The British Spotted Pony is a British

breed A breed is a specific group of domestic animals having homogeneous appearance (phenotype), homogeneous behavior, and/or other characteristics that distinguish it from other organisms of the same species. In literature, there exist several slig ...

pony A pony is a type of small horse ('' Equus ferus caballus''). Depending on the context, a pony may be a horse that is under an approximate or exact height at the withers, or a small horse with a specific conformation and temperament. Compared ...

characterised by a spotted coat. The height at the

withers The withers is the ridge between the shoulder blades of an animal, typically a quadruped. In many species, it is the tallest point of the body. In horses and dogs, it is the standard place to measure the animal's height. In contrast, cattle ar ...

does not exceed .

History

The presence of spotted horses across Europe from

Iberia The Iberian Peninsula (), ** * Aragonese and Occitan: ''Peninsula Iberica'' ** ** * french: Péninsule Ibérique * mwl, Península Eibérica * eu, Iberiar penintsula also known as Iberia, is a peninsula in southwestern Europe, defi ...

to Turkey is documented in manuscripts and tapestries as far back as the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...

. Among the many European breeds that can have a spotted coat is a strain of the Welsh Pony. A document from 1298 mentions that

Edward I Edward I (17/18 June 1239 – 7 July 1307), also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 1272 to 1307. Concurrently, he ruled the duchies of Aquitaine and Gascony as a vassal o ...

of England had a spotted Welsh horse. The British Spotted Pony descends from indigenous Celtic ponies, particularly from south-west England and from Wales. A breed society, the British Spotted Horse and Pony Society, was formed in 1946. In 1976 the British Spotted Horse – though unconnected to the Appaloosa breed of the United States – was renamed to British Appaloosa, and the breed society split. The British Spotted Pony Society was formed in that year. It may be a

rare breed In modern agriculture, a rare breed is a breed of poultry or livestock that has a very small breeding population, usually from a few hundred to a few thousand. Because of their small numbers, rare breeds may have a threatened conservation statu ...

: one source gives a total number of 800 for it. It is reported to DAD-IS, but no population data has ever been entered; it is not on the watchlist of the

Rare Breeds Survival Trust The Rare Breeds Survival Trust is a conservation charity whose purpose is to secure the continued existence and viability of the native farm animal genetic resources (FAnGR) of the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1973 by Joe Henson to prese ...

Characteristics

The pony carries the genes for the spotted colouring, which may produce coats of varying patterns; other characteristics associated with the pattern, such as mottled pink skin on the muzzle and at the natural openings, white

sclera The sclera, also known as the white of the eye or, in older literature, as the tunica albuginea oculi, is the opaque, fibrous, protective, outer layer of the human eye containing mainly collagen and some crucial elastic fiber. In humans, and som ...

of the eyes, and striped hooves, are also seen. Solid-coloured animals with demonstrable Spotted Pony ancestry are registered in a separate section of the

stud-book A breed registry, also known as a herdbook, studbook or register, in animal husbandry and the hobby of animal fancy, is an official list of animals within a specific breed whose parents are known. Animals are usually registered by their breeders ...

; ponies with piebald or skewbald coat patterns are disqualified from registration. It is robust and hardy, with typical pony conformation. The eyes are large, the ears small, and the mane and tail usually abundant. The height at the

may not exceed .

References

{{British horses Horse breeds Horse breeds originating in England Ponies