Highland Pony basic information

The Highland Pony stands about 13hh to 14.2hh (52-58 in.) with some ponies - usually geldings- occassionally growing taller than this due to better feeding and care from birth. They are heavily built - 450/550kg for an adult - and although called 'ponies' are more like horses with short legs. They are the largest of Britain's nine native pony breeds.

Today, nearly all Highlands grow up with primitive marks - 'eel' stripe along the back, shoulder stripes, 'zebra' stripes on the legs, with dark mane, tail and legs. These fade with time if the coat is gray. They are the only British native ponies in which all these markings occur so frequently, as a matter of course, without any conscious selection. This could suggest an ancient origin, as Highlands have had no selective breeding for color and limited 'improvement' in conformation through cross-breeding, apart from selection for greater size in the past.

Unlike some other native breeds Highland ponies do not have to pass a subjective assessment of conformation or height before they are entered in the Stud Book - a pure Highland pony pedigree is all that is needed. One exception to this: white markings are not liked as possible evidence of cross-breeding in the past, and Highland stallions cannot be registered if more than a small white star is present.

There are no narrow 'breeding schemes' in operation - for example, the use of 'approved' or 'selected' stallions - so Highlands retain a broad genetic mix within the population. The effect of this is that Highlands are quite variable in height, color and looks. The ponies today are an outcome of their whole genetic past, and not a breed created to some conceptual 'type'.