THE BOY'S PONY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 31, 31 October 1907, Page 2

THE BOY'S PONY.

AVILL 'IT RETURN TO .FAVOUR? .. . .. It appears as if the motor car would almost crush that picturesque - creature, . the- children's pony, out .of existence.Yet; there'smuch ,to he said in favour'of, :saving it. . ..The ■little creatures, if. well, reared,: are-docile but exceedingly.active and useful. = - A Right Sort of Present. ~., 'i'lioro is no.kind of gift delights' the ordinary human 'Boy 'more"thoroughly- than the gift, of a pony. It becomes his "pot; companion, his dajly mount to school. It'teaches him to sympathise with animal nature,-, and trains him in horsemanship, for those.later days when he will iidi bigger steeds. A boy's (and girl's) pony is cheap, . for .it. can bo got for' £10 and ilo ami' upwards.. It 'noecls' no coddling,' and will' thrive well on a' grass diet. 1 , ' ,'~ ~ Easily Beats the Motor Oar. 1: In .a contrast with the "motor car. it holds 'a good,claim.to existence;: for although the motor car- is. powerful' mid fast and capable of holding a : party of .several persons, it isvery expensive .to purchase and maintain', it encourages no..love.of.ijiature or.other,trait that a fanner likes .to see in,his chilQfen, ; it is exceedingly' dangerojis ;in the hands of youngsters, and is not the.kind of thing with which a parent.would willingly, trust them.;■ Where It Is Bred. ; There are several Breeders ...of these .niid- : gets iii New Zealand. ' ; Mr. Tighe, r the blind ' principal'of"the Institute for-the' Blind, at Auckland, makes' it', his hobby, and lias, sold some charming animals at big prices to,various wealthy people. Nothing can be smarter or show finer taste than a small four-wheel carriage drawn 'by a pair of creamy' ponies of pigmy size. And they are exceedingly fast. A Hastings Stud,, ... i,]. Mr. J. Wells, an, old „settleri of Hastings, includes ; these among several ; classes of animals that ho breeds withigreat.success. Be topped jthe score at the. -Hastings ;Show in. the classes, for Berkshire pigs,; dairy; cows,

mare suited for breeding carriage horses, (the the; best" trottqr.of her class in the district), light si'iring; oiirt ;inare, children's pony, etc. Of Berkshire pigs' 1 alone ho breeds 400 a year, and nearly all of them are sold to surrounding settlers for...breeding purposes.. But next to°his pigs, Mr; Wells-seems'.to love'his boys' ponies the most. 1 The mother of them all, a piebald white and animal, which has the first prize ticket tied to her mane with clock-like regularity at all the Hawkers Bay shows, was - imported "-from ' Cornwall ihany v years ago by Mi'. Wells, and he has never yet'been able tolreod anshing)better: ■A Little Superstition. '> ■ Mr. . Wells has . some, old-fashioned about the'luck' of oifsprmg. "There are," lie said, "some things that we don't liko to have about us: during breeding time; We don't- like-; the biill to-see s a white cow during breeding time lest he should ■„ ' contmuo' to' think about white'cows,'''and all his calves should bo born White. It is the same with the ponies'."' • '■ What coloured stallion do " ; A-bright bay." : ; - - vivo . -And tho'ifoals aro^—:?:! ') nv:.;:-', •: ;u :> "All colours.'; Sometimes croamy."> : ' .£*'>■ . You thiiik : -if'therejwefe; a-' white or blacK horse'hi 1 sight, you might get white-or-black'-''' 1 • foqis'P, r " %'.! "Yes. 1 : There' may,; of course,- I .be.; nfrtmng'. r in it -.but we,like,to. tak<i'every precWion..,j,.p 'It, was,noticeable that'Jlr. .Wells 'ntai)^gedJ. v j to get a good many,-. pf ibe*''pwJippraedV;,, creamy foals, for he had two of that colour . in the-show. Who .is . there., that , can stand uj) and declare with'certainty that his sjjpep stitronis'-'all empty?' The Prices. '* ! As to prices.'i Mr.i Wells is rery. reasonabl9. He values tho' J little Creain'y fellows'" 1 at b«h .tween £20 and £30. They are all exceedingly quiet, , and <he crawl? r . beneath vtheirvr •.bellies with the utmost 'unconcern; -.They are? ' ideal children's pets.: ■-;<>?!■■ M(f-.7