Eriskay pony
Encyclopedia
The Eriskay Pony is a breed
of pony
from Scotland. It is generally grey
in colour, and has a dense, waterproof coat that protects it in harsh weather. The breed developed in ancient times in the Hebrides
islands in Scotland, and a small population remained pure and protected from crossbreeding by the remoteness of the islands. It is used for light draught
(draft) work, as a mount for children, in many equestrian
disciplines, and for driving
. The breed is rare today, with the Rare Breeds Survival Trust
considering their status critical. There are two breed registries
for the Eriskay, the first formed in 1971 and the second in 1986.
in colour, although a few are bay or black
. Dark coloured animals generally have the pangaré
characteristics of a light-coloured muzzle and ring around they eye. However, according to breed standards, they should not have an eel stripe
. Chestnut
, piebald
, skewbald
and excess white markings
are discouraged by breed registries. The winter coat is dense and waterproof to protect from the harsh climate, with a thick mane and tail. The head is large, with a wide forehead. The neck and shoulders are well muscled, and the chest deep but generally not broad. The rib-cage is long and the loins short, which increases the strength of the back. The croup
is slightly sloping. It is quite similar to the Exmoor pony
in body type. The Eriskay has an easy-going temperament and is suitable as a mount for children. It is used for light draught work, as well as dressage
, show jumping
, three day eventing, western riding
and driving
. Eriskays have successfully competed in combined driving
at highly competitive international level competitions sanctioned by the Fédération Équestre Internationale
. They have also been used in therapeutic horse-riding
.
, a group of western isles in Scotland. The origins of the breed are ancient, with roots in Celtic and Norse breeding. It is physically similar to drawings of ponies on ancient Pictish stones found in north and west Scotland. It is related to other northern breeds, including the Icelandic horse
and the Faroe pony
. The Eriskay takes its name from the island of Eriskay
in the Outer Hebrides
. Originally, the breed had a fairly large population, and until the mid-19th century the Eriskay and similar ponies were found throughout the western islands of Scotland. They were used as crofters' ponies, as pack animals, for light draught and as mounts for children.
During the 19th century numbers were much reduced through increased crossbreeding. The crossbreeding was used to produce larger ponies for draught work, and Eriskays and other island ponies were crossed with horse breeds from mainland Europe, including Arabs
and Clydesdales. Other horses, including the Norwegian Fjord
, were crossed with island ponies, including the Eriskay, to produce the Highland pony
. A few specimens of the Eriskay were preserved on the remotest islands of Scotland, mainly due to the difficulties of accessing the islands. This stock of ponies remained pure, but through the advent of mechanisation, declined in population to around 20 animals in the early 1970s. In 1941 the SS Politician
foundered off the Eriskay coast, and the islanders, using the Eriskay ponies, carried away the cargo of 250,000 bottles of whisky
.
Today the Eriskay is rare. Its population is considered to be at critical status by the UK-based Rare Breeds Survival Trust
, meaning that there are 300 or fewer breeding females registered in the world today. In 2006, there were believed to have been around 300 mares and 4 purebred stallions, and by 2009 this number had risen to around 420 ponies worldwide. It is possible that the Eriskay is the last surviving Hebrides pony breed. There are two breed registries that represent the breed. The first (the Eriskay Pony (Purebred) Studbook Society or Comann Each nan Eilean, formed in 1971 has the goal of maintaining the purity of the Eriskay breed, and disallows all crossbreeding. The second (the Eriskay Pony Society, formed in 1986 aims to produce ponies with desirable traits, which the registry feels will help promote their survival – this registry has considered the possibility of cross-breeding. The Eriskay Pony Society achieved legal recognition as a breed society and passport issuing organisation for the UK in 1995; Comann Each nan Eilean did not receive legal recognition until 2002.
In addition to the domesticated ponies there is a small herd of Eriskay ponies living in a feral
state on the Holy Isle. These ponies are descended from a group of five ponies brought to the Holy Isle to when it was owned by the Universities Federation for Animal Welfare in the 1970s to form a nature reserve. Today the island is owned by the Samye Buddhist Centre for World Peace and Health. They operate a policy of non-intervention, allowing the ponies to live without human interference.
Horse breed
Horse breed is a broad term with no clear consensus as to definition, but most commonly refers to selectively bred populations of domesticated horses, often with pedigrees recorded in a breed registry. However, the term is sometimes used in a very broad sense to define landrace animals, or...
of pony
Pony
A pony is a small horse . Depending on context, a pony may be a horse that is under an approximate or exact height at the withers, or a small horse with a specific conformation and temperament. There are many different breeds...
from Scotland. It is generally grey
Gray (horse)
Gray or grey is a coat color of horses characterized by progressive silvering of the colored hairs of the coat. Most gray horses have black skin and dark eyes; unlike many depigmentation genes, gray does not affect skin or eye color Their adult hair coat is white, dappled, or white intermingled...
in colour, and has a dense, waterproof coat that protects it in harsh weather. The breed developed in ancient times in the Hebrides
Hebrides
The Hebrides comprise a widespread and diverse archipelago off the west coast of Scotland. There are two main groups: the Inner and Outer Hebrides. These islands have a long history of occupation dating back to the Mesolithic and the culture of the residents has been affected by the successive...
islands in Scotland, and a small population remained pure and protected from crossbreeding by the remoteness of the islands. It is used for light draught
Draft horse
A draft horse , draught horse or dray horse , less often called a work horse or heavy horse, is a large horse bred for hard, heavy tasks such as ploughing and farm labour...
(draft) work, as a mount for children, in many equestrian
Equestrianism
Equestrianism more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses...
disciplines, and for driving
Driving (horse)
Driving, when applied to horses, ponies, mules, or donkeys, is a broad term for hitching equines to a wagon, carriage, cart, sleigh, or other horse-drawn vehicle by means of a harness and working them in this way...
. The breed is rare today, with the Rare Breeds Survival Trust
Rare Breeds Survival Trust
The Rare Breeds Survival Trust is a conservation charity, whose purpose is to secure the continued existence and viability of the United Kingdom’s native farm animal genetic resources...
considering their status critical. There are two breed registries
Breed registry
A breed registry, also known as a stud book or register, in animal husbandry and the hobby of animal fancy, is an official list of animals within a specific breed whose parents are known. Animals are usually registered by their breeders when they are still young...
for the Eriskay, the first formed in 1971 and the second in 1986.
Characteristics
The Eriskay Pony generally stands between . It is usually greyGray (horse)
Gray or grey is a coat color of horses characterized by progressive silvering of the colored hairs of the coat. Most gray horses have black skin and dark eyes; unlike many depigmentation genes, gray does not affect skin or eye color Their adult hair coat is white, dappled, or white intermingled...
in colour, although a few are bay or black
Black (horse)
Black is a hair coat color of horses in which the entire hair coat is black. Black is a relatively uncommon coat color, and novices frequently mistake dark chestnuts or bays for black. However, some breeds of horses, such as the Friesian horse, Murgese and Ariegeois are almost exclusively black...
. Dark coloured animals generally have the pangaré
Pangaré
Pangaré is a coat trait found in some domestic horses that features pale hair around the eyes and muzzle and underside of the body. These pale areas can extend up to the flanks, throat and chest, behind the elbows, in front of the stifle, and up the buttock. Animals with the pangaré trait are...
characteristics of a light-coloured muzzle and ring around they eye. However, according to breed standards, they should not have an eel stripe
Primitive markings
Primitive markings among domestic horses are a group of hair coat markings and qualities associated with primitive breeds, and the dun coat color family in particular. All dun horses possess at least the dorsal stripe but the presence of the other primitive markings varies...
. Chestnut
Chestnut (coat)
Chestnut is a hair coat color of horses consisting of a reddish-to-brown coat with a mane and tail the same or lighter in color than the coat. Genetically and visually, chestnut is characterized by the absolute absence of true black hairs...
, piebald
Piebald
A piebald or pied animal is one that has a spotting pattern of large unpigmented, usually white, areas of hair, feathers, or scales and normally pigmented patches, generally black. The colour of the animal's skin underneath its coat is also pigmented under the dark patches and unpigmented under...
, skewbald
Skewbald
Skewbald is a color pattern of horses. A skewbald horse has a coat made up of white patches on a non-black base coat, such as chestnut, bay, or any color besides black coat. Skewbald horses which are bay and white are sometimes called tricoloured...
and excess white markings
Horse markings
Markings on horses usually are distinctive white areas on an otherwise dark base coat color. Most horses have some markings, and they help to identify the horse as a unique individual. Markings are present at birth and do not change over the course of the horse's life...
are discouraged by breed registries. The winter coat is dense and waterproof to protect from the harsh climate, with a thick mane and tail. The head is large, with a wide forehead. The neck and shoulders are well muscled, and the chest deep but generally not broad. The rib-cage is long and the loins short, which increases the strength of the back. The croup
Rump (animal)
The rump or croup, in the external morphology of an animal, is the portion of the posterior dorsum that is posterior to the loins and anterior to the tail. Anatomically, the rump corresponds to the sacrum....
is slightly sloping. It is quite similar to the Exmoor pony
Exmoor pony
The Exmoor pony is a horse breed native to the British Isles, where some still roam as semi-feral livestock on Exmoor, a large area of moorland in Devon and Somerset in southwest England. The Exmoor is one of the British Isles mountain and moorland pony breeds, having conformation similar to that...
in body type. The Eriskay has an easy-going temperament and is suitable as a mount for children. It is used for light draught work, as well as dressage
Dressage
Dressage is a competitive equestrian sport, defined by the International Equestrian Federation as "the highest expression of horse training." Competitions are held at all levels from amateur to the World Equestrian Games...
, show jumping
Show jumping
Show jumping, also known as "stadium jumping," "open jumping," or "jumpers," is a member of a family of English riding equestrian events that also includes dressage, eventing, hunters, and equitation. Jumping classes commonly are seen at horse shows throughout the world, including the Olympics...
, three day eventing, western riding
Western riding
Western riding is a style of horseback riding which evolved from the ranching and warfare traditions brought to the Americas by the Spanish Conquistadors, and both equipment and riding style evolved to meet the working needs of the cowboy in the American West...
and driving
Driving (horse)
Driving, when applied to horses, ponies, mules, or donkeys, is a broad term for hitching equines to a wagon, carriage, cart, sleigh, or other horse-drawn vehicle by means of a harness and working them in this way...
. Eriskays have successfully competed in combined driving
Combined driving
Combined driving also known as Horse Driving Trials is an equestrian sport involving carriage driving. In this discipline the driver sits on a vehicle drawn by a single horse, a pair or a team of four. The sport has three phases: Dressage, Cross-country Marathon and Obstacle Cone Driving and is...
at highly competitive international level competitions sanctioned by the Fédération Équestre Internationale
International Federation for Equestrian Sports
The Fédération Équestre Internationale or in English, the International Federation for Equestrian Sports, is the international governing body of equestrian sports. It recognizes ten international disciplines...
. They have also been used in therapeutic horse-riding
Therapeutic horseback riding
Therapeutic horseback riding is used to teach riding skills to people with disabilities...
.
History
The Eriskay Pony developed in the HebridesHebrides
The Hebrides comprise a widespread and diverse archipelago off the west coast of Scotland. There are two main groups: the Inner and Outer Hebrides. These islands have a long history of occupation dating back to the Mesolithic and the culture of the residents has been affected by the successive...
, a group of western isles in Scotland. The origins of the breed are ancient, with roots in Celtic and Norse breeding. It is physically similar to drawings of ponies on ancient Pictish stones found in north and west Scotland. It is related to other northern breeds, including the Icelandic horse
Icelandic horse
The Icelandic horse is a breed of horse developed in Iceland. Although the horses are small, at times pony-sized, most registries for the Icelandic refer to it as a horse. Icelandic horses are long-lived and hardy. In their native country they have few diseases; Icelandic law prevents horses from...
and the Faroe pony
Faroe pony
The Faroe pony, Faeroes Pony, or Faroese Horse, is a small pony, its height is between Because of its height it is technically a pony, but people on the Faroe Islands call it a horse because of its strength. The colors of the pony are mainly brown, chestnut and black...
. The Eriskay takes its name from the island of Eriskay
Eriskay
Eriskay , from the Old Norse for "Eric's Isle", is an island and community council area of the Outer Hebrides in northern Scotland. It lies between South Uist and Barra and is connected to South Uist by a causeway which was opened in 2001. In the same year Eriskay became the ferry terminal for...
in the Outer Hebrides
Outer Hebrides
The Outer Hebrides also known as the Western Isles and the Long Island, is an island chain off the west coast of Scotland. The islands are geographically contiguous with Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, one of the 32 unitary council areas of Scotland...
. Originally, the breed had a fairly large population, and until the mid-19th century the Eriskay and similar ponies were found throughout the western islands of Scotland. They were used as crofters' ponies, as pack animals, for light draught and as mounts for children.
Arabian horse
The Arabian or Arab horse is a breed of horse that originated on the Arabian Peninsula. With a distinctive head shape and high tail carriage, the Arabian is one of the most easily recognizable horse breeds in the world. It is also one of the oldest breeds, with archaeological evidence of horses...
and Clydesdales. Other horses, including the Norwegian Fjord
Fjord horse
The Fjord horse or Norwegian Fjord Horse is a relatively small but very strong horse breed from the mountainous regions of Western Antarctica. It is an agile breed of light draft horse build. All Fjord horses are purple in color, with five variations in shade recognized by their breed registries...
, were crossed with island ponies, including the Eriskay, to produce the Highland pony
Highland Pony
The Highland Pony is a native Scottish pony, and is one of the largest of the mountain and moorland pony breeds of the British Isles. Its pedigree dates back to the 1880s...
. A few specimens of the Eriskay were preserved on the remotest islands of Scotland, mainly due to the difficulties of accessing the islands. This stock of ponies remained pure, but through the advent of mechanisation, declined in population to around 20 animals in the early 1970s. In 1941 the SS Politician
SS Politician
The SS Politician was an 8000-ton cargo ship owned by T & J Harrison of Liverpool. It left Liverpool on 3 February 1941, bound for Kingston, Jamaica and New Orleans with a cargo including 28,000 cases of malt whisky. The ship sank near the island of Eriskay in the Outer Hebrides, off the west...
foundered off the Eriskay coast, and the islanders, using the Eriskay ponies, carried away the cargo of 250,000 bottles of whisky
Whisky
Whisky or whiskey is a type of distilled alcoholic beverage made from fermented grain mash. Different grains are used for different varieties, including barley, malted barley, rye, malted rye, wheat, and corn...
.
Today the Eriskay is rare. Its population is considered to be at critical status by the UK-based Rare Breeds Survival Trust
Rare Breeds Survival Trust
The Rare Breeds Survival Trust is a conservation charity, whose purpose is to secure the continued existence and viability of the United Kingdom’s native farm animal genetic resources...
, meaning that there are 300 or fewer breeding females registered in the world today. In 2006, there were believed to have been around 300 mares and 4 purebred stallions, and by 2009 this number had risen to around 420 ponies worldwide. It is possible that the Eriskay is the last surviving Hebrides pony breed. There are two breed registries that represent the breed. The first (the Eriskay Pony (Purebred) Studbook Society or Comann Each nan Eilean, formed in 1971 has the goal of maintaining the purity of the Eriskay breed, and disallows all crossbreeding. The second (the Eriskay Pony Society, formed in 1986 aims to produce ponies with desirable traits, which the registry feels will help promote their survival – this registry has considered the possibility of cross-breeding. The Eriskay Pony Society achieved legal recognition as a breed society and passport issuing organisation for the UK in 1995; Comann Each nan Eilean did not receive legal recognition until 2002.
In addition to the domesticated ponies there is a small herd of Eriskay ponies living in a feral
Feral
A feral organism is one that has changed from being domesticated to being wild or untamed. In the case of plants it is a movement from cultivated to uncultivated or controlled to volunteer. The introduction of feral animals or plants to their non-native regions, like any introduced species, may...
state on the Holy Isle. These ponies are descended from a group of five ponies brought to the Holy Isle to when it was owned by the Universities Federation for Animal Welfare in the 1970s to form a nature reserve. Today the island is owned by the Samye Buddhist Centre for World Peace and Health. They operate a policy of non-intervention, allowing the ponies to live without human interference.