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page contains information about our very own Kerry Bog Ponies.
To quickly access a topic, simply click on one of the links
here. |
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General
Information
The
Kerry Bog pony almost became extinct. By 1994 there were only 20
ponies left in the whole of Ireland, Of which 15 were in the county
of Kerry. We have the Kerry Ponies here at the Bog Village. Our
aim is to save them from extinction and, by breeding them, to increase
their numbers here in Kerry and further afield.
You
may already have seen that the Kerry Bog Pony is quite small - almost
like a Shetland Pony - About 10 or 11 hands high, with a distinctive
dish or curved face, rather like an Arab. Breed colors are chestnut
with flaxen mane and tail or livered chestnut with black mane and
tail or grey and also bay.
To
establish whether or not our ponies are truly survivors of a rare
breed, the stallion Flash Fox was tested for genetic markers by
Weatherby's Ireland, and was satisfactorily blood typed in 1994.
Further
information can be found at www.kerrybogponies.info.
Distinctive
Features of the Kerry Bog Pony
| Size |
The
Kerry Bog breed is a small pony evolved as such due to its use
as a draught animal in the bogs of Kerry over the centuries.
Thus the height of the Kerry Bog Pony is under 12hh for stallions,
geldings and mares, on natural habitat. |
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| Colour |
Any
whole colour is to be found, but they are generally chestnut,
brown or bay. Grey, dun and roan are also to be found. |
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| Coat |
The
coat of the Kerry Bog Pony is long and dense and easily capable
of withstanding harsh Winter conditions without shelter. |
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| Head |
The
head is pleasant, sweet and sometimes dish-faced with small,
pointed eyes. Nostrils allow large intake relative to body size
and the jaw is strong and well formed with excellent dentition
to facilitate grazing on heath, gorse and heather. |
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| Body |
The
neck of the Kerry Bog Pony is strong and of medium length with
shoulders rounded and muscular. The body is strong and compact
and the chest is deep with well sprung ribs and good girth.
Loins are powerful and the hindquarters are strong and well
formed. The tail is full, abundant and well set and carried. |
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| Legs |
Forelegs
are strong and muscular with a strong forearm. Hind legs are
muscular and powerful. The cannon bone is short with flat hard
bone of good size. Pasterns are short and upright hooves, wide
open and well formed of hard horn and require little trimming. |
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| Action |
The
Kerry Bog breed is a powerful pony with good bone and of great
strength relative to its weight. This, together with its excellent
conformation, gives the pony a lovely straight and level action
with good balance. This intelligent pony is very sure footed
and well capable of thinking for itself in the soft underfoot
conditions of Kerry bogs. |
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| Temperament
and Character |
This
pony, while kind, sensible, confident and well mannered, also
possesses great courage and endurance. Viciousness has been
bred out of the Kerry Bog Pony at a much earlier stage. Soundness
is also a feature of the Kerry Bog Pony. Hereditary unsoundness
is extremely rare and because of the pony's innate strength
and toughness it scarcely ever develops any unsoundness. The
animal's constitution is also first class being possessed of
a large heart and lung room which in turn enables it to thrive
well in spite of harsh weather or other difficulties. The excellent
temperament of the pony allows it to be easily trained to saddle
or harness and it can be easily worked as a children's riding
pony. |
Kerry
Bog Pony News
Tullamore
Show, Co. Offaly
10th August, 2003
Class
for Kerry Bog Pony mares and fillies with or without foal at foot.
For information contact show secretary:
Freida Kinnarney.
Church Street,
Tullamore,
Co Offaly.
0506 52141
Prize Draw
Win
a weekend break for two, B&B including evening meal and wine,
courtesy of the Kerry Bog Pony Society of Ireland President John
Mulvihill of the Red Fox Inn, Glenbeigh, Co Kerry.
Only
paid up members and new members are included in the draw,
so hurry up and join the society now @ WWW.KERRYBOGPONIES.INFO
Prize drawn at the November 2003 AGM, date and location to be confirmed.
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