PONIES PAST AND PRESENT - THE BREEDS OF THE BRITISH ISLANDS. By Sir
Walter Gilbey, Bart. Originally published in 1900, this rare early work
on Native British Ponies is both expensive and hard to find in its first
edition. READ COUNTRY BOOKS has republished it using the original text
and illustrations. The author was a respected authority on all
equestrian matters and published several important books on the subject
as well as contributing numerous articles to the sporting and farming
press of that era. This title was the first comprehensive work on
British Ponies ever written, and the first to draw attention to their
important contribution to polo pony breeding. The book consists of one
hundred and thirty six pages, including eight full page plates. A
lengthy introduction takes the reader through some of the early history,
origins, and laws relating to the pony breeds. This is followed by eight
Detailed chapters: The New Forest Pony. The Welsh Pony. The Exmoor and
Dartmoor Ponies. The Cumberland and Westmoreland Ponies. Ireland The
Connemara Pony. The Ponies of Scotland and the Shetland Islands. Uses
and Characteristics of the Pony. Breeding Polo Ponies. This is a
fascinating read for any pony enthusiast or historian of the breeds, and
also contains much information that is still useful and practical today.
Many of the earliest equestrian books, particularly those dating back to
the 1900's and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly
expensive. READ COUNTRY BOOKS are republishing these classic works in
affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and
artwork.
