Breeding numbers? where to find them?

[Kareen]

Does anybody know where I can find out statistics about the number of foals being bred for each year? Specifically interested in Natives. I've tried google search but couldnt come up with any statistics. My gut feeling says numbers must have gone down tremendously over the last years and I wonder if and how 2009 (microchipping) and Brexit have affected horse breeding in the UK. Over here (Germany) the numbers are down by about one third and there is an expectation that the number of horses around will also decrease by about one third by 2030 as a result of the overregulation and various expenses having gone through the ceiling.

Thoughts or hints to data anybody? Thank you

 

[tda]

I think you'd have to go to each specific breed society, I know in Dales ponies the number of foals born each year is currently fairly good, approx 125 last year I think.

I doubt there is anyone collating the data in one place for all the native breeds, maybe the NPS (National Pony Society)

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

I think you'd have to go to each specific breed society, I know in Dales ponies the number of foals born each year is currently fairly good, approx 125 last year I think.

I doubt there is anyone collating the data in one place for all the native breeds, maybe the NPS (National Pony Society)

Agreed.
Numbers of foals registered to the end of a year are usually published in most breed society spring or later newsletters the following year here in the uk.

 

[FieldOrnaments]

RBST for natives as well

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

RBST for natives as well

RBST dont hold any of the studbooks for native ponies, breed registrations are purely done through the recognised breed societies.

The RBST help with promoting all breeds of animals that are listed on the rare breed register

 

[FieldOrnaments]

RBST dont hold any of the studbooks for native ponies, breed registrations are purely done through the recognised breed societies.

The RBST help with promoting all breeds of animals that are listed on the rare breed register

I am aware of this but they do publish population trends for breeds on the watchlist

 

[gallopingby]

The RBST produce information about breeds considered ar risk, in M&M ponies that tends to be Dartmoor, Dales, Exmoor, Fell, Highland, New Forest & Welsh B, other Welsh and Connemaras aren’t on the list. The number of mares of breeding age is recorded but not whether they are actually being used. There are different categories of ‘at risk’ if you look on the RBST website it explains how things are worked out. If you want exact numbers of registrations you’d need to contact the Secretary for each of the breed societies.
We should be very worried about the decline in numbers / breeding of our native breeds. It’s important that they are kept pure and continue to be bred in the area they originate from - that’s because they thrive best in their own area having adapted to the local conditions over many years. Equally worrying is the change in some of the breeds, we’re loosing the ‘pony’ type in some of them. It should be easy to identify the different breeds but these days it’s sometimes a little tricky especially if the pony isn’t a good example of its breed. We need to move away from the ‘uni’ pony back to understanding breed type and characteristics. Such a shame that the government isn’t interested in supporting British breeding of any thing.

 

[gallopingby]

I think you'd have to go to each specific breed society, I know in Dales ponies the number of foals born each year is currently fairly good, approx 125 last year I think.

I doubt there is anyone collating the data in one place for all the native breeds, maybe the NPS (National Pony Society)

I really don’t think 125 of any breed is a good number. Assuming a 50% divide that gives you 62.5 mares a year to replace those that are no longer breeding. But of that number it’s unlikely that even half will be used to breed from so is 30 a good number of potential registered breeding mares a good number for the whole of the UK and beyond given in most breeds there’s only one stud book?
Once you start to look more closely at the native breeds who were once the backbone of British breeding whether native ponies or top level eventers the situation becomes pretty scary.

 

[tda]

Agree but its a very small gene pool in that breed and there isn't much can be done about it, the society has adopted the Sparks program that started with the Cleveland Bays in an attempt to avoid inbreeding

 

[Kareen]

Thank you all, those are very useful hints! I am a member of the WPCS so will scan their reports as a start.