3 minute read
HORSE AND PONY BREEDS
6. THE NEW FOREST PONY
By Christie Wolhuter
Breed purpose: Mining, grazing, riding
Size: Up to 14.2hh (148cm)
Coat colour: Any apart from piebald, skewbald, spotted or blue-eyed cream
The New Forest Pony is a fascinating breed native to the United Kingdom. The breed was first written about and described in 1066, but it is believed that the ancestors of the New Forest Pony roamed the woods and heath of the New Forest before the last Ice Age.
CREATING THE BREED
The New Forest is an accessible piece of land in Hampshire that was once crossed extensively by travellers on horseback. Although later the New Forest became a royal hunting ground under William the Conqueror, forest-dwellers known as Commoners had the right to put their ponies out to graze, and the forest still supports these herds of feral ponies. Varieties of ponies living together in this way and mixing with the horses and ponies of travellers, meant that lots of cross-breeding happened between mares and stallions. This created quite a diverse group of ponies.
Then, in 1765, a Thoroughbred stallion called Marske was brought to the forest after being sold by his owner, the Duke of Cumberland. He was the father of Eclipse, possibly the greatest racehorse of all time. Marske lived and bred with the forest mares for a short time before returning to stud. Later in 1889, Queen Victoria lent an Arab and a Barb stallion to improve the herd. Subsequently, Highlands, Fells, Dales, Dartmoors, Exmoors and Welsh ponies were introduced. Finally, another major influence on the breed was the polo pony stallion, Field Marshall, out of a Welsh pony mare.
All of this just goes to show how many different breeds have been involved in creating the New Forest Pony.
In 1910 a formal studbook was created, and now Purebred New Forest stallions approved by the Breed Society run out on the Forest with the mares for a short period each year.
BRIEFLY ENDANGERED
In the 1940s, there were fewer than 600 ponies left, but careful breeding programmes have seen the numbers increase significantly. There are currently over 3000 ponies in the New Forest Park, where they roam freely in small herds. They are a popular tourist attraction, with many people stopping to view them in their natural habitat.
THE PONIES
Twice a year, all the ponies are rounded up by agisters and helpers on horseback and are counted, dewormed and checked for health problems.
Ponies are then selected to be sold, most frequently at the nearby Beaulieu Pony fair, attracting large crowds of prospective buyers.
They make excellent partners for riders of all ages and abilities and are strong enough to be ridden by adults. Their canter is their best gait, and they are extremely sure-footed. They are known for having fantastic temperaments and being intelligent and versatile.
Hands up if you want to ride a New Forest Pony?! We know we do!
