Observations on...
the Fell Pony Breed

In 2012, I am celebrating a dozen years with Fell Ponies.  I am collecting here and on the associated pages some of the observations I have made over the years about the Fell Pony breed, the Fell Pony Breed Standard, and breeding Fell Ponies.  These observations come from articles I have written.  If you are interested in reading an article in its entirety, I have included links for you to request the ones you want.

The Fell Pony as a Rare Breed

• The status of the Fell Pony as a rare breed has improved in the past decade.
• The number of foals registered, an indication of breeding female population size, has steadily increased over the last 20 years.
• The gene pool of the Fell Pony breed is small: my first mare was related to 75% of the licensed stallions in the world within the first three generations when I bought her in 2000.
• Only about a third of female Fell Ponies born in a given year contribute their genetics to future populations.
• I am concerned with how the presence of Foal Immunodeficiency Syndrome in the breed may influence breeding decisions. Rather than avoid syndrome-producing parents, we need to breed from them prudently.
• Loss of type is often cited as a major threat to the breed. It is possible to breed two Fell Ponies to each other and have the result be a poor reflection of the breed standard.
• The percentage of foals born outside Cumbria has not changed significantly in the past forty years.
• For more information, request Feather Notes, Volume 1, Issue 4, Winter 2006.

North American Fell Pony Population Growth

• The North American Fell Pony population now stands at about 400 ponies.
• Foals born exceed imports in contribution to population growth.
• Population growth has slowed since 2007, but the number of owners continues to increase.
• For more information, request the most recent article on population growth.

Are Rare Fell Pony Colors Rare?

• From an historical perspective, rare colors are indeed rare in numbers.
• If genetic diversity was left behind by the selection for black, it was left behind many decades ago.
• Rare bloodlines can be found in black ponies as well as the rare-colored ponies. More important than color when considering rare bloodlines is a particular pony’s pedigree.
• For more information, request Feather Notes, Volume 3 Issue 2, April 2008.

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Traditional vs. Modern Types in the Fell Pony

• Within the Fell Pony world, there are those who make a distinction between the traditional and modern type.
• One breeder I met in England described the modern type as “a traditional Fell Pony made of elastic and stretched in every direction.”
• Other breeders have told me that the traditional type is the true Fell Pony and the modern type is a departure from the breed standard.
• I have watched the draft horse world as a spectator for over twenty years. I have spoken to breeders of draft horses and other draft pony breeds, and every breed seems to have this divergence between the traditional and modern types.
• Only a few breeders of Fell Ponies seem to be focused exclusively on the traditional type; most have ponies from many parts of the spectrum.
• I am pleased to have three very traditional type Fell Ponies, including my stallion Guards Apollo.
• For more information, please request Fell Pony News July 2005, Fell Pony News February 2009, and Fell Pony News March 2009.

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Prefixes in the Fell Pony

• Prefixes are registered names owned by individuals.
• The number of prefixes in use has doubled in the past twenty years, as has the number newly registered.
• Only 23 prefixes out of 142 have been in continuous use for thirty years or longer.
• For more information, request Feather Notes, Volume 3 Issue 4, February 2009.

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Rare Bloodlines of the Fell Pony

• Identifying rare bloodlines is important for two reasons: so that genetic diversity can be preserved and so that potential outcrosses can be identified for breeders.
• Some bloodlines may be rare for a reason: they no longer represent the Fell Pony’s breed standard.
• For more information, request Feather Notes, Volume 4, Issue 1, December 2009.

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Carrying Capacity of the Fell Pony

• From historical records of trotting races and pack strings, it appears that a fit Fell Pony can carry an adult at speed who weighs as much as 168 pounds or a load at a walk of as much as 224 pounds.
• On average, a Fell Pony is up to any load that an Arab or a Quarter Horse can handle, based on a correlation between coronet band circumference and weight-bearing capacity. 
• For more information, request Feather Notes, Volume 1, Issue 1, Spring 2005.

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Retaining Hardiness: Keeping Fell Ponies Warm in Winter

• It’s important not to pamper Fell Ponies, as they are naturally hardy and should be encouraged to remain so.
• In winter I encourage their four strategies for staying warm: healthy fur coats, movement, cover, and digestion.
• For more information, request Feather Notes, Volume 2, Issue 3, January 2007.

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Fell Pony Sires of Note

• Super sires are those who produced numerous progeny for numerous breeders over numerous years and whose progeny have gone on to be breeding stock.
• Fell Pony Sires of Note include: Waverhead Rambler, Heltondale Sonny Boy, Heltondale Heather Lad, Townend Flash II, Lunesdale Jerry, Tebay Campbellton Victor, Heltondale Hero, and Heltondale Black Prince III.
• A few stallions show up in the pedigrees of nearly every modern day Fell Pony.
• For more information, request Feather Notes, Volume 3, Issue 3, September 2008.

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Furnish of a Fell Mare

• Mares don’t breed well if overweight, and most seem to do best when somewhat thin coming into breeding season, reflecting life on the fells.
• According to David Murray’s research, Fell Ponies can lose up to a third of their body weight without detrimental effect.
• For more information, request Fell Pony News, May 2008.

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Slow Sleddales

• The Sleddale Fell Ponies have lived in the Wet Sleddale Valley and Shap fells for over one hundred years.
• I've been told it takes a full two years longer for a Sleddale pony or one of its offspring to mature than other Fell Ponies.
• For more information, request Fell Pony News April 2010.

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