Redefining how we view natives?
- Thread starter Foxford
- Start date
Gloi
Too little time, too much to read.
Out of Brandy from Orton Hall, by Lunesdale Lucky Jim. He is a Townend pony. I got him as a weanling.
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Cloball
Well-Known Member
Oh my girl has some shared ancestors ( probably very common with a small gene pool) through her damside with mountain flash, sleddale dainty and heltondale sonny boy.
SO1
Well-Known Member
I know people often say natives can take up a lot of leg and weight but if you look at me on my 13.2 New Forest. I am 5f.2 and 8 stone and I don't think he could take someone that much bigger than me. I do think there is a trend for more athletic larger natives now across all the breeds and some of the larger connies and new forests are commanding high prices, not as much as the dressage warmbloods but they are not the poor person's alternative to a fancy warmblood and the natives from the competition lines are not always straightforward as I am finding with Bert.
The Fuzzy Furry
Living in 🦄 🦄 land
I remember him well!
Gloi
Too little time, too much to read.
I had a Sleddale Dainty too. Think she was Sleddale Dainty XVI. I had Sleddale Ben and a Sleddale Rosemary too. My very first pony was by Heltondale Sonny Boy. I saw him at the stallion show in the 70s, he was quite a small Fell.
The Fuzzy Furry
Living in 🦄 🦄 land
I've found the natives very handy at most things, always willing to have a go, often doing v well. I've produced all of them over the years, with the exception of a D, though did have the ride on one for a season a zillion yrs ago.
@SO1 it very much depends on the type within the breed tho, 1st pic is a 13.2 Townend mare i had just a few years ago, pic taken in 2017, v old breeding. I'm 5ft 5 and was riding her at about 10.5 stone inc tack
2nd and 3rd pics of B, my 14hh mare I sadly lost in February this year, v old Lunesdale bloodlines, bought unseen.
Mine all jumped, usually drag hunted in winter, did stressage because it makes the brain work, did showing to please owners or breeders.
I'll try and dig out pics from the TB's i retrained in the 80s and 90s alongside the natives, i look no bigger nor smaller on them, ranging from 15.2 to 16.2.
@SO1 it very much depends on the type within the breed tho, 1st pic is a 13.2 Townend mare i had just a few years ago, pic taken in 2017, v old breeding. I'm 5ft 5 and was riding her at about 10.5 stone inc tack
2nd and 3rd pics of B, my 14hh mare I sadly lost in February this year, v old Lunesdale bloodlines, bought unseen.
Mine all jumped, usually drag hunted in winter, did stressage because it makes the brain work, did showing to please owners or breeders.
I'll try and dig out pics from the TB's i retrained in the 80s and 90s alongside the natives, i look no bigger nor smaller on them, ranging from 15.2 to 16.2.
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Cloball
Well-Known Member
Mine is by lunesdale Beckham (very hairy) out of a midtown mare by bishopsdale duke ( there's a lot of line breeding in the 70s and 80s)
fidleyspromise
Well-Known Member
I'm finding more people into natives now as all rounders compared to a few years ago.
I've had 2 people ride my Highland and instantly want one - one of those has bought her own.
I wouldn't have moved from Highlands but I was desperate for an Arab as I've always wanted one. He has been told he has huge shoes to fill though as Til is the most amazing pony who turns her hoof to everything I have asked of her over the last 18 years.
There are more people out competing on ponies which is great as I've seen some over horse themselves and have no fun turn to a native and suddenly out enjoying themselves.
I've had 2 people ride my Highland and instantly want one - one of those has bought her own.
I wouldn't have moved from Highlands but I was desperate for an Arab as I've always wanted one. He has been told he has huge shoes to fill though as Til is the most amazing pony who turns her hoof to everything I have asked of her over the last 18 years.
There are more people out competing on ponies which is great as I've seen some over horse themselves and have no fun turn to a native and suddenly out enjoying themselves.
Titchy Pony
Well-Known Member
My first pony was a New Forest, although French bred. He was amazing. He was bred as a leisure pony but could do anything. We show jumped to 1m05 and evented, often the only pony in the class. He was clever, mischievous, a bit of a show off, and had a sense of self preservation and a sense of humour. He got me out of quite a few pickles and got me into a few.
He was sought out as a safe hacking buddy, would charge dogs if necessary and stand still for me to stand in his saddle to pick cherries to share. He would pick up my stick for me if I dropped it and used to do lateral work for fun.
No teenager could have wished for a better introduction into horse ownership.
My current Little Madam has some connemara in her and a bit of Arab, the rest of her breeding just says "pony" or "foreign pony".
Pippin's sire is 50% Welsh and 25% connemara. Which both come from some big names in European pony show jumping.
He was sought out as a safe hacking buddy, would charge dogs if necessary and stand still for me to stand in his saddle to pick cherries to share. He would pick up my stick for me if I dropped it and used to do lateral work for fun.
No teenager could have wished for a better introduction into horse ownership.
My current Little Madam has some connemara in her and a bit of Arab, the rest of her breeding just says "pony" or "foreign pony".
Pippin's sire is 50% Welsh and 25% connemara. Which both come from some big names in European pony show jumping.
Gloi
Too little time, too much to read.
Hanging on for grim death on a team chase in the 80s with Sleddale Ben.
Though we could brush up a bit when we had to.
Birker2020
Well-Known Member
I suppose it's what you get used to but I will always prefer a WB over anything else having owned five out of seven. The other two were TB and ISH.
Dave's Mam
Well-Known Member
That's not really relevant? None of your horses were natives?
marmalade76
Well-Known Member
This thread isn't about what anyone prefers, it's about how natives are underestimated and undervalued by some people.
Birker2020
Well-Known Member
Was a little frustrated by what you'd written about WB'S in reply 3 so was just giving my answer. I am still a forum member so I gather I am okay to do that still?
So yes maybe I should have quoted you. So shoot me.
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Birker2020
Well-Known Member
You were talking about WB'S so I answered. Anyway as you are constantly criticising absolutely everything and I mean everything I write and have an unatural desire to browbeat me and you're constantly grinding me down, you're another one on UI. Off you pop.
I replied yo M76 reply so yes it was relevant thank you for your concern though.
FWIW Since I've been riding Morph who is a Shire x ID I've been more drawn to this type of horse. Temperament and attitude and passive nature.
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scats
Well-Known Member
I love a native. I bought this chap in 2004 when I was 20. I had a young TB x Welsh at the time that I’d backed the year before, and my friend was selling this chap, who I’d ridden a lot when we growing up.
I bit her hand off to have him. He was a pony-of-a-lifetime type and we did everything- showing, jumping, hunting, farm rides.
I bit her hand off to have him. He was a pony-of-a-lifetime type and we did everything- showing, jumping, hunting, farm rides.
Cloball
Well-Known Member
It's not a criticism of warmbloods to say that warmbloods are bred in greater number than native ponies? For example KWPN breed about 11,000 a year! Fell ponies around 300 were registered in 2022 I think. Most of our native ponies and horses are on the risk register except Connie's and welshies. I interpreted @marmalade76 statement as merely as people will be more likely to have experience of WB as they are present in greater numbers.
I have ridden some fab shire and Clydesdale x TB a great under utilised cross as well. One in particular breezed a fox hunter class one weekend, hacked out with a novice rider the next, and accidentally jumped the wings with me aged 12 in my lesson. You need quality purebreds being bred to produce the cross though which is the issue.
I have ridden some fab shire and Clydesdale x TB a great under utilised cross as well. One in particular breezed a fox hunter class one weekend, hacked out with a novice rider the next, and accidentally jumped the wings with me aged 12 in my lesson. You need quality purebreds being bred to produce the cross though which is the issue.
Gloi
Too little time, too much to read.
I'd not been for a few years and my first impression was the loss of the old breeders that I used to see there.
I wasn't entirely in agreement with some of results, naturally. My favourite pony of the day was the winner of the yearling class which you half see on the left of the bottom photo. I was glad to see the 2yo my yo sold was looking well. There were some good ponies in the Hoys qualifier.
Sorry I didn't get any good pictures, my Phone didn't get on with the sun so I couldn't see what it was pointing at
. Certainly different from the time I was there and it snowed. Call me tomato face today.
marmalade76
Well-Known Member
Was a little frustrated by what you'd written about WB'S in reply 3 so was just giving my answer. I am still a forum member so I gather I am okay to do that still?
So yes maybe I should have quoted you. So shoot me.
It's a fact, our natives are dwindling whereas WBs, TBs, cobs and even the newly invented mini cobs are everywhere. Did you know some of our native breeds are classed as endangered? What frustrates me is reading articles about imported ponies grazing wild areas (Koniks I think they're called) when we have our own breeds that need support.
Surbie
Well-Known Member
I do always wonder when reading these articles WHY our own native ponies are overlooked for this. Seems genuinely daft.
Goldie's mum
Well-Known Member
Agree 100%
The 'oversized' trend really worries me. You can only breed for so many characteristics at once. If you're concentrating on size (and feather) it would be easy to lose the other attributes that attracted you to natives in the first place.
suestowford
Well-Known Member
Beckham is descended from Ferrymount Timothy (my Fell was also) and that pony had the most enormous mane. I've got a pic of him somewhere, I'll try to find it.
eta found it, Timothy was foaled in 1987.
I used to ride a Highland pony. He was slow & steady round the farm but as soon as he got on the beach road he changed into something different altogether. He loved the beach and could easily keep up with the bigger horses. It would be easy for someone to look at him plodding round the farm and think he looked like an unexciting ride.
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marmalade76
Well-Known Member
Firstly, the article referred to in the OP was about dressage, dressage is dominated by warmbloods in the same way that endurance is dominated by arabs. It was relevant. Quite why you took this as a personal dig is absolutely unfathomable, this thread was not about you. And you know what, I've had a couple of part bred warmbloods, shared a warmblood in the past and have ridden loads more. I've also had TBs, a cob, a PRE, an arab and PBAs, sports horses, an ID and a selection of natives, and my current horse is an Argi polo pony, I've had LOTS of different breeds & types and ridden hundreds more.
Secondly I DO NOT criticize EVERYTHING you post. Yes, I have taken you on occasionally but you post LOADS, most of which I ignore. I will even like your posts if I agree with them though admittedly it's not often.
And thirdly I'm betting you think I envy you. 'Cause you're looking for a horse with a big budget and I've posted several times that that's not something I'm prepared to do? You know what, I could go out and spend £15k on a horse without borrowing money but I won't because I'm simply not desperate enough (I'm getting older, lost my nerve and quite honestly I'm probably too lazy now to do much with a horse now) and your story with Lari is a perfect lesson in the risks - there, you've done me a favour. I could go on and rattle off a list of reasons why I don't envy you but I'd probably get a lot of stick and a ban so I won't other than to say I wouldn't drive a Vauxhall if you gave me one for nowt
I think you have a genuine problem with paranoia and I think you're depending on this forum way too much. I also think you WANT people to envy you.
The Fuzzy Furry
Living in 🦄 🦄 land
The Welsh section B has now been added to the Rare Breeds list too, never in all my days did I expect that! They were prolific through the 70s to 90s, so many super breeders of great stock.
@Gloi , I read comments regarding ponies that were rather 'well covered', was that the case?
marmalade76
Well-Known Member
Kaylum
Well-Known Member
My friend breeds fells they are kept on the fells and live in a herd. They wean naturally and are seperated once they weaned. They all look in great condition and live naturally. They are all registered as well. They are fascinating to watch how they behave in a herd.
MuddyMonster
Well-Known Member
If someone prefers a WB, then great, crack on with a WB. Ditto any other breed.
There are riders that wouldn't suit a native for numerous reasons but I think there are lot of people that haven't even considered natives as a possibility and for many, they'd suit perfectly.
And *this* is what the thread is about.
For those of us with natives, we already know about the best kept secret but it's only fair to let other's in on it now & then
There are riders that wouldn't suit a native for numerous reasons but I think there are lot of people that haven't even considered natives as a possibility and for many, they'd suit perfectly.
And *this* is what the thread is about.
For those of us with natives, we already know about the best kept secret but it's only fair to let other's in on it now & then