Need to purchase an Exmoor pony? Then this information on what to search for and the place to go looking is a superb position to start out.
What’s an Exmoor pony?
The Exmoor pony is Britain’s oldest breed of local pony. The Exmoor pony is a unprecedented local breed recognised via the Uncommon Breed Survival Consider and is indexed of their watchlist underneath precedence.
The most popular top vary of Exmoors is underneath:
- Stallions and geldings can get up to twelve.3hh, from 11.3hh
- Mares can get up to twelve.2hh, 11.2hh
The Exmoor Pony Society (EPS) used to be based in 1921.
The EPS states that: “Exmoor ponies are flexible, adaptable, very robust for his or her dimension and in a position to show their hooves to all kinds of actions. Traditionally, the Exmoor pony used to be utilized by the hill farmers to adopt a wide variety of labor from being ridden for shepherding to being utilized in harness for ploughing, harrowing, taking feed to inventory and the farmer’s circle of relatives to marketplace and church. Ponies from wild herds had been amassed after which skilled to tug the carts and chariots of the Celtic settlers. The Doomsday guide comprises the primary written proof of ponies on Exmoor, when it used to be a delegated Royal Wooded area. Information from the 1500s onwards disclose that the equine inhabitants various in numbers emerging to about 1,000 from time to time. Non-Exmoor mares got here to the moor to sign up for the indigenous British Hill Pony sort inventory however it’s concept that the wardens ran local stallions.”
There are roughly 500 breeding mares and 100 authorized, registered stallions in any given duration of 5 years generating between 100-150 foals according to 12 months.
Foals are bred into the free-living herds on Exmoor – the house of the Exmoor pony – and likewise in in-ground and free-living scenarios during the United Kingdom, Europe and North The united states.
All Exmoor pony foals are inspected every 12 months and registered into Segment 1 or Segment X of the EPS studbook based on EU/DEFRA regulation and the Laws of the EPS.
Every herd is assigned a bunch after which every foal is assigned a bunch in that herd – this makes up the registration quantity for the horse.
The EPS supplies the next breed usual:
- Basic look: Particular “pony” persona; arduous and powerful; full of life and alert and symmetrical in look; mealy muzzle; distinguished hooded toad eye
- Head and neck: ears quick, thick and pointed; blank lower face; huge brow, eyes massive, huge aside & distinguished with effectively outlined fleshy hood and light colouration outlining the eyes (Toad Eyes); huge nostrils; mealy muzzle; blank throat; excellent duration of rein.
- Shoulders: blank, high-quality at most sensible, effectively laid again.
- Chest: deep and huge between and at the back of forelegs; Ribs lengthy, deep, effectively sprung and huge aside.
- Again: degree; huge and degree throughout loins; tail smartly set in.
- Legs: blank & quick, with neat uniformly darkish hoof partitions; forelegs immediately, effectively aside and squarely set; hind legs effectively aside, just about perpendicular from hock to fetlock with level of hock in step with pelvis bone; huge curve from flank to hock joint; legs unfastened in movement with out a tendency to comb or flip.
- Motion: immediately and easy, with out exaggerated motion.
- Coat: summer season – shut, arduous and brilliant. Wintry weather – a double-layered dense coat with an underneath insulating layer of good, springy hair and an outer waterproofing layer of arduous, greasy hair.
- Color: bay, brown or dun, with black issues; mealy color on muzzle, spherical eyes and inside of flanks; no white markings anyplace.
- High quality: alert expression and common poise indicating steadiness and symmetry of motion; flat blank bone.
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What will have to I search for in an Exmoor?
Jackie Webb has been breeding Exmoor ponies underneath the Blackthorn prefix since 1978. She could also be on quite a lot of judging panels, together with NPS and BSPS, and Exmoor, Connemara and New Wooded area breed society panels.
Influential Exmoor stallions she has owned or bred come with Dunkery Buzzard, Blackthorn Hawkwind, Siskin and Blackthorn Sea Poacher. Siskin used to be a three-time Horse of the 12 months Display (HOYS) in-hand finalist, and Sea Poacher certified for HOYS a large number of instances, together with with Laura Collett who campaigned him in operating hunter categories. Blackthorn Poldark received at Hickstead in 2023 with Jess Talbot, and Blackthorn Blush Rose received at HOYS two times with Katy Marriott-Payne.
“The horse has to shout Exmoor at you, which maximum of them do,” says Jackie. “An Exmoor is in most cases straight away recognisable.
“An Exmoor will have to be a well-made pony with excellent limbs and bone. It should transfer, too, and at the present time many excellent ridden ponies do have motion and are in a position to be schooled in a similar way to the opposite breeds you spot out and about at the circuit. As soon as upon a time, no longer many of us confirmed Exmoors, however they’re increasingly more standard, which has been certain for the breed.
“Mealy markings are vital. I preferred a well-marked pony, with glaring mealy markings. Darker ponies don’t have glaring markings and at positive instances within the 12 months they may be able to lose their markings totally, particularly if they’re rugged all through display season.
“A excellent Exmoor will have to have a daring eye and small pony ears.
“Our breeding inventory will have to be as excellent high quality as ridden ponies, on the other hand you arguably would possibly desire a pony with extra scope for the ridden task.”
What can I do with an Exmoor?
Exmoors are a flexible breed and they may be able to in most cases carry out in a couple of disciplines. They’re hardy and hard, and they’re ceaselessly courageous and nimble. They’re a good selection as a operating circle of relatives pony as they may be able to reside out and require little upkeep.
Because of their stamp and dimension, Exmoors make supreme mounts for small adults in addition to succesful youngsters.
Exmoors contend small breeds M&M ridden categories they usually leap in both 122cm or 133cm operating hunter pony categories. Many Exmoors leap effectively and the breed could also be increasingly more visual within the mini circuit, with representatives contending each lead rein and primary ridden categories with good fortune.
If I purchase an Exmoor, will it go well with me?
It is determined by the horse, and your driving talents in addition to what you want to do together with your pony.
Exmoors are identified for being a unusual breed that isn’t appropriate for everybody, on the other hand Jackie says it’s very a lot a case of horses for lessons: “They’re identified for his or her quirks, however they’re in most cases very smart which makes them no longer appropriate for everybody. They’re all the time one step forward of you, and other folks can mistake that for them being cussed.
“These days, you spot plenty of Exmoor contending first ridden and lead rein categories, so it is determined by the temperament of the person pony. It is determined by how they’re skilled, too. Should you get a pony this is wild from the moor, then he’ll take much more paintings to get going in comparison to a pony that has been treated from the off.”
The place will have to I purchase an Exmoor pony from?
“If you wish to purchase an Exmoor for the ridden task, then I’d counsel taking your time to visit a couple of breeders and feature an actual excellent go searching,” Jackie advises. “The extra ponies you’ll be able to take a look at the easier; this is helping you get your eye in.
“Should you’re short of a foal and are glad to stay up for it to mature and develop, you’ll be able to cross to the breeders who run ponies at the moor. There truly isn’t anything else extra rewarding than bringing one up your self. However, if you happen to’re on the lookout for an older pony to deliver on quicker than I counsel going to the up-country breeders as those ponies have in most cases been treated extra. Pay attention to your personal features as no longer everybody has the revel in to deliver on a wild Exmoor foal!”
How a lot will have to I be expecting to pay for an Exmoor?
Like every local breeds, Exmoors range in worth relying on temperament, age, pageant file and different elements.
“There are reasonable ponies round, however, like in any breed, the easier ridden ponies are fetching upper costs,” says Jackie. “In this day and age, a excellent foal can simply make between £500 to £1000.”
I’ve agreed to shop for an Exmoor pony, now what?
It’s time to organise a pre-purchase vetting, one thing this is strongly really useful. If the horse is for a kid, in all probability requesting an ordeal duration could be good, however no longer all dealers will comply with this.
It’s vital to let the vet know previous to the vetting what you plan to make use of the horse for therefore they may be able to assess it accordingly.
Should you inform the vet that you need the horse for the display ring, they will have to optimistically let you know of any blemishes or conformational faults which might affect its long term occupation, although they don’t affect its soundness or efficiency.
Do notice that if you’re purchasing an Exmoor off the hill, it is going to be not likely that you’re going to have the horse vetted as it would have had little dealing with.
“It is determined by what you’re paying for an Exmoor, too,” says Jackie. “However for peace of thoughts you must all the time get an older pony checked over via the vet.”
For more info, you’ll be able to learn H&H’s final information to shopping for a horse.
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