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MacDonald states that he does not require the young stallion back and asks Ewart to let him know if anyone wishes to buy another of his stallions. He speculates that the Congested Districts Board might pay him a premium for the use of either of his stallions as studs to the crofters' ponies.

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Forsyth comments that he has read Ewart's notes and recommendations on ponies with interest. He requests that Ewart add a whole summary of recommendations and notes on the results of crossing experiments, so that the whole report can go to the Secretary directly.

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Forsyth reports that the other members of the Congested Districts Board are complimentary about Ewart's proposed Report on Ponies, although because parts of it have already appeared in the Transactions of the Highland and Agricultural Society, they do not wish to publish it. He hopes that the pony 'Atholl' has arrived in South Uist.

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Forsyth lists the ponies which he proposes that the Congested Districts Board should take over from Ewart. He asks Ewart to check the list in advance of the Board's meeting and states that Lord Arthur Cecil may be asked to fix the prices for them.

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Forsyth confirms that his colleagues have agreed to the purchase of four of Ewart's ponies and the stud farm subject to certain conditions. Forsyth recommends that Ewart contact John Ritchie to engage him under terms recommended by Lord Arthur Cecil.

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Forsyth welcomes Ewart back from his travels in Mexico and states that he is enclosing a letter from Cecil about the ponies (which are in the process of being purchased by the Congested Districts Board). He makes arrangements to see Ewart.

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Forsyth reports that the Congested Districts Board are now ceasing to breed ponies for the crofters as they believe they now have enough stock to keep them going. He thinks that the Board would be happy to purchase the ponies 'Fatima II' and 'Rhona' with their foals and agrees with Ewart that a Highland Pony Society should be formed to make for fairer judging between different breeds.

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Forsyth asks Ewart to accompany him to Monkstadt (the experimental farm of the Congested Districts Board) to see the ponies. He also wishes to consult him about the some public allegations that the Congested Districts Board are reviving the Highland ponies by crossing them.

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McDonald proposes to give Ewart a grant of £10, on top of any grant that may be obtained from the Congested Districts Board, to pay the carriage of the pony to Keppoch and back, and for a man to attend him. He invites Ewart to his camp near Tain to see 'ponies from all parts'.

Scope and Contents Cecil writes that he has written to the Secretary of the Carnegie Institute and hopes that Ewart's trip is a success. He mentions that he has been in touch with Forsyth about their forthcoming visit to Skye where they are considering circulating memoranda about ponies among the crofters under the auspices of the Congested Districts Board. Forsyth has stated that he would like to start a stud farm in Kilmuir. Cecil believes that he considers Fincastle's cross-breeding of Arab sires and...