Fell Horse

Origin: England - Westmorland and Cumberland.

Height: 13-14hh.

Color: Usually black; occasionally bay, brown or gray. White markingsrare, especially on legs, where they are considered undesirable.

Character: Lively, alert pony; an excellent ride and also, because strong anduntiring, a good work pony.

Physique: Alert head, carried high, with short, pricked ears. Good,sloping shoulder.

Muscular body with well-sprung ribs and strong loins.Strong, sloping hindquarters. Thick mane and tail, gay tail carriage. Hard,strong legs with some feather. Feet hard and round. It has a smooth, fasttrot which it can keep up for many miles. Very hardy.
This all-purpose pony, nowadays almost exclusively used for riding, was92 formerly a harness pony and farm worker in the uplands districts and alead-mines pack pony. In the 17th and 18th centuries pack ponies wereused to take lead from the mines to the coast - there were no roads suitablefor heavy carts - and the Fell regularly carried 2201b for 30 miles and moreday by day. It was also famous as a trotter during the 19th century. It couldtrot at up to 20 miles an hour for many miles without fatigue. It has greatsubstance.

The Fell appears to stem from the Friesian horses introduced to Britain bythe Romans, and from the now-extinct Gallowaybreed of the west Scottish lowlands.