I was originally going to post this series in one big post, but I realized that it would be easier for me to do it in pieces. And now that Breyerfest is on the count down, I figured I better get this Breed Studies series finished.
One thing to keep in mind about me is that I LOVE anything having to do with the Celts. From culture to music to art and now horses. And there are some key characteristics in these Celtic pony descendants that I want you to keep an eye out for.
The Kerry Bog Pony originates from County Kerry (hence the name), Ireland. They were used for light draft work and as pack animals - especially since their surefootedness when navigating the bogs. It is believed they are decedents of the extinct Hobby Horse. Their numbers dropped when they were used by the English as pack animals in the Peninsular War. After the Great Famine (the Potato Famine) and the switch to the Tractor, their numbers decreased so far that there were only twenty individuals in 1994. To prevent extinction, a man by the name of John Mulvihill from Glenbeih, Co. Kerry, who started a breeding program to save and promote the breed. The stud, Flashy Fox became the leading sire to well over 100 foals. The first Kerry Bog Ponies were imported to the U.S. was in 2002.
The height ranges from 10-12hh. They come in the colors: Bay, Brown, Black, Chestnut, Grey, Dun, and Palomino. Interestingly, the registry in Ireland doesn't accept Tobiano (which does occur in the breed), only minimal white markings. The registry in America, however, does (so, the photo above is an example of an American-bred). The body structure is similar to the Morgan Horse, with a dished face similar to the Arabian.
Breyerfest's 2020 Three-day Ticket SR Brighid and Beltane could pass for an American-bred Kerry Bog Pony, while being on the new Welsh Pony molds. I was already aware that Tobiano doesn't occur in any of the Welsh pony/cob breeds, so I knew they had to be Kerry Bog Ponies. After some research, surprisingly, the larger Kerry Bog Ponies are the same height of the smaller Welsh Mountain Ponies. But, Welsh Ponies can reach the height of an Icelandic Horse. So, I asked through a FB group if anyone had both the Breyer Icelandic and the Breyer Welsh Pony Mare to do a comparison. And Lo Behold! The Breyer Welsh Pony Mare is indeed smaller than the Icelandic and could pass for a Welsh Mountain Pony...and in turn, a Kerry Bog Pony.
References:
https://www.kerrybogpony.org/KerryBogPony.html
"International Encyclopedia of Horse Breeds" by Bonnie Hendricks
"International Encyclopedia of Horse Breeds" by Bonnie Hendricks
No comments:
Post a Comment