Exmoor Pony

What is an Exmoor Pony?

Britain's oldest native breed, 114-130cm, running semi-feral on Exmoor in Somerset and Devon. Distinctive for the "mealy" markings - oatmeal-coloured muzzle and eye rings - and a hooded "toad eye" with a fleshy upper lid that sheds rain.

They are as close to a wild British pony as exists, and their build is a catalogue of adaptations to weather: a double winter coat with a greasy outer layer, a "snow chute" of coarse hair at the tail, and a metabolism that runs on almost nothing.

History and origins

Ponies of this type have been on Exmoor since prehistory, and the breed shows very little outside influence. They were recorded in the Domesday Book in 1086.

The population fell to around fifty after the Second World War, when ponies were shot for meat and used for target practice. They remain on the Rare Breeds Survival Trust priority list, with a global population in the low thousands.

Appearance and size

114-130cm, 300-400kg. Deep-chested, short-legged and immensely strong for the size, with hard feet and dense bone.

Bay, brown or dun with black points and the mealy markings, and no white anywhere - a white mark is a disqualification and a sign of outside blood.

Temperament and personality

Intelligent, independent and strong-minded. Exmoors are not sharp or unkind, but they are a breed that has survived by making its own decisions, and they do not comply simply because they have been asked.

Well handled they are willing, bold and remarkably safe. They are used for conservation grazing, therapy work and endurance.

Intelligence and trainability

Very clever and very good at working out what they can get away with. Training works through patience and consistency; hurrying them does not.

They mature slowly and are often not backed until four or five.

Children and other pets

Suitable for competent children rather than beginners, because of the strong-mindedness rather than any unkindness. They carry adults comfortably despite the height, and they are used for adult riding, driving and endurance.

Live out in herds and are sensible around dogs and machinery.

Health problems

Remarkably few, and that is the benefit of a breed shaped by natural selection.

Laminitis. The exception, and it is a big one. An Exmoor is adapted to survive on moorland scrub through winter, and modern improved pasture is, from its point of view, dangerously rich. They are probably the most laminitis-prone native in Britain and most need a track system, a bare paddock or a muzzle all year.

Equine Metabolic Syndrome and PPID, common, and often first seen as laminitis.

Otherwise sound feet, sound legs, good teeth and a very long life - twenty-five to thirty-five years.

Daily care routine

Daily checks, feet out daily, and constant attention to weight. Farrier every six to eight weeks - many are barefoot and stay sound - teeth annually, vaccinations annually, worm counts through the year.

They do not need rugging or stabling and are healthier without both.

Grooming and coat care

A dense double winter coat with a greasy waterproof outer layer that should not be washed or over-groomed - it is what keeps them dry. A brush to remove mud is enough.

Heavy spring moult. Do not clip.

Exercise needs

Moderate. Ridden or driven work three or four times a week, and it matters more for weight control than for the pony's contentment. They have excellent stamina and do well at endurance.

Feeding and diet

The management problem in one section. Hay, preferably soaked, and a vitamin and mineral balancer. No hard feed, no rich grazing, no haylage. Most need restricted turnout on bare pasture or a track system year round.

Price

£1,000-£3,500 for a handled, registered pony, with proven show or endurance animals higher. Registered stock is scarce.

Keeping one costs £2,000-£4,500 a year, and less than most ponies if you have suitable bare grazing.

Buying advice

Ask whether the pony is registered with the Exmoor Pony Society and branded - registered ponies carry a herd number and a star brand. The breed is endangered and registration is what maintains it.

Ask how much handling the pony has had. Moorland-bred ponies from the autumn gatherings are unhandled, cheap, and a genuine project for an experienced home.

Passport and microchip. Five-stage vetting, and ask specifically about laminitis history - look at the feet for growth rings, because in this breed it is the thing most likely to have happened.