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The Exmoor Pony

by Mark Walker

Exmoor ponies are known for their stamina and hardiness. They are small with a height of about 130cm. Exmoor ponies are strong and stocky in build. Although they possess short legs they are broad chested. They can occur in a variety of colours such as dun, bay or brown. The muzzles and forehead are broad. They have short thick eyes. The muzzles tend to be paler in colour, and they often have pale eye rings. The mane and tail are thick and ‘wirery’ and normally long and dark in colour. The foals are born throughout spring and summer.

Exmoor Ponies are found on Exmoor where they run wild. However, each pony has an owner who brands them. The ponies live wild throughout the year, only being rounded up once per year. The ponies can be domesticated and trained for riding or pony trekking. There are stamina makes them ideal for hard physical work. They can survive on Exmoor all year round. They are extremely hardy and are happy in the worst of weathers. The ponies tend to form small herds led by a single stallion. The thick winter coat is lost in May, but regrows in September.