English Fell Pony Numbers On The Rise

English Fell Pony Numbers On The Rise LIVESTOCK Horses/Mules It didn’t take long for Jenifer Morrissey to get hooked on Fell ponies when she purchased her first one in 2000 She immediately appreciated their rarity hardiness and intelligence And in time she found them to be good working partners at home and in the Colorado logging and construction business she and her husband run When first introduced to them there were only 30 Fell ponies in North America with 6 of them in Colorado Now there are about 600 Fell ponies Morrissey has 10 of them and breeds trains and sells them The Fell name comes from the Norse word for hill which reflects the environment where the breed is from Indigenous to Cumbria England likely since pre-historic times the ponies were used by Vikings to pull sledges and plows Later Fell ponies transported all manner of goods including ore fleece fish and woolen goods Today’s Fell Pony is typically bred for less stressful work like riding including competitive trail and dressage and driving including Le Trec and CDE But Morrissey says she is dedicated to maintaining the old traits that make Fells useful work ponies so she also uses them for packing and draft work “I’m focused on maintaining pony characteristics and keeping them at or below the breed average of 13 2 hands tall The pony phenotype is that the length of the leg and depth of the barrel are the same Backs and necks are short Ears are small ” she says The Fell Pony comes in 4 colors - black grey bay and brown The Fell ponies easily fatten up so they need attention to work or they will get bored and “entertain themselves” Morrissey says To do that she keeps them active and moving and the climate stress of Colorado helps keep them hardy She and her husband put them to work as often as they can Most recently that included hauling gravel 1/4-mile in pack saddles with bottoms that open for example Because ponies are shorter it’s easier to put a pack or harness on them or hop up on them for a bareback ride They also are great for trail riding Morrissey adds that she is impressed with their intelligence “It’s icy in the winter and I have ponies smart enough to know where to place their feet and not slip ” she says “I love playing with them I do a lot of young stock training I have a 2-year-old stallion and make him stand still with a tub of hay on his back He appreciates that kind of interaction ” With growing appreciation for the breed the Fell Pony is in great demand Foals can be purchased for $4 000 and older kid-friendly Fells cost $5 000 to $10 000 Breeders can be found throughout the U S and in Canada More information about the breed can be seen on the website The Fell Pony Society in England www fellponysociety org uk The most active North American organization is the Fell Pony Society of North America www fpsna org Available ponies can easily be found by internet search Morrissey’s website and blog have lots of information some of which is in her 5 books about the breed “It is my goal to put these ponies to use as they have been in the past so that future generations can enjoy them as a living working partner ” Morrissey says Contact: Jenifer Morrissey Willowtrail Fell Ponies P O Box 1034 Walden Colo 80480 ph 970 723-4316; www fellponiescolorado com; workponies@frii com

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