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From: Pat Connors <>
Subject: [NY IRISH] The Irish Connemara Pony
Date: Wed, 05 Nov 2003 09:14:05 -0800

thanks to George of the Irish Heritage Newsletter......


THE IRISH CONNEMARA PONY



The Connemara pony is a native of Western Ireland, taking its name from
the rugged Connemara area of County Galway. Intelligent, sure-footed and
athletic, it is an ideal competition pony.

Of all the native ponies the connemara is probably the most versatile.
Standing around 13hh to 14.2hh it is small enough to be ridden by a
child and is well able to carry a small adult.

A real riding pony, the Connemara is intelligent, very sure-footed and
tractable. It excels as a hunting pony and being a natural, athletic
jumper is in great demand for eventing and showjumping.

As a first or second cross with the Thoroughbred, it is probably the
ideal combination for bold competition horses that retain the pony
characteristics of soundness and intelligence.

The Connemara Pony's origins go back some 2,500 years to the time when
Celtic warriors brought their dun colored ponies onto the island of
Ireland and used them to draw war chariots and carts along the beaches
and river plains of their new found home. The history is obscure, yet
the Connemara Pony is considered Ireland's only native breed. Mythology
tells us that the tribes of western Ireland were mounted. Legend has it
that when the Spanish Armada sank off the Connemara coast in the 16th
Century, the horses swam to shore and bred with the native ponies
running wild in the mountains. They learned to live on the tough
vegetation and survive the hardships of their habitat, as a misplaced
step could send a pony crashing to its death.

It was a desperate and arduous life for the farmers of the area. With
large families to support, they could only afford one good pony - often
captured off the mountain and tamed. This had to be a mare who could
give him a foal each year, to sell for their subsistence through the
long, dark winter. She would pull a plow, a cart, work from dawn to dusk
at whatever task was needed under extremely harsh conditions.

Fitted with baskets called creels, they carried a heavy load. They
moved tons of rocks, to claim the land. Seaweed used to fertilize the
barren fields was dragged from the shore by the ponies. They carried
turf cut from the bogs, used for cooking and heat. Strong, sturdy legs
could maneuver through the muck, which might swallow a different type of
horse. Never a day of rest, she also carted the family to Mass on
Sunday. She had to have the hardiness, stamina and disposition needed,
or she was replaced with a mare who could. In this manner, the good
mares were kept in Connemara reproducing these qualities in their foals.

Stallions would travel the primitive roads between villages, covering
many mares and many miles in one day. Local racing was popular and the
Connemaras competed equally with the larger Irish Hunters and
Thoroughbreds.

During the 19th century Welsh cobs were introduced with the objective
of improving the breed and a little later, and less successfully,
Hackneys, Clydesdales and some Thoroughbred blood. It was not until 1923
that the 'Connemara Pony Breeders Society' was formed, and three years
later it published the first stud book, restricting registration to
Seventy five mares and six stallions that were considered to be of
suitable type. The two most successfully stallions were probably 'Rebel'
, foaled in 1922, and 'Golden Gleam' who was born a decade later.



The Connemara "Stands on short legs, covering a lot of ground". The
cannon bone is short, dense, flat and clean, measuring 7 to 9 inches
below the knee. The body is deep and compact, well-balanced with depth,
substance and good heart room. The Connemara has a good sloping
shoulder, length of rein, and moves freely with little knee action in
surprisingly large strides for its height. On this strong, sturdy body
sets a handsome pony head, with a well-defined jaw and good width
between large kindly eyes. Easy keepers, they do not require a rich diet
to stay healthy and fit.

The most common colors are grey and dun, but there are blacks, bays,
browns, chestnuts, palominos, and an occasional roan. Black points are
common, but paints are not acceptable.

The Connemara is the largest of the pony breeds, ranging in height
from13 to 15 hands, with 14 to 14.2 hands as the average. Full maturity
is at five years of age, sometimes older, and they can live well into
their 30's.

The Connemara has a natural jumping ability, and its rectangular build
lends it suitable for dressage. They often beat horses 16 hands and over
with staying power, intelligence and heart. As a show jumper, working
hunter, eventing, western pleasure, endurance, driving - Connemaras can
do it all, and can be your best friend!

Connemaras are the product of their original environment, the rugged
mountain coast of West Ireland. Sure-footed, hardy and agile, they
possess powers of great stamina, staying power and adaptability. They
are renowned for their versatility and their gentle, tractable, sensible
and willing dispositions.

http://www.irishhorsesociety.com/connemarabreed.htm

To view a photo of the Irish Connemara Pony go to IH Page 2 at
http://hometown.aol.com/steeler059/myhomepage/profile.html

--
Pat Connors, Sacramento CA
http://www.connorsgenealogy.com
Professional Genealogy Research
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