Fell Pony History - By Clive Richardson,”The Fell Pony”
The Wild European pony is thought to have migrated to the British Isles approx 15,000BC. One type predominated in northern England, and can be credited as the progenitor of the Fell pony. When crop farming and animal husbandry replaced hunting, wild ponies were drastically reduced to conserve available pasture. In northern England ponies became almost extinct in some parts and those that remained existed in small pockets which encouraged inbreeding and so led to regional characteristics.
By the time the Romans were well established in the North there must have been a definite type of dark coloured pony, standing perhaps just over 13hh, bred within the local catchment area of Hadrian's Roman Wall. During the Roman occupation on the border between England and Scotland, auxiliary troops were brought in from other countries to help man Hardian's Wall, which separated these two countries. These auxiliaries would have brought along their own war stallions, many of these were probably left behind to breed and produce a mixture of types in northern England.
A cross between these French, Fresian, German, Polish, or Spanish horses and the Celtic pony is believed to have helped shape many British native pony breeds, including the Fell (79AD to approx. 420AD).
Most of the ponies were probably of subdued colours such as brown, dun, black or dark bay, and white markings were limited. The size of the pony was governed by the quality of grazing, it is unlikely that ponies exceeding 13hh could have survived on the northern moorland. It was not until the second half of the 20th century that black became the predominant colour, followed by brown, bay, and grey. Some of the oldest present day Fell pony men strongly prefer a brown or bay pony because they say it cannot be beaten for hardiness.
The early fell pony type of animal made an ideal working animal, it was strong and sure-footed, placid in nature and not too big to make loading and unloading difficult while being up to the weight of a full load. Unlike the small native ponies of pre-Roman times, the improved Fell type was large enough for a man to ride and was recognised as a dual-purpose breed.
The Vikings used the ponies for ploughing and sledge pulling, the Normans for shepherding, by the thirteenth century there was a brisk trade in wool to Belgium, and local ponies were used to transport merchandise around the country, old packways can still be seen today.
Fell ponies were used to transport slate, copper, and lead as well as iron ore and may well have done so since Roman Times. The advent of the Industrial Revolution was a comparatively rapid innovation but one that, directly or otherwise, affected the whole country. Its initial effect on the Fell pony came by way of iron-ore mines situated in the north-west of England. Once excavated the ore had to be transported across country to the smelting works of the north-east coast, and because of the uneven topography of the country and complete lack of suitable roads and canals, other feasible methods of transport had to be found. The coming of the railways meant redundancy for many of the pony teams and their dependant tradesmen, within an incredibly short period of time hundreds of ponies disappeared, many being sold abroad for slaughter. Fortunately the Fell pony was still surviving in its native Lakeland home, and despite its dramatic rise and fall at the hands of the industrialists, as a breed it was quite unchanged, for the disbanding of pony teams had not affected the true pony breeding stock at home on the Cumbrian hills.
The affluent 1950's saw the beginnings of the popularity of riding for pleasure, a pursuit that has gained momentum ever since and in its wake guaranteed the future of many native breeds. The number of ponies being registered with the Fell Pony Society has risen gradually ever since.
Fell Pony Uses
Today, there is a demand for an all-round family pony capable of carrying all members of the family and versatile enough to fulfill a wide variety of jobs previously done by two or three more specialized animals. In this capacity the Fell pony is ideal being well up to the weight of a heavy adult. Their size still makes them suitable for experienced children. The rediscovery of Carriage Driving has given the Fell Pony the means of continuing in a job which it has traditionally done for centuries. They are well suited to this work, having great stamina and presence when in harness. A few Fell Ponies are still used in Scotland carrying the stags and grouse panniers down from the moors. Some of HM The Queen's ponies are sometimes used for this purpose at Balmoral while others are used for both riding and driving by the Royal Family. The Fell Pony is now becoming popular in the showing world, doing well in both in hand, under saddle, and Worker Hunter Pony classes. They also do well in Private Driving classes.
Fell Pony Conformation/Breed Standard
- Courtesy of The Fell Pony Society, England
HEIGHT:
Not exceeding 14 hands (142.2 cms).
COLOUR &
MARKINGS:
Black, brown, bay and grey. Chesnuts, piebalds and skewbalds are debarred.
A star and/or a little white on or below the hind fetlock is acceptable. An excess of white markings is discouraged, but such ponies are eligible for registration.
HEAD:
Small, well chiseled in outline, well set on, forehead broad, tapering to nose.
NOSTRILS:
Large and expanding.
EYES:
Prominent, bright, mild and intelligent.
EARS:
Neatly set, well formed and small.
THROAT & JAW:
Fine, showing no signs of throatiness nor coarseness.
NECK:
Of proportionate length, giving good length of rein, strong and not too heavy, moderate crest in case of stallion.
SHOULDERS:
Most important, well laid back and sloping, not too fine at withers, nor loaded at the points - a good long shoulder blade, muscles well developed.
CARCASE:
Good strong back of good outline, muscular loins, deep carcase, thick through heart, round ribbed from shoulders to flank, short and well coupled, hind quarters square and strong with tail well set on.
FEET, LEGS AND JOINTS:
Feet of good size, round and well formed, open at heels with the characteristic blue horn, fair sloping pasterns not too long, forelegs should be straight, well placed not tied at elbows, big well formed knees, short cannon bone, plenty of good flat bone below knee (eight inches at least), great muscularity of arm.
HIND LEGS:
Good thighs and second thighs, very muscular, hocks well let down and clean cut, plenty of bone below joint, hocks should not be sickle nor cow-hocked.
MANE, TAIL AND FEATHER:
Plenty of fine hair at heels (coarse hair objectionable), all the fine hair except that at point of heel may be cast in summer. Mane and tail are left to grow long.
ACTION:
Walk, smart and true. Trot well balanced all round, with good knee and hock action, going well from the shoulder and flexing the hocks, not going too wide nor near behind. Should show great pace and endurance, bringing the hind legs well under the body when going.
GENERAL CHARACTER:
The Fell Pony should be constitutionally as hard as iron and show good pony characteristics with the unmistakable appearance of hardiness peculiar to mountain ponies, and at the same time, have a lively and alert appearance and great bone.
*References: - The Fell Pony Society, England - The Encyclopedia of Horses & Ponies. Tamsin Pickeral. -“The Fell Pony” - Clive Richardson
Fell Pony Breeders
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