Calling Fell Pony Owners!

[Deano645]

Hi

I have just bought my first Fell pony, an 8 year old gelding. Just looking for tips or hints on this breed especially with grooming, looking after feathers when it's muddy etc and any trimming - I am presuming none, but he does have a hefty old beard and people keep telling me to trim it a bit! None Fell people of course. I am mid forties and retired my mare of 18 years last year so experienced enough. He struggles with canter at the moment, instructor feels his back end can't keep up with his front, we are working on it but is this just a growing up / maturing thing? Also, what saddles do you recommend, he came with a GP, but I have an Ideal WH and was thinking with the straight cut may show off his shoulder more, he is booked in for a check with saddler next week.

TIA

 

[Mudfukkle]

I can't answer your question, but just want to say I'm very jealous I would love a Fell Pony. I hope you have lots of fun together x

 

[tda]

I did have a Fell pony, but now all mine are Dales 😁 please don't trim anything!

I use pig oil, applied sparingly weekly (or when ever I remember) to keep feather and mane and tail under control. I love a hairy pony 😍

Edited to add, canter will come, they are definitely later maturers, do some fun stuff rather than arena work.
I like Ideal saddles, another good make is Farrington

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Do NOT trim beard if you are planning on showing, nor feathers, mane or tail. Obs if not showing in the next year, then clip off as much as you like

Ref the canter work, if unbalanced then put a lot of work in a good walk and trot, especially hacking. Try getting canter up hill to start with and push on, a helpful friend in front can help encourage this. Working on long reins too. Fells can on occasion be heavy in front and you do need to put the work in to get a balanced ride.

Saddles, I cant rate the AH Native pony saddles enough https://www.ahsaddles.com/

Oh, and welcome to owning a Fell, hope you have fun x

 

[OdinsMum]

Hi

I have just bought my first Fell pony, an 8 year old gelding. Just looking for tips or hints on this breed especially with grooming, looking after feathers when it's muddy etc and any trimming - I am presuming none, but he does have a hefty old beard and people keep telling me to trim it a bit! None Fell people of course. I am mid forties and retired my mare of 18 years last year so experienced enough. He struggles with canter at the moment, instructor feels his back end can't keep up with his front, we are working on it but is this just a growing up / maturing thing? Also, what saddles do you recommend, he came with a GP, but I have an Ideal WH and was thinking with the straight cut may show off his shoulder more, he is booked in for a check with saddler next week.

TIA

Fellow Fell pony owner here I’ve had my boy for 10 years he’s 11 now.
I don’t trim by boy at all, FPS show rules are to keep them in natural state with long straight silky hair. For feathers in the summer I use mane and tail conditioner once a week to keep them from going brittle and in the winter I spray with farrier oil once a week and brush through which helps with mud, I probably brush his tail every fortnight and I keep his mane plaited and brush that through once a fortnight and re-plait. Canter will come eventually I cantered out while on fields during hacks with others and that helped him a lot as he was unwilling to do much more than a long side in the school but now he has no trouble. Fell ponies prefer trotting over most other gaits. Straight cut ones are better on Fells, as mentioned ideal are good and chunky monkey saddles, I have a Thorne pad and a made to measure saddle which I use only for shows/fun rides when I need a little more knee roll.
If you aren’t already join the Fell pony group on Facebook, there are a lot of fab knowledgeable people on there. Most of all enjoy your pony, they are so much fun 😊

 

[cobsandbassets]

Welcome to the wonderful world of Fell ponies. They are unique. Ideal saddle fits mine best - short backed and barrel shaped. They love to turbo trot but the canter will come, probably out hacking rather than in the school. Mine was clipped and hogged when I bought him (sweet itch) but they are supposed to be left untrimmed I believe. Mine is not show quality despite being beautiful to me. Enjoy. They are funny; quirky grumpy and loyal.

 

[Nudibranch]

To be honest I do nothing trim wise with my Fell or Dales. I just untangle knots in the mane with my fingers and brush dried mud off the feathers although we are lucky not to have much despite clay. I do show though so need to preserve as much as possible. They only get a proper brush through occasionally. I refuse to plait, partly due to showing requirements - straight hair - and partly because they live out, and I'm also not convinced a permanent plait is that comfortable for them.

They are all slow maturers, and bred to trot so take it easy. As mentioned hacking is the best way to develop their paces. But lovely, bold, sure footed rides worth their weight in gold. My Fell rides, drives, jumps, loves a good gallop but is also a saint on the lead rein with my little boy. Enjoy!

 

[Jeni the dragon]

Another fellow Fell pony owner here! I've had mine nearly twenty years! She's a real funny mare. I'm another who plaits her mane, and only rarely brushes her tail.
I've got an Ideal WH saddle which fits really well and is so comfy!

 

[MotherOfChickens]

I own a Fell as well, he's super-quite the character. I don't show, don't trim anything either. tbh after using various products on his mane/tail I don't anymore-they all seem to be a bit drying, sometimes he gets a bit of CD&M Mane and Tail in if I can be bothered. Agree with all that have said about trot and canter-I am just teaching mine (he's 11 but when got him at 9yo I would have classed him as pretty green in his way of going) to long rein which is helping his canter I think. I ride treeless, he's barefoot (what a cliche ) we hack and he's started being trained for mounted archery.

 

[sbloom]

Happy to answer any questions about saddles for natives like Fells, a GP can show the shoulder off if correctly fitted, so many saddle on natives are half onto the shoulder, so going straighter cut is a bit of a sticking plaster as it's the tree points that re too far forwards and that's no different in a straight cut saddle. Your leg and stirrup length may dictate a more forwards cut saddle to stop you either having your knees up on the blocks or being pushed onto the cantle.

 

[BlackRider]

I used fractionated coconut oil on mane and tail - it really helped keep it nice.
I also had a Le Mieux tangle tidy which was like a miracle for brushing his mane.

Just keep on with lots of transitions and also pole work to engage the back end.