Island Life Magazine Ltd August/September 2014 | Page 79

Left to right: Shona with Lulu Dunford, Solstice with Jade Dove, Helen Found and Equinox with Sarah Tregust

Rare Eriskay ponies
come to the Island

F

ive Eriskay ponies, native to a tiny
island some 100 miles off Scotland,
are now living on the Isle of Wight.
The ponies’ descendants are from the isle of
Eriskay, which is only 1½ by 2½ miles in size,
and visitors to this year’s Royal Isle of Wight
County Show were able to have a close-up
look at them.
In the 19th century ponies from the more
accessible islands went to the Scottish
mainland and were crossed with heavier
horses. People too were leaving the islands
and the ponies, once essential to life on the
croft, were no longer needed. Due to its
isolation, and being the last to receive the car
ferry it was also difficult to move other ponies
on to the island, hence the pony of Eriskay
remained pure but numbers decreased until
only half dozen or so remained.
The Rare Breeds Survival Trust agreed to
help but six more generations had to be
bred back before they could register them.
On January 1, 1997 they were listed as
category one ’critical’ joining the Cleveland
Bay, the Suffolk Punch and the Hackney
Horse and Pony.
Helen Found, who now lives here, said:
“Having spent some time breeding these

charming ponies while living in Cornwall I
was delighted to find just recently that there
are five Eriskays on the Isle of Wight.
“So far I have met four of them and their
owners, and I look forward to meeting the
fifth pony before long. It seems that the
owners of these ponies didn’t go out with
the intention of purchasing an Eriskay pony
in particular; it was more that the ponies
found them.
“They were invited to take part in the
Grand Parade at the County Show and this
was the first time most people had actually
seen an Eriskay pony. As the ponies get
out and about on the Island, taking part in
equine activities of all types, I am sure other
people will be captivated by them and we
will be seeing more of these Rare Breed
native ponies.
“The ponies are born black or bay and
turn grey with maturity. Two of the ponies
over here are full brothers one of which has
stayed bay into adulthood which happens
very rarely. Look out for them as they begin
to take part in equine pursuits across the
Island.”
More information can be found at www.
eriskaypony.com
www.visitilife.com

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