When you visit the New Forest there are a group of locals that you can't but help noticing. They have been hanging around for about 2000 years and what they don't know about the forest is not worth knowing! I am talking about of course, the wonderful New Forest Ponies.

New Forest Ponies - The Past

We do not know exactly how long the New Forest Pony has been grazing on the Forest, or in fact how old the breed is. The first written references of the ponies dates back to 1016 and the first stud book was published in 1910 by The Burley and District New Forest Pony and Cattle Breeding Society . This organsiation was formed to improve the breed and founded in 1891.

The improvement of the breed is in essence the ponies history. This started in the rein of Henry III who introduced Welsh Ponies on the forest. This royal interest continued with Henry VIII. Henry infamous for his blood spilling ordered the smaller ponies to be killed, luckily this form of improvement did not continue! The next step did not occur until 1765 when a famous thoroughbred stallion called Markse was let onto the Forest. This followed by the royal's taking interest again with Queen Victoria lending her Arab stallion to run on the forest in the 1850's.

With Queen Victoria the royal connection ended. In 1891 the New Forest Pony and Cattle Breeding Society took over by offering a premium to suitable stallions to run on the Forest. It was thought to improve the breed stallions from other native breeds including Dales, Fell ponies, Exmoor, Dartmoor and Highlands were to run on the forest. The information on the stallions were documented and published in the first stud book in 1910. This practice was stopped and from 1930 there has been no outside blood allowed onto the forest.

New Forest Ponies - The Present

New Forest ponies continue to graze throughout the New Forest and registered stallions are let out onto the New Forest between April and July to continue the breed. Ponies born on the Forest are know as Forest breed. Forest breed ponies are sold at the Beaulieu Road Sales which are held throughout the year. New Forest ponies are also breed at private studs in the New Forest and country wide.

Although the New Forest is the stronghold and home of the New Forest Pony the breed has gone global and there are New Forest Pony Society's in Australia, The United States and most Northern European countries, showing the popularity of this wonderful bred.

New Forest Ponies - Character and Use

New Forest ponies are know for their friendly temperament, versatility, strength and quickness to learn. Well know for being an excellent child's pony the strength of the larger types means they have no trouble carrying light and medium build adults. The breed can have great success in many disciplines from dressage to driving, the New Forest Pony is a true all rounder of the Equine world.

New Forest Ponies - Colour and Height

The upper height for a New Forest pony is 148cm there is no lower limit on height. New Forest Ponies can be any colour barring spotted, blue eyed cream, piebald or skewbald. The most common colours are bay and chestnut.

For further information on the breed please visit The New Forest Pony and Cattle Breeding Society website www.newforestpony.com