small ponies

[sailortats]

I have been watching the You Tube versions of the last few Edinburgh Military Tattoos and have a question.
What is the significance of the small pony that is brought out near the end of the tattoo and during other military performances as well?

[Lorna]

http://www.rememberingscotlandatwar....nd-Pony-Majors

[Chas]

Most British Army regiments have a mascot.

Horses (or ponies), goats, rams, dogs are all popular.

[JohntheBiker]

Common with Canadian regiments as well:

[Laird_M]

That'd better br whisky in there...

[Mike_Oettle]

I did rather wonder why a kilted Canadian unit has a Swiss dog breed for its mascot.
(I am partly of Swiss descent, but my Scottish ancestry is on the other side of the family tree.)
But Shetland ponies and goats are both appropriate for Scots regiments – there are plenty of goats in the Highlands and Islands. The pony is a bit more remote, since neither Zetland nor Orkney have traditionally been kilt-wearing areas, but they are part of Scotland.
And it’s almost a pity that the four-horned goat of the Isle of Man has not been recruited as a mascot (at any rate, I have not heard of one).
Regards,
Mike

[Lorna]

The following link doesn't explain why initially a St. Bernard dog was chosen as mascot although oftentimes soldiers will take in a stray who then becomes part of the regiment and a tradition is born.

http://www.canadianscottishregiment....p?page_id=1019