Connemara
| Characteristics: |
Good temperament, hardiness
and staying power, intelligence and soundness, surefootedness
and jumping ability, suitable for child and adult. |
| Height: |
133cms - 148cms high (14.2hh). |
| Colour: |
Grey, bay, black, brown,
dun, with occasional roan, chestnut, palomino and dark-eyed
cream. |
| Type: |
Compact, well-balanced
riding type with depth, substance and good heart room, standing
on short legs covering a lot of ground. |
| Head: |
Well-balanced pony head
of medium length with good width between large dark kindly eyes.
Pony ears, well-defined cheek bones, jaw relatively deep but
not coarse. |
| Front: |
Head well set onto neck.
Chest not over-loaded and neck not set too low. Well defined
wither and good sloping shoulder giving a good length of rein. |
| Body:
|
Deep with strong back.
Some length permissible but should be well ribbed up with strong
loins. |
| Limbs: |
Good length and strength
in forearm, well-defined knees and short cannons with flat bone
measuring 18-21cms. Elbows should be free, pasterns of medium
length, feet well-shaped of medium size, hard and level. |
| Hindquarters: |
Strong and muscular with
some length, well-developed second thigh and strong low-set
hocks. |
| Movement:
|
Free and true without
undue knee action, but active and covering the ground. |
Connemara Ponies have existed
in the West of Ireland for many centuries and there are plenty of
wild and wonderful theories as to their origins, as wild and wonderful
as the area they inhabit!
 However,
their history as a definitive breed must start from the first volume
of the Connemara Pony Stud Book published in 1926. This was compiled
by around thirty - mostly local Connemara gentlemen - who formed
themselves into the Connemara Pony Breeders Society with the purpose
of selecting a nucleus of ponies from the dwindling number of local
mares and promoting them. They agreed that a compact, short legged
pony of about 13.2 hh (138 cm) with good limbs and true and easy
movement from the shoulder should be their aim.
By selecting the best stallions
and persuading the local farmers to only make use of those stallions
at a reasonable fee they hoped to promote and improve the Breed.
 Apart
from a raised height limit 14.2 hh (148 cm) this is still the goal
most breeders aim for to this day. Unfortunately the bone and substance
was a little lost along the way, but more recently this important
quality and that of the true, free and easy movement is being retrieved
both in their native country and in England ,where they are now
one of the most sort after ponies for all the family to enjoy.
The Connemara has a natural
jumping ability, and its rectangular build lends it suitable for
dressage. They often beat horses 16 hands and over with staying
power, intelligence and heart. As a show jumper, working hunter,
eventing, western pleasure, endurance, driving - Connemaras can
do it all, and can be your best friend!
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