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The British Spotted Pony

Height
Riding ponies & Cobs up to 14.2hh. Miniature types are under 107cm.

Colour
There are many variations of the spotted coat, listed below.

Leopard spot the most common, coloured spots on a white or light coloured base coat.

Near Leopard, similar to the above but with darker head, neck and legs.

Few Spot Leopard, white base colour with only a few spots but have the ability to pass on their spotted genes.

Blanket spotted, a plain base coat with a white blanket over quarters and back with spots on the blanket.

Snowflake, white spots on a solid base coat.

Mottled pattern, the coat is most often irregularly ticked with white, having also large or small roan spots, their outlines rather blurred. Sometimes a coat looking like an ordinary roan but in which dark blots, varnish marks, appear.

Solid colour, a pony bred from spotted parents but does not display any spotted coat pattern.
Note that some ponies born solid colour can develop spots as they get older.

Movement
Low and straight, from the shoulder. The cob type may show more knee action.

History
The British Spotted pony is thought to have once roamed feral through the moors and forests of Britain, his spotted coat camouflaging him against predators. It is said that spotted ponies can be found depicted on ancient cave paintings; that early manuscripts show saints and noblemen upon spotted ponies. Because of their unusual markings, the spotted pony was highly prized, it is documented that they were sold for large sums. In 1298, there were listed all the horses purchased for Edward I campaign at Falkirk. It describes a spotted Welsh cob from Powys purchased from Robin Fitzpayne, one of the most expensive on the list.

The spotted pony may well have roamed the Welsh hills, there are many instances of spotted ponies in the early Welsh stud books. Gwynfe Hero, a spotted Welsh cob foaled in 1916, features in many spotted pony pedigrees.

After WWII, there was a surge of interest in the remarkable spotted pony, and many were exported to Australia, America, Canada and Europe. This popularity proved somewhat detrimental as such high numbers were leaving the country, the pony became quite rare in the UK.

In 1947, the British spotted Horse and Pony Society was formed, with the object of keeping a register of the breed. In 1977, the Society was divided into two groups; the British Spotted Pony Society, for ponies under 14.2hh, and the British Appoloosa Society for horses over 14.2hh.

The British Spotted pony of today is known for his wonderful calm temperament, which makes him a very popular choice of childs pony. His eyecatching coat and presence also see him excel as a driving pony.

Breed Society
http://www.britishspottedpony.com/home.html

http://www.spotties.org.uk/

http://www.spotties.com

Did you know?
Spotted ponies featured in 18th and 19th century English Artists paintings, such as John Wooton's "Lady Conway's Spanish Jennet", now in possession of Lord Hertford of Ragley Hall.

Charles II had a strangely marked grey with red on his rump named 'Bloody Buttocks'.

In a fifteenth century manuscript of the chronicles of Sir John Froissart, there is an illustration of a little chestnut spotted cob.

Time line
1947 - British Spotted Horse and Pony Society.
1977 - British Spotted Pony Society founded.

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