Our Fell Ponies

Here at Cragg House Farm, we are proud champions for pedigree native breeds of livestock. Native breeds have characteristics that are better suited to our challenging climate and make a positive contribution to the ecosystem they have evolved to thrive in.

Fell ponies are native to the North of England, and are mostly found in Cumbria, in the old counties of Cumberland and Westmorland, where they probably roamed from pre-historic times. 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.

Defining Features:

The Fell Pony must not exceed 14 hands (142.2 cms).

Their body colour can only be black, brown, bay or grey (white).

A white star or white above lower eye level and white below nostrils and any white on the hind leg/hoof is acceptable.

The head should be small, well chiselled in outline, well set on, forehead broad, tapering to nose.

Ears should be neatly set, well formed and small.

They should have plenty of fine hair at heels, all the fine hair except that at point of heel may be cast in summer, whilst the mane and tail are left to grow long.

They should walk, smart and true. The trot should be well balanced all round, with good knee and hock action, going well from the shoulder and flexing the hocks. They should show great pace and endurance, bringing the hind legs well under the body when going.

History:

By the 13th century there was a brisk trade in wool to Belgium, and ponies or “capuls” were used to transport merchandise all around the country. The Fell type would have been       particularly good for this purpose, being strong, a fast and steady walker and small enough to be easily loaded.

Fell Ponies, known locally as ‘galloways’, were also used for the Cumberland sport of trotting races. Modern Fell ponies are renowned for their ground covering trot.

As industry developed, ponies were needed to transport copper, iron and lead ores from mines in the north-west of England to the smelting works.

In 1922 the Fell Pony Society was set up in its present form, not to “improve” but to “keep pure the old breed of pony” in the face of cross breeding to produce farm horses and showy road animals.

It was not until the second half of the 20th century that black became the predominant     colour, followed by brown, bay, and grey.