Ponies

True ponies are perhaps best exemplified by the Mountain and Moorland breeds of Britain and Ireland, remarkable animals which have existed in the comparative isolation of their island home for thousands of years. These ponies, which are now divided into nine distinct breeds, are possessed of extraordinary strength in relation to their size. Fashioned by a harsh environment, they are tough, sure-footed, able to exist on minimum rations and have an inherent sagacity often lacking in their larger cousins.

The Shetland in North America
Not exceeding 11.2hh ( 46 in.)

The original Shetland, in spite of its small size and relatively restricted use, has been successfully exported worldwide for over 100 years. Shetlands began to make an appearance in the United States around 1850. The breeding of the American Shetland was centered originally on the state of Indiana, following the large importations of ponies from the Scottish Shetland Islands that began in 1885. The American Shetland Pony Club (ASPC) was founded in 1888, three years before the British association, to protect and preserve the breed in this country.

A number of the first ponies to arrive were superb harness animals and were immediately selected to be tiny, fashionable driving teams. Excellence in harness has continued to be the emphasis of the breed in the United States. In the 1970, interest in traditional purebred Shetlands as children’s mounts fell. The American Shetland Pony Club then opened a division that emphasized fine harness and show ponies, more than children’s mounts.

The short-legged, stocky, British Shetland was crossed predominantly with Hackney Ponies to add height, length of leg, and neck refinement. These ponies came to be known as the Modern American Shetlands. At the same time, the ASPC designated the more traditional ponies as the Classic American Shetlands. American Shetland Ponies, unlike its Scottish antecedent, are not the product of their environment, but have resulted entirely from selective breeding.

The Fell Pony
Not exceeding 14hh

The Fell pony is native to the steep, treeless, rocky hills called fells of North West England. It is thought that the breed was established as far back as the Roman times, and since received little introduction of foreign blood and breeding programs. Grazing semi-feral on the rugged upland fells of Cumbria, the Fell Pony has retained its true original characteristics to this day. The Fell Pony's past is a colorful one. Once caught and tamed from its natural habitat, it would have been used by the Romans for transportation of materials to build Hadrian’s Wall.

It is thought that at that time the native ponies were possibly influenced by horses similar to the Friesians, bought along by the Romans and the mercenaries hired to build Hadrian’s Wall. The greatest influence, however - particularly evident in the modern Fell Pony - is that of the now extinct, strong, swift Galloway. The Galloway was the mount of the border raiders and then of the Scottish drovers who brought their cattle into England. It was a revered pony, so much that the Romans already mentioned the breed and Shakespeare wrote about the Galloway pony. Traditionally, the Fell Pony was used as a pack pony, transporting minerals from the mines and grain to the mills. Moreover, the Fell Pony was, and still is, a tremendous trotter that was used as much under saddle as in harness.

Today, it is much sought after in its native country in its own right for riding and driving. Fell mares were used in the early breeding programs in the creation of the Hackney pony.The Fell Pony is considered a “at risk” breed by the British Rare Breeds Survival Trust. There are about 5,000 Fell Ponies in existence worldwide, with 311 in North America as of February 2008. Since 1982, HRH Duke of Edinburgh competes with a team of Fell ponies in carriage driving events. Queen Elizabeth II is the Patron of the Fell Pony Society, and is herself a knowledgeable owner and breeder, producing Fells under the 'Balmoral' prefix.

Hackney Pony
Not exceeding 12.2hh

The Hackney Pony resulted from the efforts of one British breeder, Christopher Wilson of Cumbria. By the 1880s, he had created a distinctive type based on trotting blood crossed with local Fell Ponies or occasionally with Welsh Ponies. The most important Hackney Pony stallion was Wilson’s champion pony stallion, Sir George, who carried both Norfolk and Yorkshire Trotter blood and was said to be an exceptionally good-looking pony. Sir George, who stood just under 14 hands, seems to have contributed speed and elegance, while the Fell Pony added high knee action and substance. Wilson mated Sir George’s female progeny from selected mares back to their sire to produce outstanding elegant ponies with brilliant harness action.

The “Wilson Ponies”, as they were known, were kept to their required height limit by being wintered out on the fells, where they were left to fend for themselves, a practice that ensured a remarkable hardness of constitution. Hackney Ponies have been exported to many countries. Because of their brilliance and snappy movements, they are always show-stoppers in fine harness, pleasure, and roaster classes. Hackney Ponies often find their way into other lines of work where they have proven to be first-rate jumpers. The Hackney Pony is on the “endangered” list of the British Rare Breed Survival Trust.