THE EXMOOR PONY
Sue McGeever of the Exmoor Pony Society explains an Exmoor’s yearly routine and how the ponies are managed on the moor.
“The moorland herds remain out on their respective commons all year, except during the annual gatherings in the autumn,” says Sue. “Each herd owner will bring in their herd independently, with the mares checked and some wormed. Any mare who the breeder feels will not survive a harsh winter on the moor is brought ‘in-ground’ [kept in a herd at the owner’s property]. “The foals are microchipped, inspected and registered. Generally, the fillies return to the moor and the geldings are sold on as future riding ponies, or they are sent to conservation grazing sites.
“It is rare for a moor-bred pony to require the services of a farrier. The ponies cover a great deal of ground over all types of terrain and this tends to keep their hard hooves at the correct length.
“The moor-kept pony has evolved to adapt to the habitat — growing a double coat in winter and a single one in summer. “Exmoor foals bred on the moor adapt to domestic life and can make super family ponies. Those bred away from the moor have the same traits, and inspectors and judges look to ensure all Exmoors preserve the survival traits they are known for. This is an important factor in their conservation and it’s these traits that make the Exmoor ideal for conservation grazing and rewilding projects.
Food for thought
In a domesticated setting, horses and ponies are considered grazers, whereas in a more feral environment they are thought of as browsers. These semi-feral horses live in large areas boasting relatively poor quality land and, as a result, they travel for miles browsing for suitable food.
This constant mobility has obvious benefits from a weight perspective, as well as in terms of hoof wear. Weight is gained over the late spring and summer months when climatic conditions, as well as grass growth, are more favourable and then shed
“As a rule of thumb, your horse should be fed 1.5% of his bodyweight in kilograms of hay, weighed dry, per day”
over the winter months. This natural cycle of gain and loss enables semi-feral populations to survive in a free-roaming environment throughout the year.
The contrast is stark if we compare this to how we manage domesticated horses. With limited land availability, year-round turnout isn’t possible for most, but we can endeavour to try to mimic this natural
weight cycle. In an ideal world, turnout on improving pastures should be accompanied by increased exercise, making weight gain negligible. However, we frequently see domesticated horses enter the winter overweight and exit it having gained further kilograms. Such horses are prime candidates for laminitis when the spring grass comes through. It’s therefore vital to pay attention to your horse’s weight over the winter. Ask your vet for advice. Many veterinary centres and feed companies also run weight clinics and provide advice on feeding.
As a rule of thumb, your horse should be fed 1.5% of his bodyweight in kilograms of hay, weighed dry, per day. The hay should be soaked prior to feeding and fed little and often throughout the day. If you wish, it can be double netted to slow the rate at which he eats, and hung (safely) from the middle of the stable. These actions mimic the ingestion of poor-quality forage throughout the day in a free-roaming setting.
When feeding soaked hay, a low-calorie balancer should also be provided to meet your horse’s vitamin and mineral requirements.
Why exercise is key
While some domesticated horses spend the majority of their time stabled during the winter months, we should endeavour to offer other forms of exercise, such as in-hand walking and grazing, use of a horse-walker or turnout in a sand paddock, plus a daily ridden exercise programme. For those turned out 24/7, track systems, such as the Equicentral Track System, mimic a horse’s natural migratory pattern, not only offering increased movement, but also a boost to mental stimulation.
When it comes to coats, both semi-feral and domesticated horses have a similar hair growth cycle. However, given the lack of rugs in a free-roaming setting, semi-feral horses have a much thicker winter coat. What does this mean from a rugging perspective? Ultimately, most stabled horses and ponies in good health don’t require rugging unless they are extensively clipped. Rugging an unclipped equine is not conducive to the natural weight loss cycle and, furthermore, they can get too hot under a rug. An individual animal’s rugging requirement should be assessed on a case-by-case basis, but never lose sight of the natural setting and what the horse’s body is designed to do.