The Highland Pony is native to the Scottish Highlands and Islands and is reknowned for it’s hardiness, even temprement and kind nature.
Originally bred for working the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, bringing the deer down from the hills, working on the crofts and herding the cattle to market, the Highland Pony stands up to full height and is known as one of the most versatile breeds in the world.
You will find them competing in all equestrian disciplines including Dressage, Working Hunter, Hunting, Driving and Show arenas. Highland Ponies also make great trekking and general riding ponies being sure footed and even tempered.
Highland ponies still play an active role within the Royal life, bringing deer down from the hills at Balmoral Castle and ridden by Her Majesty The Queen and other members of The Royal Family. The Highland Pony was a great favourite of Queen Victoria.
The Highland Pony breed has been exported successfully all over the world, countries such as Australia, America, Germany and Switzerland and now New Zealand. Susan McLeod imported the first two Highland Ponies into New Zealand at the end of 2011 and set up the founding Lochnagar Highland Pony Stud. Susan is keen to breed pure Highland Ponies to establish the ‘true’ breed in New Zealand (as descibed in the HPS breed description below) and will continue to register her ponies with the Highland Pony Society based in Perth, Scotland.
HIGHLAND PONY BREED DESCRIPTION (source: Highland Pony Society Website)
height: 13hh to 14.2hh (132cms – 148cms)
head: Well-carried and alert with a kindly eye. Broad-muzzled with a deep jowl.
neck and shoulders: Reasonable length of neck going from wither with a good sloping shoulder
and well-placed forearm.
body: Well-balanced and compact with deep chest and plenty of room for heart and lungs. Ribs well sprung. Quarters and hindlegs: powerful quarters with well-developed thigh, strong second thigh and clean flat hocks.
legs: Flat hard bone, broad knees, short cannon bones, oblique pasterns and well-shaped broad dark hoofs. Feather hair at back of legs soft and silky.
mane and tail: Hair should be natural, flowing and untrimmed with a full tail.
colours: A range of duns – mouse, yellow, grey, cream. Also grey, brown, black, bay and occasionally liver chestnut with silver mane and tail. Many ponies have a dorsal stripe and someshow zebra markings on legs. Shoulder stripe often present. A small star is acceptable but other white markings are discouraged. Foal coat often changes and many ponies change colour gradually as they grow older, especially those with grey hairs interspersed with the original colour. Others show a slight seasonal change in colour between winter and summer coats. Broken colours are not allowed. nb Stallions with white markings other than a small star are NOT eligible for licensing.
action: Straight and free moving without undue knee action.
capabilities: A ride, drive and pack animal and can adapt to many equestrian disciplines.