Roaming over the Scottish Highlands is a sturdy pony that has thrived among the rugged, rocky coastline, lochs and windswept valleys for centuries: the Highland Pony. The breed developed from a pre-historic pony that received an influx of different blood over time, depending on which army was conquering the area. The extinct Galloway Pony features heavily in the breed’s bloodlines. The regional isolation resulted in different strains of the Highland, including the Islay, Rhum, Mull and Barra strains. These strong native ponies were originally bred to help farmers pack game out of the mountains.
The Highland is a popular trekking and packing pony. Queen Elizabeth II has a working stud at Balmoral in Scotland. The ponies are used as pack animals for hunters and picnickers.
The breed stands 13 to 14.2 hands high and is found in a variety of coat colors, including dun, gray, brown, black, chestnut and cream. Some will have dorsal, zebra or shoulder stripes.
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