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 CONTENTS
CUMBRIA'S FELL PONIES
 The
Fell Pony has roamed the hills of northern England for hundreds
of years and is one of Britain's nine recognised native pony
breeds. For as long as mankind has exploited the environment,
the Fell Pony has been an indispensable aid, helping with
agriculture, transport and defence. Today, the Fell Pony is
still used for work but they are now mainly bred for recreational
riding and driving, 'showing' and a thriving export market.
Many breeders have been rearing ponies on the fells for generations.
However, in recent years, the numbers of traditional fell
breeders has declined, raising concerns over the future viability
of maintaining Fell Ponies on the Cumbrian fells. As a result
of falling numbers on the fells, the Fell Pony is now on the
Endangered List of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust.
 ATTRIBUTES
Fell Ponies are usually 13 to 14 hands high and of stocky
build, with a full mane and tail and 'feathering' on the lower
legs. The ponies are predominantly black in colour, but can
be bay, brown or grey.
The size and build of the Fell Pony and its ability to survive
under difficult conditions means that the breed is universally
regarded as thrifty, versatile and full of stamina - an ideal
all-round pony!
THE STORY OF THE FELL
Fell Ponies have been around for a long time. In the wild
they lived off scant fellside vegetation, and could fend off
attacks from predators such as wolves. Natural selection ensured
that only the hardiest and strongest survived - virtues still
apparent today.
 The
ancestors of our native Fell Ponies were probably used by
the Romans to transport goods (such as stone to build Hadrian's
Wall) and to maintain law and order along the border. The
Picts and, in later years, the Border Reivers would have used
the Fell Pony for raiding forays either side of the border.
During the 9th century, Viking settlers used Fell Ponies for
ploughing. Thereafter, the Fell Pony was used extensively
for ploughing, shepherding, harvesting, haymaking, 'snigging'
(bringing felled timber out of woodland) and draught work.
They contributed to the hill farming economy, not only through
their work but also by providing a source of income with the
annual sale of foals. Virtually every farm would have had
at least one horse or pony available for draught work and
transport, but the majority of ponies were kept on the fell,
fending for themselves.
During the late medieval period, the Fell was used to transport
a huge variety of goods - corn to the mills for grinding,
minerals from mines to the smelting works, timber from the
coppiced woodlands, wool to the markets, even corpses to their
place of burial. All manner of goods were carried by these
resilient and reliable ponies.
 In
medieval times, roads as such did not exist. Instead Cumbria
was criss-crossed with hundreds of rough tracks, linking
farms to villages and towns. These tracks were not regularly
maintained and became rutted in summer and potholed in
winter. Any difficult sections were avoided with the result
that the tracks often took meandering routes to their
destinations. Pack ponies could reliably cope with these
difficulties, being sure-footed and fast walkers, yet
small enough to be easily loaded with their pack. The
ponies would typically travel in a single 'train', following
the lead animal, known as the 'bell horse'. Each pony
would know its place in the line and walk nose-to-tail
along the regular routes or 'trods'. Shallow streams were
easily forded, but deeper water warranted the building
of packhorse bridges, which were just wide enough for
one pony to pass at a time. |
With the arrival of the turnpike roads, the mode of transport
changed to horse-drawn coaches and carts, although there were
many places that were still inaccessible to wheeled traffic
and where reliance on the Fell Pony was necessary. It was
not until the arrival of the railways and motorised transport
in the late 19th/early 20th centuries that use of Fell Ponies
for transportation declined.
HORSE SALES
Ponies and horses were traditionally sold at fairs and agricultural
shows every year. Young ponies were gathered from the fells
and walked to the fairs for sale.
Brough Hill Fair was one of the main venues for the
sale of young Fell Ponies. The fair, established in 1330,
was described as 'one of the largest … in the north of
England, and immense numbers of cattle, sheep and horses,
especially unbroken ones, fell ponies and merchandise of every
description were shown'(F.W. GARNETT, WESTMORLAND AGRICULTURE,
1910). Many ponies at the Brough Fair were sold to the collieries
of County Durham for transporting coal above ground.
Appleby New Fair still takes place in the second weekend
of June every year, but Fell Ponies are only occasionally
seen at the fair - much of the trade being traditional gypsy
horses and ponies.
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'It is at Brough Hill and
at Appleby Fair where nearly all the small breeders
of Fell and Dales ponies take their stags to be sold.
A stag is a 3½-year-old pony, that has been bred
on the wild fells of the English Lake District, and
has been driven loose-headed as one of a herd of such
young ponies from places like Bampton, Dufton, Hardendale,
or Ravenstonedale, or other districts of Westmorland,
where unlimited grazing is to be had by all farmers
who have eatage rights on the open fells. Neighbours
go to the high fells and help each other to collect
the ponies. The older mares know what is wanted and
give a lead down to the "outgans" (the little
rough lanes leading up onto the open fells) and from
there to the farmyard, and there the stags are divided
off to go the following morning in one big drove to
the fair-ground, where again they are divided, each
man penning his own ponies and standing by for customers.'
R.B. CHARLTON, A LIFETIME
WITH PONIES, 1948
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FELL PONIES TODAY
 Today,
a few Fell Ponies still live on the upland fells of Cumbria,
where they can be seen grazing in small groups. These ponies
are owned by local breeders who have 'fell rights', allowing
them to graze ponies on the fell.
It is the traditional breeders with grazing rights who maintain
the semi-feral populations of ponies on the fells. Many have
been rearing ponies on the fells for generations, using bloodlines
that can trace back their ancestry over centuries. However,
the number of ponies kept on the fells continues to fall,
largely as a result of a gradual decline in the number of
traditional breeders.
Keeping ponies on the fells is an intrinsic part of Cumbria's
landscape identity and cultural heritage. Furthermore, their
foraging helps maintain the ecology of upland areas through
selective grazing. However, unlike other farm animals, Fell
Ponies do not attract any government subsidies. In Europe,
grants are available to fund breeding programmes of indigenous
species, but in Britain there is little financial aid.
A recent report (supported by Defra, English Nature, Friends
of the Lake District and the Fell Pony Society) calls for
funding to secure a viable future for the Fell Pony as a conservation
grazer.
FELL PONY SOCIETY
 The
Fell Pony Society aims to foster the care and preservation
of the Fell Pony. All Fell Ponies are registered through the
Society. The Society also provides general information, organises
a number of events throughout the year and publishes an annual
Stud Book. Members receive a newsletter twice a year.
For more information contact the Fell Pony Society on 01768
353100
or via the web: www.fellponysociety.org.uk
SHOWS AND EVENTS
Mid May - Stallion Show at Dalemain (near Penrith)
Mid June - Fell Pony show at Sizergh Castle (near Kendal)
Early August - Lowther Horse Trials and Country Fair (near
Penrith)
Early August - Breed Show at Brougham (near Penrith)
Late October - Annual Show and Sale of Fell Ponies, Penrith
Auction Mart
Fell Ponies may also be seen at most of the Agricultural Shows
held in the county.
For more information on the above, please contact the Fell
Pony Society - details below.
FURTHER INFORMATION
FELL PONY SOCIETY
Ion House
Great Asby
Appleby
Cumbria
CA16 6HD
Tel/Fax: 01768 353100
Website: www.fellponysociety.org.uk
General information on the Fell Pony.
FELL PONY BREEDERS' ASSOCIATION
Secretary: Jane Woolly
Tel: 017683 52190 or 53774
Aims to keep the Fell Pony true to type through selective
breeding. Organises an annual open day for anyone wanting
to learn about Fell Ponies (in conjunction with the Fell Pony
Society).
FELL PONY AND COUNTRYSIDE MUSEUM
Dalemain
Penrith
Cumbria
Tel: 017684 86450
Email: admin@dalemain.com
Website: www.fellpony.f9.co.uk
Displays, photographs and exhibits on the Fell Pony. Open
Easter to October (Sun-Thu only from 10.30 to 4.30). The website
contains comprehensive information on the Fell Pony with links
to other sites.
RARE BREEDS SURVIVAL TRUST
Stoneleigh Park
Warwickshire
CV8 2LG
Tel: 024 7669 6551
Email: enquiries@rbst.org.uk
Website: www.rbst.org.uk
Conservation of Britain's native breeds, including information
and advice on the fell pony. Undertakes research projects
and genotyping of breeds. Maintains a semen bank for all rare
breeds.
FURTHER READING
'The Fell Pony' by Clive Richardson, 1990. Published
by J. A. Allen Publishers, London.
'Photographic Guide to the Fell Pony' by Clive Richardson,
2000. Published by J.A. Allen Publishers, London.
'A Lifetime with Ponies' by Roy B Charlton, 1944 (reprinted
2004). Published by Country Books, Derbyshire. Available from
Mary Longsdon, Eaglets, Little Longstone, Bakewell, Derbyshire,
DE45 1NN.
'Hoofprints in Eden' by Sue Millard, 2005. Published
by Hayloft Publishing, Kirkby Stephen.
'Dales Ponies' by Iona Fitzgerald, 2000. Published
by the Dales Society. Contains much information on the Fell
Pony.
'Saddle Tramp in the Lake District' by Bob Orrell.
First published by Robert Hale Ltd, 1979. Evocative account
of a journey around the Lake District with two Fell Ponies.
'The Native Pony' magazine, Hillaine Publishing, 26
Blairs Road, Letham, Forfar, Angus, DD8 2PE. Tel: 01307 818919
Email: info@thenativepony.com
Website: www.thenativepony.com
GETTING AROUND
For details on public transport, please contact Traveline
on 08700 608 2608.
Email: info@traveline-cumbria.co.uk.
Website: www.traveline.org.uk.
CREDITS
Produced by Anna Gray for Leader+ (Cumbria Fells & Dales)
Text by Geoff Brown
Designed by Andrew Lathwell Design Ltd.
Layout by Eden Graphics
Illustrated by Jennifer Buxton.
Printed by Reeds of Penrith, 2005.
Front cover photograph copyright David Anthony Murray.
Other photographs supplied by Cliver Richardson, Bill Potter,
David Anthony Murray, Val Corbett, Ken Ettridge and Freddie
Wilson.
LEADER+ (Cumbria Fells & Dales)
The Old Stables,
Redhills,
Penrith,
Cumbria,
CA11 0DT
Tel: 01768 869533
Email: info@fellsanddales.org.uk
Website: www.fellsanddales.org.uk
Fells and Dales LEADER+ Programme is based at Voluntary Action
Cumbria, a company limited by guarantee, Charity No. 1080875,
Companyh No. 3957858.
This is one of a series of themed trails being produced
by LEADER+ (Cumbria Fells & Dales) to promote the area
and its local products.
Whilst every effort has been made to ensure that the content
of this trail is accurate and up to date at the time of writing,
no liability can be accepted for any errors, omissions or
misrepresentations of fact contained herein.
 
This project is being part financed by the European Agriculture
Guidance adn Guarantee Fund of the European Union and the
Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs through
the Cumbria Fells and Dales LEADER+ Programme.
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