As published Fall/Winter 2003
edition of "DISCOVER HORSES AT THE KENTUCKY HORSE PARK"
"DISCOVER HORSES AT THE KENTUCKY HORSE PARK"
(Editor's note - Merlin has since also
completed 2 more successful seasons at the KHP)
In
the Spotlight –
"MERLIN"
(Reprinted
by kind permission of “Discover Horses at the
Kentucky
Horse
Park”)
Breed
Fell Pony (Fell is the Norse word for
“hill”)
Specifics
Merlin’s registered name is Hardendale Black Jack. He is a 7-year-old black
gelding, 13.2 hands, 930 pounds.
Sire
and Dam
Midtown Jack and Hardendale Jewel
Path
to the
Horse
Park
Owner Laura Hart, of xxxxx
,
Michigan
, the North American Liaison Officer of the
British-based Fell Pony Society, offered to loan Merlin to the Kentucky
Horse
Park
for the 2003 season to give visitors a chance to
see this rare breed. (There are less than 6,000 registered Fell ponies
throughout the world, with less than 30 in the U.S.) Merlin
recently won first place in the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy Rare
British Breeds Show at the Horse
Park. He was shown in hand, ridden hunt seat, and
driven.
What
is a Fell Pony?
The original Fell ponies came from the north of
England
and are now found mainly on the western side of
the Pennines. The Fell Pony is probably descended from the early Celtic pony and
foreign stock imported during the time of the Romans, when the hardy ponies were
used as draft animals in local industry and in the building of Roman walls.
Except for the
Exmoor
, the Fell Pony is considered the purest of all
native British ponies. Before the days of autos, the Fell Pony was a
jack-of-all-trades, shepherding on the fells of
England’s
Lake District
, working as a light farm animal, pulling the
family carriage and performing as a great racing-trotter. The breed declined
alarmingly during the first half of the twentieth century, though, having lost
its purpose as a work animal. The Fell Pony Society was founded to promote and
conserve the breed, which rebounded in the 1950s with the development of riding
schools and trekking centers to accommodate the tourist trade. Fells are large
ponies, standing 13-14 hands at the withers, although the average is 13.2 hands.
They are well muscled, with a well-laid back and sloping shoulders that produce
comfortable riding gaits. The legs
must be strong, with plenty of flat bone, and the feet are round with the
characteristic blue horn and feathering. Most Fells are solid black, though
browns, bays and grays are seen occasionally. The Official Standard of the Fell
Pony Society states they should be “constitutionally as hard as iron.”
Occupation
Merlin is ridden or driven in the Parade of Breeds.
Personality:
“He is a solid little pony,” says Breeds Barn Manager Denny Chapman.
“Merlin is happiest when he is working and is tickled to death to be ridden or
driven. He’s good on the rail with
kids, and he has shown us he has a very nice disposition with nuisances—very
little bothers him. He is very
attentive to the rider or driver.”
Where
to find Merlin:
Visit this fetching Fell Pony at the Breeds Barn, where he will be through
October. For more information, go to
www.Fellpony.com or xxxxxxxxxxxx
(www.Fellponysociety.org
now).
- Cathy Laws
Editor’s note: Breed information was gathered from
the breeds pages on the
International
Museum
of the Horse website, www.kyhorsepark.com
Home
Conservation in the 21st Century
"Fell History" by Sue Millard
Where do We Go From Here? - S. Millard
What is a Fell pony?
Not a Friesian
Miracles of Survival
Conservancy Press Release
FPS Liaison Resignation
Horse Sense - pony with a purpose
Fell pony; ALBC Conservation Priority List
Fell pony Temperament and Maturity
Beatrix Potter - Fairy Caravan
NA Fell pony History & Liaison Intro
Equine Bovine Mag
Fell Convention UK - Equine Journal
SE Equine Monthly
Fell Pony Journal
The Reach
Horsemens Yankee Pedlar
Rare Breeds Journal
Merlin at Kentucky Horse Park
ALBC
Rural Heritage
Article reproduced with permission of Discover
Horses at THE KENTUCKY HORSE PARK
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