New Forest Pony
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Please note that the office will be closed from Monday 23/12/2024 to Friday 3/01/2025 Inclusive, emails and messages will be picked up very regularly and in the case of urgency an appointment can be made in advance for an office visit.
The New Forest Pony is a recognised British Isles breed but has an unusual background for a native pony breed. The earliest record of horses in the New Forest dates back to 1016 when rights of common pasture were granted to the people living in what was a royal hunting ground. Since then, either as specific attempts to improve the breed or just as part of the normal life and trade in the New Forest, many outside breeds were introduced. Notable blood lines were Welsh, Thoroughbred, Arab and Hackney. Later, another concerted effort was made to improve the New Forest blood and other British Isles pony blood-lines were introduced to achieve this, including Fell Ponies, Dales, Highlands, Dartmoor and Exmoor.
