Exmoor Ponies

We have linked up with the Moorland Mousie Trust with the idea of providing fostering facilities for Exmoor Ponies and getting them ready for adoption. We now have two ponies, Robbie and Merion.The idea of fostering at this age is to get the ponies ready to be ridden without trying to break their spirit by dominating them.

Our job is to bring them on, to get them used to all of the things that they may encounter in everyday life so that when they are able to be ridden they will be safe ponies for children.

West Hollowcombe has a long history with Exmoor ponies, on the right a picture from the 1930's or 40's showing the round-up of the Westcott ( Zeal ) Exmoor Ponies Herd No 1.

Robbie was born on Withypool common and thus at Hawkridge is very near to home. Merion on the other hand is from Winsford Hill just the next valley across so if they had been left on the moor they would have been close neigh bours. Robbie did his first bit of training in Dorset whilst Merion spent some time in the New Forest, Hampshire.

We try to take them out for walks through the lanes around Hawkridge partly to get them used to the idea of meeting other people, animals cars and tractors and also to keep their hooves well trimmed. Since we started looking after the ponies they have become very domesticated but still maintain their independance and spirit. They love being groomed and being made a fuss of- which is good news as they attract a crowd of willing helpers whenever they are around.

If you want to tell them apart from the photos Robbie is slightly lighter in colour than Merion- but it is difficult! There are more photos of wild Exmoors here.