The Newfoundland Pony is a breed of pony that originated in Newfoundland in Canada.
They are known for their hardiness and resistance to cold weather.
If you are thinking about adding a rare Newfoundland Pony to your stable, here is everything you need to know.
Newfoundland Pony Breed Info
Here are some of the key things you need to know about the Newfoundland Pony:
| Height (size) | 11.0 – 14.2 hands high |
| Colors | Black, bay, brown, chestnut, dun, gray, roan, white with pink skin; white markings are minimal |
| Country of Origin | Canada |
| Common Uses | Riding, driving, light draft work |
Newfoundland Pony Facts & Information (Breed Profile)
The Newfoundland Pony is a historic breed that originated in Newfoundland and Labrador and has been bred there for centuries.
The hardy Exmoor, Dartmoor, and New Forest ponies were among the animals brought over by settlers from the British Isles.
The pony underwent the processes of natural selection and adaptation in order to survive the severe winters, and interbreed with other ponies on the common areas that surrounded the towns, which resulted in the creation of a new breed of pony.
The Newfoundland pony was once used for a wide variety of jobs, including transportation, plowing, garden work, beach kelp hauling, hay harvesting, and wood hauling.
They were used and bred to be able to thrive in the harsh environment, and by 1935, there were more than 9,000 ponies living on the island.
Ponies were formerly as common in Newfoundland as dories and fish, and the shaggy, sure-footed descendants of the Mountain and Moorland breeds, which were brought there as livestock by the first British settlers, were essential for ensuring human survival in the area.
Up until the middle of the 20th century, settlers used them as draft ponies and for a variety of other purposes.
During the middle of the 20th century, however, rising automation as well as a ban put on free-roaming ponies contributed to a drop in the population.
Additionally, during the 1970s, increased exports to France for horse meat almost led to the extinction of the breed.
1980 saw the formation of the Newfoundland Pony Society by a group of breeders who wanted to save them from extinction.
The organization’s goal was to locate the surviving free-roaming herds of horses, register them, and breed them in captivity – and they were able to locate around 300 animals.
The Newfoundland pony was granted legal protection in 1997 when the Heritage Animals Act was passed by the Newfoundland and Labrador government, making the Newfoundland pony the province’s first (and to date only) heritage animal.
Following this, an order was issued designating the Newfoundland Pony Society as the group which would manage the registry of ponies and otherwise act for the preservation of the animal.
In order to guarantee that ponies were going to private owners rather than slaughterhouses, this Act mandated that anybody who wanted to export ponies from Newfoundland first get a permission.
By today, Rare Breeds Canada, the Livestock Conservancy, and the Equus Survival Trust have all included it to their lists of Critically Endangered species, and it is difficult to say what the future brings for the Newfoundland Pony.
If you’re interested in learning more about this fascinating breed, keep reading!
Alternative Names
n/a
Temperament/Personality
Docile, gentle, easy
Physical Characteristics
The head is small, and the small ears are thickly-furred.
The chest is narrow, but deep.
The back is short, and the croup is sloped.
The tail is set low.
The overall body is muscular and sturdy.
The coat and mane are thick, particularly during the winter months.
The thick winter coat of the Newfoundland Pony and its capacity to survive on small quantities of grass are adaptations that the Newfoundland Pony has developed as a result of the severe winters and overall scarcity of forages in the province.
They are very hardy and surefooted.
Ponies must be gentle, easy to handle, and have a good disposition in order to be registered with the Newfoundland Pony Society.
Colors
Black, bay, brown, chestnut, dun, grey, roan, white with pink skin; white markings are minimal, and seasonal color changes may be very noticeable
Height (size)
11.0 – 14.2 hands high
Stallions
n/a
Mares
n/a
Weight
400 – 800 lbs (180 – 365 kg)
Blood Type
Pony
Common Uses
Riding, driving, light draft work
Health
n/a
Popular Traits
Very hardy
Feeding/Diet
Ability to survive on small amounts of grass
Country of Origin
Canada
Ancestors
Dartmoor pony, Galloway pony, Connemara, Exmoor pony, Fell pony, Highland pony, New Forest pony