Thinking of getting a Highland pony? pros/cons

[Dry Rot]

I spent most of my teens riding a pony who was thought to be part Highland (he was the wrong colour for a pure Highland*, but the right colour for a Highland cow ).

Although he had his faults, they were due to a very bad start in life involving a dumb jockey that left permanent damage. As I get older I look back and appreciate his great temperament more each year. Good do-er. Scared only of the village slaughter house (understandable), hydraulic brakes on buses and of prams. Always up for a wee charge. Jumped. Reliable. Tank-like. Also very very cunning at getting through any kind of electric fence. He could squeeze between two strands....


* if any Highland experts want to have a look at him and tell me if he really does look like a Highland, here he is.

Hi S, Highlands can come in that colour too, so it is quite possible. Of course, he could also have inherited that from a non-Highland parent. Highlands seem to cross quite well, you get a bit more fizz with a hotter horse and the hardiness of the Highland, plus hybrid vigour. Not to say Highlands are at all dull -- folk are regularly surprised! Do a search on "Highland ponies Rhum" and I'm sure some different colours will come up. Highlands tend to be whole coloured and white markings are frowned upon by the purists. Foals can start out one colour and gradually change over the years. So a black foal can end up a grey dun (white)! Some pics on my web page at http://www.morrichhighlandponies.co.uk if you are interested in exploring.

 

[threeponies]

I've had my Highland mare since she was weaned, she'll be 19 in May. She is a far, far better doer than my Shetland, as the saying goes 'she could get fat in a car park', she is well- mannered on the ground, loves her people and her food. I can trust her to try anything, she'll have a go at anything she is asked and my small, very lightweight daughter rides her no problem.
I would have another in a heartbeat, I check my pony's breeder's website regularly to see what she has for sale in case I win the lottery!

 

[Fjord]

I have a Hipo on loan at the moment, she's a darling. Opinionated, mareish but in a nice way, stubborn and strong, but very sweet natured.

 

[millikins]

Take a look on the Eriskay pony website. Ours is a little over height at 13.3hh but she's carried an 11.5 st friend without a care. They are typical ponies but don't seem as bolshy as some Highlands, mine won't touch an electric tape, on or off. She's been a wonderful friend and pony club pony, she's also a safe, fun hunter. Not recognised in affiliated showing (yet) but the Royal Highland has classes for them.

 

[JFTDWS]

Nothing better in the world than a nice highland

Mostly not mine

 

[windand rain]

Well mine are wonderful Yesterday I spent half an hour doing groundwork with my unbroken 4 year old she wasnt fazed by anything happy in tack to walk round a handy pony course and today was as good as gold being led about while the others were away from her
Her mum who has been a top show, worker and done dressage and showjumping to a meter showed why you shouldnt teach them to jump as she popped from a walk over the four foot fence to me making feeds while wearing her over large turnout rug. She is old and was feeling the cold last week otherwise she wouldnt have been wearing a rug
Highlands are the kindest, most verstaile pony you will find they can jump, dressage, event, do workers, do flat M&M classes. If handled properly they are kind, easy, walk on a loose lead and can gallop for England. Mine is only bargy if you try to stable her otherwise she is easy to do in every way and can and is lead about by small children the youngest being my 3 year old neice. Her daughter is the same
The only restrictions I put on their diet is they stay on winter grazed field all summer and are never given rested grass. I works for me I let them lose a bit over winter and gain again in the spring Neither has ever had Laminitis and are the easiest to keep horses ever I do keep four ponies on about 2 acres of over grazed grass in summer though they may well need to be more restricted if you have bigger fields
The old girl is very respectful of fences her daughter less so. Mum wont go through a fence but will pop over if there is something she wants the other side.

 

[Dry Rot]

Nothing better in the world than a nice highland

Mostly not mine

I think I recognise those ponies!

I got a lot of stick from the show people for posting the picture of the stallion above. He is Josethdene and had just come out of a long winter running with six mares! In my opinion (and of no fewer than five vets here on other business), that is how a Highland should look in the spring.

Here he is again after fattening back up on summer grass (too fat!:eek):

And, again, with his 5yo jockey! (Yeah, I know. No hat!):

And at The Sutherland County Show where he was Champion Ridden Highland:

 

[Dry Rot]

I just think I ought to add that Highland ponies are very healthy and long lived. I sold a 25 year old mare last year to the kids of one of my helpers (£3 -- that's all they had in their money box! But I know they can give her an exceptional home).

Her previous owners said she had never had a day's illness in her life. She is regularly hacked out by the children (8 and 9?) and is certainly no plodder as she enjoys jumping and a good gallop!

Unfortunately, she has slight sweet itch and my farm did not suit her or she would still be here. Her new home is virtually on the sea shore and comparatively midge free so everyone is happy. Visitors would be asked to guess her age. Most said around 6 - 7!

 

[windand rain]

He is lovely My youngster is by Johnsondene

As a yearling she cant half move though
mum and her at Lincolnshire county coming second

mum doing what she loves best with a small 8 year old rider

 

[JFTDWS]

My 3 year old, his fourth time under saddle:

He has the most expressive trot I've ever seen in a native and it would be fair to say he enjoys the odd pop over fences:

And my 6 year old

popping some little fences in the field last summer

Like DryRot, I believe in keeping mine trim and fit - far too slim for the show ring

 

[mandwhy]

Highlands are brilliant, I would love one but they can be very expensive to buy compared to similar breeds (but then I am nowhere near scotland!) I think they are quite similar to haflingers in that they are very versatile and I personally think great to look at, but can be bargy and stubborn if not handled well. It would be nice to enter m&m classes, I notice that if a highland has any white it can't do showing (I think its just 'proper showing' so assume fine at local level). So if you are not too bothered about that the price will probably be lower. I saw a nice one for sale on a facebook group that had a white sock, I think the group is called highland pony appreciation society if you want to have a look.

 

[JFTDWS]

I notice that if a highland has any white it can't do showing

Not exactly - mine is mostly "white" and is show quality (though not show "condition" ). Highlands shouldn't have white facial markings or leg markings for showing, but many grey out and become predominantly white which is perfectly acceptable.

 

[Dry Rot]

Not exactly - mine is mostly "white" and is show quality (though not show "condition" ). Highlands shouldn't have white facial markings or leg markings for showing, but many grey out and become predominantly white which is perfectly acceptable.

I think the breed standard states that a white spot on the forehead no bigger than a 50p piece is acceptable, even for a stallion though not many would keep one with a star simply because there is no shortage of stallions.

Most do not bother about white facial markings in a mare and, of course, it doesn't much matter in a gelding either. Top breeders don't seem to agree on this as the old argument continues that a crofter (small farmer) would not refuse to breed from an otherwise excellent pony just because it had a bit of white on it! There are many far more important characteristics in a horse, which is after all a working animal, than a few white hairs.

 

[Dry Rot]

Fergs is gorgeous!

And Darach is maturing nicely, too.

 

[Star_Chaser]

I don't suppose anyone owns a mare called Maiden that had a foal around May 2005 that looked a little something like this

I think it was a filly I would love to know what happened to the foal. Am sure she was a Highland (cross) but I could be wrong.

 

[NeverSayNever]

pros - well they can turn their hooves to anything and IF, (i say IF) you get a good one, they are fabulous.

I was given free access to one when I was about 10, and had had 8 riding lessons. The owner had got married and moved away, leaving this mare on her parents farm near us. Armed with my pony magazine I fumbled through tacking up this mare, totally unsupervised, who hadnt been ridden in months. I remember trying several different girths from the tack room to find one that would do up, only to find after i had got on, i couldnt get it to go tight enough I wandered round the countryside on that pony all summer long. Had my first canter in a open field, taught myself to jump with milkcrates and branches and generally, she taught me to ride. She was definitely one of the very very good ones.

After school I took a gap year before going to Uni and worked for a small yard who bred them, although a lot of the mares were put to an Arab, which made a lovely cross. Id had no experience with youngsters but I never got into any strife whatsoever riding 3 and 4 year olds, long hacks out , schooling and even made a homemade xc course and used to pop round that. What Im saying is that these ponies must have been forgiving - because I had had no instruction and made many many mistakes and didnt really know what I was doing at all

Cons - hhmm, well. There are some that can also be little ***** bags Strong as hell and know their strength. Will plant and not move if a nuclear bomb went off behind them. Bolshy and stubborn and think nothing of ploughing over the top of you, sinking their teeth or heels in on the way past. Yes I know a couple like this too - probably they are like this because of management but I suspect it is in the make up to tend to be this way if allowed, some more so than others. As others have mentioned... laminitis and obesity are problems too.

 

[cheeryplatypus]

Will look after novice relatives when they visit...

And step it up when required

Cheeky and fun and are real people ponies.

Cons...
Can be difficult to keep the weight off them.

 

[dafthoss]

I think I recognise those ponies!

I got a lot of stick from the show people for posting the picture of the stallion above. He is Josethdene and had just come out of a long winter running with six mares! In my opinion (and of no fewer than five vets here on other business), that is how a Highland should look in the spring.

Here he is again after fattening back up on summer grass (too fat!:eek):

And, again, with his 5yo jockey! (Yeah, I know. No hat!):

And at The Sutherland County Show where he was Champion Ridden Highland:

I think he looks fantastic in the one coming in to spring! Thats how I aim for mine (not highland I know) to look at that time of year. He looks much better than the ones you see showing where the head looks so out of proportion to the body as they are so fat .

I almost persuaded some one to come look at a youngster from you so I could come up with them and meet them all properly but sadly they dont have space for another really.

mum doing what she loves best with a small 8 year old rider

I love that photo, she looks like a cracking pony.

My 3 year old, his fourth time under saddle:

He has the most expressive trot I've ever seen in a native and it would be fair to say he enjoys the odd pop over fences:

And my 6 year old

popping some little fences in the field last summer

Like DryRot, I believe in keeping mine trim and fit - far too slim for the show ring

Love the boys

 

[Quadro]

Having grown up in highland pony country im a fan. I always told my self i get one but ive ended up with showjumpers and eventers. Still have a yearning to get one to show though!
Q

 

[NeverSayNever]

love to see them trim and fit like that! I cant stand the big heavy old fashioned garron types though - which seem to be ones that carry more weight as well.

 

[JFTDWS]

Top breeders don't seem to agree on this as the old argument continues that a crofter (small farmer) would not refuse to breed from an otherwise excellent pony just because it had a bit of white on it! There are many far more important characteristics in a horse, which is after all a working animal, than a few white hairs.

I completely agree, I couldn't care less about the devil's mark as I want mine to perform a job, not to look pretty

 

[mandwhy]

I think its silly too, just another one of those 'breed standards' they have for showing like preferably being half an hour away from lami, I think white markings are pretty! Forgot about grey/white highlands obv

I am a sucker for a dun, a dun highland x tb would be like a dream for me

 

[SusannaF]

@Dry Rot, aha, thank you for your expertise! Tav was such an extravagant colour (RED in winter and marmelade in summer) that I was always loathe to identify as a full-on Highland. Of course, what he was, is lost in the mists of time, though I did try to track down the people who'd owned him early on when I wrote the book. Knowing his history, you might suggest "random hairy cob bred in large numbers" but I never saw one of those with his colouring either. (my other guess was that there was some Suffolk Punch in there somewhere)

Your stallion looks very well on his regimen. A couple of years ago I interviewed a grazing manager at a British nature reserve where there was a herd of Koniks keeping the grass down (they're less prone to laminitis than British native breeds, and this was very lush ground). She said she'd read enough studies and taken enough veterinary advice, and it was fine for the horses to look slimmer towards the end of winter. However, members of the public who visited the reserve would make comments, and so they ended up feeding the horses extra. I saw them at the height of summer, when they had filled out beautifully. They were monitored closely but had very low maintenance lives. Seemed to thrive on it.

 

[Dry Rot]

@Dry Rot, aha, thank you for your expertise! Tav was such an extravagant colour (RED in winter and marmelade in summer) that I was always loathe to identify as a full-on Highland. Of course, what he was, is lost in the mists of time, though I did try to track down the people who'd owned him early on when I wrote the book. Knowing his history, you might suggest "random hairy cob bred in large numbers" but I never saw one of those with his colouring either. (my other guess was that there was some Suffolk Punch in there somewhere)

Your stallion looks very well on his regimen. A couple of years ago I interviewed a grazing manager at a British nature reserve where there was a herd of Koniks keeping the grass down (they're less prone to laminitis than British native breeds, and this was very lush ground). She said she'd read enough studies and taken enough veterinary advice, and it was fine for the horses to look slimmer towards the end of winter. However, members of the public who visited the reserve would make comments, and so they ended up feeding the horses extra. I saw them at the height of summer, when they had filled out beautifully. They were monitored closely but had very low maintenance lives. Seemed to thrive on it.

Yes, I did wonder about Highlands being used for conservation grazing although there are examples of the ponies doing well without going over the top. There used to be a herd on the Isle of North Uist about 40 years ago. They might have been Eriskays. I used to stop the car just to watch them and didn't know much about Highlands back then.

They were occasionally rounded up for management. The farmer's son would catch one pony and ride it to round up the others. I don't think they are there any more. I think most ponies have the ability to regulate their weight on unimproved grazing and I have done my best here to select out the ones that can't stop eating! All except young foals are on ad lib hay or haylage over winter and don't seem to get excessively fat. The first year, they just stood at the hay rack and ate, but they seem more sensible since I have not tried to see-saw their rations. I suspect, if kept short, they tend to lay down fat against the next lean time but if grazing is reasonably managed, they seem to maintain their weight.

The ponies on the Isle of Rum manage fine without any special management except having access to rough grazing. How they would do on the low ground, I wouldn't know. Lots of interesting colours amongst them and a fair few with more than the permitted small white spot! I don't think there is any such thing as a "pure" Highland pony as there seem to have been many attempts to "improve" them over the years by outcrossing.

 

[littlemisslauren]

I would love a hippo!
I have to pleasure of dealing with 2 on a daily basis. One very very cheeky mare who clearly knows her own mind and a beautiful gelding that I would happily steal!

I know very little of hippo breeding but I am in love with the breed.

Hopefully in afew years I will be in a position to take one on for hacking / schooling / the odd show and hopefully something for bump to learn / play with! Hippos are big ponies, at 5'2 and 11 and a half stone I know I could easily get away with a 13.3hh hippo rather than a much bigger sports horse or cob. 14.2hh is a LOT of highland!

The price tag does seem very high when you look at add sites but my 'hippo friend' always seems to know of nice ponies going for less than 2k.

 

[leflynn]

I ride a fab 29yr old Highland on occasion and she is brilliant, very much a character. She is a dream to ride and if her body would stand up to you could hack all day and not feel it. We occasionally pootle about and do local dressage and in hand shows and she always places despite me being the jockey!

 

[Dry Rot]

I suspect this thread is being watched, so....

Happy Birthday JFTD!