon II.
Iceland ponies are bred In hundreds
In the large grass plains In the south
ern districts OF the island Little or
no care Is taken In selection. 20 the
breed remains unaitered and unim-
proved, the average pony standing
from eleven and a half to twelve and
half hands. though here and there
one will reach 20 nearly thirteen
hands. Every variety OF color is seen,
but skewbalds Of many shades are the
commonest The chestnuts. as a rule
are the finest. and the browns the har-
diest Beautiful cream eolors. with
light points. are not infrequent. black
Is very rare and roam also. Their
PAGES are fast. considering the size Of
the animal a journey Of thirty-twO
miles being often done Ia six hours or
less. with heavy baggage, They trot.
canter and gallop. but the pace most
esteemed by the natives Is the amble
or "skeid." In which the fore and hind
legs on a side are advanced simulla-
neously. giving a running action very
smooth to the rider A good PAGER
Il considered very valuable and often
sold for high price. Some OF these
ponies amble 30 fast that they keep
ahead Of another going at a hand-gal-
Top. and they maintain the pace for a
days journey under weight OF II TO
IA stone. -
Iceland ponies ege STEADY and fast
in harness. though wheels are com
paraiively new departure In their
country. They travel mostly In
strings. often tied head and tail. Hay
baggage and household goods are thus
transported. and building material al.
80. You meet a "timbur-lestur. OF
timber team. Of from eight to ten
ponies. one carrying planks trailing on
each side. another strips OF iron. an
other bundles Of tools: a certain mum
Der Of spare animals running loose
and not infrequently a foal or two.
u Is as rare to see a dead lcelanS
pony A. a dead donkey. though ihell
skulls are often visible. half troddeT
into the miry ways surrounding th'
farms The pony begins work al
or Z years hard work. that Is 10 say
He Il early apprentlced to his trad,
by following his mother at her ayoca
tions. and when he Is iootsorc. q
strapped upon her back. he work.
well up to 20 wears and over and lf'e'
remains fairly sound to a ripe old axe
Tie feeds On the Cat Of the land %
summer and In winter. u biz owner q
poor. must live on bic wits and hi
stored condition.
Farmers who are fairly well oi
keep their animals in during the win
ter and feed them on hay. bat uotwith
standing many of the ponies have
hard time Of Do. The lcelandcrs. how
ever. keep their stccds as wei as ihct
means allow. and treat them aliogcthC
Ia a hroihorly fashion. and the s. =
a. would seldom End scope Tor bs co.
/ tylty. except. possibly, in tha Improve
mcnt Of biting and gearing Takm
/ Go all around. the Iceland pouy o. Ger
talnly not less happy very often ig
happier than his bigger brothers d
the south. and his endurance. pia, 10
ity and docilty MAKE him q iay1-u
IN other lands besides bis own. Will
httinr him Cor his homo duties in
manner which could not bo smpas.e
aud must hc tested 10 be- fully mailer
STOOD