The Highland Pony Society Breed Description
The Breed is a strong well-balanced compact pony with all its features in proportion to its height. It is one of the largest of the British Native Breeds and should show substance and strength.
Height: Height is 13.0hh to 14.2hh (132-148cms).
Head: Well carried and alert with kindly eyes. Broad muzzled and with a deep jowl.
Neck and shoulders: Reasonable length of neck going from wither with a good sloping shoulder and well-placed forearm.
Body: Well-balanced and compact with deep chest with plenty of room for heart and lung, ribs well sprung.
Quarters and hindlegs: Powerful quarters with well-developed thigh, strong second thigh and clean flat hocks.
Legs: Flat hard bone, broad knees, short cannon bones, oblique pasterns and well shaped broad dark Hoofs. Feathers soft and silky.
Mane and tail: Hair should be natural flowing and untrimmed with a full tail.
Colours: A range of duns – mouse, yellow, grey and cream. Also grey, brown, black and occasionally bay and liver chestnut with silver mane and tail. Many ponies have a dorsal stripe and some show zebra markings on legs and shoulders. As small star is acceptable, but other white markings are discouraged. Foal coats often change and many ponies change colour gradually as they grow older, especially those with grey hairs interspersed with the original colour. Others show a slight seasonal change in colour between winter and summer coats. Broken colours are not allowed.
Action: Straight and free moving without undue knee action.
