FELL PONY

The Fell Pony is one of several native English pony breeds, including the Dales, Dartmoor, Exmoor, and New Forest. These breeds descend from the ancient Celtic horses of northern Europe that migrated to the British Isles. The Fell originated in the uplands of northern England, where they were used as pack animals for the lead-mining industry on the western slopes of the Pennines (their close cousin, the Dales Pony, was used on the eastern slopes). Up until the 1800s, these hardy ponies carried loads of lead ore from the mines down to the coast. Then, they returned carrying coal, traveling up to 20 miles per day over rocky, rugged terrain.

The early ancestry of the Fell is obscure. They survived on the rugged hills, or fells, of Northern England. Although the lead mining industry fell into decline in the nineteenth century, Fell ponies were concurrently employed on the hill farms, as a small draft animal. They were used in the field, for transportation, herding sheep, and for pleasure.  With the advent of gasoline-powered engines, the Fell Pony lost most of its jobs, which led to the breed’s dramatic decline to dangerously low numbers. Interest in leisure riding in the 1950s saw a resurgence of the breed in Britain, and the pony has seen a new wave in popularity in the last twenty years as breeders in Europe and North America have found value in these versatile ponies.

Today the breed is utilized in driving competitions, dressage, endurance and pleasure rides, trail and ranch riding, obstacle challenges, Pony Club Games and are talented jumpers.

Most Fells are still bred in northern Great Britain, with just a few breeders remaining who maintain their ponies in the traditional way in loose, wide-roaming herds on the fells. This thrifty pony can live off the sparse vegetation found there, with little supplementation of additional feed.

The Fell Pony averages 13.2HH, with a breed maximum height of 14 hands, and is smaller and lighter than the Dales pony. While primarily solid black, its dense coat may also be bay, brown, or gray. White is permissible only as a small star, or below the hind fetlocks. It has feathered fetlocks, and a heavy mane and tail. Its sturdy, well-muscled legs, large strong cannon bones and strong, broad feet contribute to its sure-footedness and stamina.

The Fell Pony Society of North America (FPSNA) is a registered overseas branch of the Fell Pony Society (FPS) UK, and a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. FPSNA is dedicated to the conservation of the Fell pony breed, and the promotion of the Fell Pony in North America in ways that are consistent with the aims & regulations of the FPS. For more information on the breed, please visit www.fpsna.org and www.fellponysociety.org

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