wren123
Well-Known Member
OMG she's beautiful, well done.
I was literally just admiring her ad on Horse Quest where I was looking at fell ponies after being inspired by the thread!
Tell me about Fells
- Thread starter Fjord
- Start date
I was literally just admiring her ad on Horse Quest where I was looking at fell ponies after being inspired by the thread!
Fjord
Well-Known Member
Oh she's beautiful!
windand rain
Well-Known Member
Bronked like a rodeo horse and while knocked out on the floor came back to stomp on me luckily the person riding my highland had a schooling whip in her hand
Gloi
Too little time, too much to read.
did you once steal it's dinner?suestowford
Well-Known Member
There's a story like that in one of the Fell pony books, and it didn't end well for the pony.
Fortunately most of them are not homicidal!
southerncomfort
Well-Known Member
That's not a Fell pony thing though is it?
It's not normal behaviour for any equine, regardless of breed.
tb gal
Well-Known Member
They tend to be event tempered not least as up to 1970s if they were not they went for meat. There is a slightly worrying trend imho to zizz them up for showing now , unlike a lot of natives that became more valuable for showing than work after the 1940s , Fells had to be sensible as no alternative for farmers to use to round up sheep on the Fells until quad bikes came in 1970s onwards. You don’t want to ride on a steep slope with a big drop on something that tits around. Also the “choppy” action is economical is they just whir those wheels faster - my mare has kept up at a trot with Arab advanced endurance horses who were cantering at the time .
windand rain
Well-Known Member
It was a fell a pure bred one hence my comment about a jaded view. Unfortunately experience is what makes your views on things. I agree not normal for any particular breed just happened to be a fell mind you my best friend was airlifted to hospital with head injuries after being thrown from a different fell
wren123
Well-Known Member
Blimmin heck, no wonder you're not a fan.
gallopingby
Well-Known Member
I think there are quirky bloodlines in all the breeds. Not sure about the ‘choppy action’ of a fell pony, it’s not in the breed standard abd there legs certainly shouldn’t be moving up and down like pistons! Movement comes from the back end, remember that’s where the engine should be. Far too many don’t go forwards properly these days. Too much emphasis on hair and ankle socks and not enough on moving correctly. Remember they were the farmers all terrain vehicle and should have enough room to sling a ewe over the front of the saddle.
tb gal
Well-Known Member
I kind of understand semie-irrational prejudice against breeds or types based on experience as I can’t ride palominos having been spattered by one as a teenager when it tried to canter along a wall in snow and ended up on top of me, plus another bit me! Probably not typical of all palominos but I’m not taking the chance!
Elf On A Shelf
...
The person who went to try Jasps before me fell off him and broke their collar bone. It wasn't his fault. They asked him to canter, he was unbalanced and bucked going into canter (as quite a lot of freshly broken horses do!) And happened to do it going round a corner so the person fell off awkwardly.
I never once came off of him. Got tanked with once or twice
including in a stubble field where I aimed him at a big round bale of straw thinking it would stop him or at the very least slow him down a bit. Nope! The bugger jumped it
I personally can't stand spotteds. They rarely have halfway decent conformation, their eyes usually have the white showing and they just offend my eyes.
I never once came off of him. Got tanked with once or twice
including in a stubble field where I aimed him at a big round bale of straw thinking it would stop him or at the very least slow him down a bit. Nope! The bugger jumped it I personally can't stand spotteds. They rarely have halfway decent conformation, their eyes usually have the white showing and they just offend my eyes.
Gloi
Too little time, too much to read.
One of my Fells, who was born and raised on the fells was the clumsiest pony I've ever owned 
. I've never had another that ended up on the floor so often.
I sometimes wondered if he got it from his sire who I was told broke his neck on the fells as a 3yo falling down a cliff.
My most agile ride was a Scottish mountain bred Icelandic that was like a mountain goat on the hills.
. I've never had another that ended up on the floor so often.I sometimes wondered if he got it from his sire who I was told broke his neck on the fells as a 3yo falling down a cliff.
My most agile ride was a Scottish mountain bred Icelandic that was like a mountain goat on the hills.
Julia0803
Well-Known Member
Lovely photos from everyone.
Interesting about the comments about strength.
What would people suggest is a sensible weight limit for them?
I’m hoping it’s many many many years away yet, but when my cob retires I’d probably be looking for another off roading tank type pony, with a sensible brain and happy to have a go at most things without me needing to take out extra life insurance!
I’d read lovely things about dales and fells but assumed I’d be way too big for a fell as I think they’re max 14h?(I’m 5.4/5.5 and 10st but would want a bit of ‘give’ up to 10.5st just so I don’t need to panic if offered an extra slice of cake! I have a friend who is on the cusp of what she feels her pony’s comfortable limit is and so is regularly on a diet or unable to ride and that seems really quite stressful)
I’ve really enjoyed this thread, everyone has beautiful ponies!
Interesting about the comments about strength.
What would people suggest is a sensible weight limit for them?
I’m hoping it’s many many many years away yet, but when my cob retires I’d probably be looking for another off roading tank type pony, with a sensible brain and happy to have a go at most things without me needing to take out extra life insurance!
I’d read lovely things about dales and fells but assumed I’d be way too big for a fell as I think they’re max 14h?(I’m 5.4/5.5 and 10st but would want a bit of ‘give’ up to 10.5st just so I don’t need to panic if offered an extra slice of cake! I have a friend who is on the cusp of what she feels her pony’s comfortable limit is and so is regularly on a diet or unable to ride and that seems really quite stressful)
I’ve really enjoyed this thread, everyone has beautiful ponies!
BallyRoanBaubles
Buys real biscuits
On my post up thread I’m 5’4 on my fell who is 13.2 built like a tank
Julia0803
Well-Known Member
Gloi
Too little time, too much to read.
I did 35 mile endurance rides at 12 stone and he never had any problems and always passed the vet at the end.
tb gal
Well-Known Member
I’m 11 1/2 stone , 13.3 fell copes fine . Weighed on BhS weight scales with tack I’m under 20% and closer to 15% pony’s weight and she was endurance fit not fat at the time. They were bred to carry lead panniers up to 18 stone weight . TBH though mine looked better u set saddle when I weighed less.
tb gal
Well-Known Member
Cloball
Well-Known Member
I'm 5'6 and I've no idea how much I weigh D is probably slightly narrower than a lot of fells (still and extra wide) but she has a deep chest and manages fine keeping up with the big horses with me on board, we usually beat them home.
bz88
Well-Known Member
Old thread I know but I couldn’t resist posting. I have dales x fell gelding. He’s 13 standing at 14.2h. I absolutely love bones of him. So easy and will turn his hoof to anything.
southerncomfort
Well-Known Member
Fjord
Well-Known Member
Definitely!This post is missing pictures!!
bz88
Well-Known Member
This post is missing pictures!!
Attachments
suestowford
Well-Known Member
The Fell Pony Sale is coming up soon. The catalogue is on the North West Auctions website now. I've looked through the whole thing and wish I had the finances for another Fell, I particularly like the sound of the Peepings mare.
JaneSheridan
New User
I’ve just had my highland mare 14.2 10 years old weighed she was 550kg and I was told she needed to lose another 25kg that would mean starving her !
The Xmas Furry
Old Timer
I don't think a 25kg loss would mean starving her, can you increase workload? More work generally helps weight loss.
Cut a little hay/haylage out?
Clip a bit more off, or clip if not clipped?
My 14hh Fell mare is 442kg, weighed last week, she could do with perhaps another 10kg off.
JaneSheridan
New User
She can live on fresh air ! The only thing I haven’t done of your suggestions is clip maybe I should try that.
teacups
Well-Known Member
That does sound quite heavy - when my 15.1 was 550 kg, the vet said he needed to lose 50 kg i.e. 10 % bodyweight.
Soaking any hay fed will help reduce calories - you may already be doing this. Muzzling if out on grass?
Also the method not listed yet is to feed mixed hay and straw. It had to be mixed well or he would just pick out the hay, but even that had the effect of slowing eating down. It’s not a pleasant job, and time consuming, mixing hay and straw, but 4 or so months later he was at 500 kg.
We mixed at 70 or 60% hay, the rest straw. Limited grazing (ex laminitic too sadly) and regular small nets so not without for too long; nets 5 kg hay in total a day. Not fun but much better than the alternative.
Soaking any hay fed will help reduce calories - you may already be doing this. Muzzling if out on grass?
Also the method not listed yet is to feed mixed hay and straw. It had to be mixed well or he would just pick out the hay, but even that had the effect of slowing eating down. It’s not a pleasant job, and time consuming, mixing hay and straw, but 4 or so months later he was at 500 kg.
We mixed at 70 or 60% hay, the rest straw. Limited grazing (ex laminitic too sadly) and regular small nets so not without for too long; nets 5 kg hay in total a day. Not fun but much better than the alternative.
suestowford
Well-Known Member
I have done what teacups suggested, when I had to get weight off a pony. Mixing straw with hay that is. It's a really good way of reducing their size a bit as straw has very few calories but it does fill them up and gives their gut plenty to work on. The downside of this is they poo a LOT! All that fibre...
I have a small pony here who weighed 280 kg, he lost 50 kg of that over six months on reduced access to grass and a hay/straw mix. Several years on and we've got his weight down to about 200kg, which is good for him as he's elderly now and a bit arthritic so doesn't need to be heaving extra weight about.
I have a small pony here who weighed 280 kg, he lost 50 kg of that over six months on reduced access to grass and a hay/straw mix. Several years on and we've got his weight down to about 200kg, which is good for him as he's elderly now and a bit arthritic so doesn't need to be heaving extra weight about.