Milford chronicle., 1925-05-08
FLASH" A PONY,
80 YEARS OLD TODAY

May Sth, 1886, just 80 years age
today, a Shetland Pony was born il
the State of Wyoming, where it was
raised on a Ranch devoted to breed
ing horses for market, and where it
with other Shetland pony colts, grew
to be four years old.
About the beginning of the Spring
season of 1890, the late Charles Jes-
ter who was one of the firm of JeS-
ter and Mcdaniel, dealers in horses
in the City of Wilmington, Delaware,
was in the western states buying
horses for their trade and while in
Wyoming he saw the pony, which
had been named Flash by the chill
dren of the owner of the ranch.
Struck with the appearance of the
little pony and its kindness to the
little children, Mr.. Jester bought her
with three others and brought them
to Delaware.
Flash" was given to Mr.. TESTERS
daughter, then a girl of about ten
or twelve years old, and was used
about Wilmington for six years; un-
til 1896: In February of 1896 Mr..
Jester disposed of all the stock at
his farm near Wilmington, at pub
lc auction, ana Flash with her
three mates, was sold to Colonel
Theodore Townsend and came to
Milford, where Flash has lived up
to the present day, and has every
indication Of living for many years
more.
Flash" is the only one of the |
three ponies living and she has al
ways been a kind playmate for chill |
dren; gentle and docile in harness
or under saddle Agreeable to car
ry two on her back as riders, but
drew the line at load of three chill
dren, which she unseated by a meth
cd of her own, which resulted in
spill of the riders and a contented
escape for the pony; but, should one
of the children happen to fall I'M
der or at the feet of Flash, she
stood quietly until they had crawled
out from danger of being stepped on
before she left them to be recap
tured and mounted again by only
two.
Flash had several colts, one of
which lived to be nearly Is years
old and one was sold to Mr.. Henry
Netter, of Philadelphia and Atlantic
City, where it attracted attention by
its beautiful appearance for several
years.
For years George Marshall Town
send, who is now the Managing Edi-
tor of the Milford Chronicle, and !
Mrs. Pauline Townsend Hanly, of
New York, and Flash" were almost {
inseparable companions; often {
driving ten miles to Slaughter
Beach, Harrington and Pennington, I
Frederick, in less time than required I
by the average driving horse of those
days. q
For ten years Flash" has been /
ed upon ground corn, ground al {
alta hay, or other soft digestable
OOd, and her appetite is as good to- d
lay as when twenty ears old altho v
Ter teeth are worn down almost to
he gums. c
Her home has been a stable with e
'ut halter or stall other than the C
'ox and feed bin in her night home,
While the days are passed in a yard J
by a few chickens and S
n former years, several bird dogs J
S companions.
Frisky and active, her exercise for ri
he past ten years has been, a gal r
)p about the yard and some times a M
TN in the gardens when the gates g.
ere left open. Flash has been \.
wned for nearly thirty years of her A.
fe by Colonel Townsend and his
and the statement of Mr.. -,
harles Jester that she was born NJ
-ay 8th, 1886, was backed by the Nl
ecOrds of the horse breeder in the E.
tate of Wyoming. Id ID
This Shetland pony is now enter nt
g her fOrtieth year with every bl
'Ospect of living several years
niger. Her owners feel that she IA
as valuable part of the physical MI
aiming of their children, and that
Nv as the sands of time run rap to-
ly away, she will have, so long as MI
ey live, home in peace and COM
rt. Her care is a pleasure rather so
an a task. Th
The age of this animal is definite
known and it is probably one of Ar
e Oldest horses, or ponies living on bet
e Delmarvia Peninsula. CHI