Native Pony People.

Name
Anne Harries.

Stud Name
Hayselden.

Breeder
Connemara Ponies.

Society / Rank
Chairman - British Connemara Pony Society.

1) How and when did you first become involved with native ponies; what was the first native pony that you owned?
My family owned a property in the West of Ireland and my first native pony was a “Kilfie” a two year old Connemara filly bought at Clifden in 1963.

2) Do you have a soft spot for any pony in particular, owned by yourself or someone else?
Yes, for Hayselden Artemis, the most talented but difficult pony I have ever owned or bred.

3) Speaking as a breeder; what do you believe to be the most important aspects of pony breeding today?
Keeping to the true Connemara type with plenty of bone rather than breeding for the show ring.

4) Speaking as a breeder; please state your most memorable experience during your years of pony breeding, be it good, bad or amusing?
Finding that our very special Mervyn Kingsmill mare had slipped her foal for the second year running.
She has subsequently gone on to breed 12 live foals.

5) What is the inspiration behind your prefix name?
It is the name of our old house and means “haymaking in a clearing in the forest”.

6) Speaking as a competitor; please state your most memorable experience at a show, be it good, bad or amusing?
One of our first Connemara ponies , Aylesland Silver Secret, winning the cross country at the English Connemara Pony Society’s Performance Day in 1982.

7) If you could wave a magic wand and have any pony brought to your yard; be it past, present or future, who would it be?
Irishtown Beauty, a brood mare that I drool over every year, when I see her in the ring at Clifden Show.

8) Can you recommend a good Native Pony book?
Pat Lyne’s 'Shrouded in Mist'.

9) Any 'words of wisdom' you wish to share?
When breeding ponies there are always going to be highs and lows. Enjoy the highs and don’t dwell on the lows.

10) Any further comments?
When you sell a pony that you have bred, a little bit of your heart goes with it. Somebody told me this when we first started breeding, it is as true now as it was then.