The most common colours are grey and duns, followed by bay ponies. Rarely the ponies are black or chestnut, as well as darkeyed cream coloured. The breeding aim of todays Connemara pony is to arrange race character with a well ridden and robust pony.
An in the form of a rectangle standing, all-round pony with a good character, a cool temper and a strong nerves, 128 to 148 cm high, cannon bone size of 17.5 to 21 cm is asked for. An expressive face, with a long enough, well placed neck, a good distinctive saddle position, an elastic modelled overline, a long angular shoulder, a dry and solid foundation with short cannon bones and distinctive joints is desired. The movements should be forceful, extensive, and energetic.

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Adbear Belle Foto: Susanne Leijonhufvud

The Connemara pony is today's most popular and efficient pony, that can be ridden even by adults, in the whole of Europe and in Germany.
It's origin is in the Connemara, a very barren landscape of hills and stones at the atlantic coast in the West of Ireland. The hybridisation of horses from the Iberian peninsula has put a stamp on this native pony in its early history. Since 1923 the Irish Connemara-Pony Breeder Society is looking after it. The Connemara pony came to the European continent in the 1960 and it has found a lot of friends through its excellent characteristics. Because of the natural selective breeding in Ireland on the barren hills, which are littered by boulders and stony walls, a flexible, sure-footed and especially joyful jumping pony evolved. It counts to one of the rare pony races, that do not have to fear their taller cousins in competitions, not even international.
With an average withers of 144 cm the Connemara pony counts to the tallest pony races. The strongly built body, an excellent character, and a cool, confidence inspiring being presents the requirements of a riding pony for both, adults and children, as well as for competitions and leisure.

Because of its characteristics it is allround usable and is used in all areas of the riding and drivingsport successfully or it serves as a reliable leisre buddy. The race binds in an ideal way the riding attributes of a horse and the resistance and the easy feeding nature of ponies. Due to their good food utilisation the Connemara pony qualifies very good to the higly recommendable and by now widely spread open run pen. Of course this does not mean, that, depending on the use of the pony, the pony cannot be hold in the classic way - in the stable and for a few hours a day on the meadow. However, the pony should be able to move enough, preferably with conspecifics. A lot of breeders and owners know of the advantages of keeping the pony in such a robust way, as it offers the chance for the whole family to live with and around the pony. Especially the harsh environmental conditions in Ireland have taught the Connemara pony to live on barren earth and deal with the harsh environmental conditions. A dry, draught-free shelter, enough time on the meadow, and a minimum of caregiving is enough for the wellbeing of the ponies.

Foto: Manfred Grebler	Foto: Bianca Grom	Foto: Sabine Bachmann	Foto: Annette Korbanka	Foto: Thomas Bachmann

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