OUR MISSION
The mission of the Newfoundland Pony Conservancy Center is to ensure safe haven for critically endangered Newfoundland Ponies, to save the breed through careful breeding, and to educate the public to the plight of these creatures.
Our concentration is on education, breed preservation, mentoring.
Our efforts are all volunteer, and dependent on donations and grants from the general public.
While our mission includes breeding, we have never sold ponies. We are also not a registry.
Our concentration is on education, breed preservation, mentoring.
Our efforts are all volunteer, and dependent on donations and grants from the general public.
While our mission includes breeding, we have never sold ponies. We are also not a registry.
To meet a Newfoundland pony is to know a Newfoundland pony as unique, and not because they are very rare. A Partner Breed, they capture your heart instantly. Their individual personalities and genuine interest shine through as they welcome you into their world without question. They have incredible temperaments and should not be handled like modern breeds are.
About us and what makes us different
The Newfoundland Pony Conservancy Center is a registered 501(c)(3) non profit. We aren't your typical rescue, just like the Newfoundland isn't your typical pony. Because of their status as critically endangered, there is a conservation aspect in all that we do and that includes perpetuating the breed. We are breed stewards. ALL Newfoundland Pony owners should be if we want to save the breed as is.
As such, our responsibility includes not just helping individual Newfoundland ponies, but bringing the breed back from extinction without compromising what changing this breed. Conservation Breeding
is the goal and all owners should follow the principle.
Being true breed stewards, and understanding the importance of saving and carrying every single Newfoundland Pony's genetics into the future, we NEVER geld/neuter our colts or stallions.
We also don't overbreed, ie breed just to increase numbers. Without breed steward homes for them readily available, ponies that go to non-breeding homes are often lost to the cause of
beating extinction of this most important landrace breed.
We do NOT advocate breeding for the show ring. Only 17% of horse owners show.
And Blue ribbons don't save breeds.
In fact the pursuit of winning/competition damages breeds as history has shown with the majority of breeds alive today. This happens in other species as well. Look up "100 years of Dog Breeds." the effect of fad breed is just horrifying! www.thescienceexplorer.com/how-popular-dog-breeds-have-changed-after-100-years-of-breeding-1029
Almost all modern equine breeds have genetic and/or temperament issues. Some breeds are not expected to survive much longer. Not only is this irresponsible, it is cruelty to breed animals who will have a lifetime of suffering, simply because their owners compete and need to win or want a certain color, or look. Fad breeding throws away genes important to health and welfare and is simply cruel.
The Newfoundland Pony has zero genetic or temperament issues. Our mission is to keep it that way.
The most important thing the critically endangered Newfoundland Pony
should be bred to compete for is beating Extinction.
On the flip side: there was a period, shortly after it was realized the pony was nearly gone from the island, when people were breeding like crazy but not always ensuring safe, breed-responsible homes for these offspring. Increasing numbers was the goal which at that time was understandable.
However breeding for numbers is NOT the answer. Not every owner wanted a stallion for their child, despite their docile, sweet disposition. Plus having stallions near mares can be challenging.
For a while, gelding to create an "Ambassador for the breed" was a thing, and becoming popular, trending toward creating a breed consisting of many sterile Ambassadors, narrowing the gene pool.
The cause to save the breed diminished bloodlines because of that. This also puts the breed at risk of developing genetic problems which with such low numbers, they'd never recover from.
Mares were also not being bred. Someone once told us that they would never breed their mare, because she was "so rare and something could happen to her." Reminding us of what happened to the Shakers, education is important in order to save this breed.
SAVING CRITICALLY ENDANGERED BREEDS IS NOT FOR EVERYONE, NOR SHOULD IT BE.
CHALLENGES WE FACE:
Ponies tend to be passed from one home to another, frequently, especially when kids outgrow them..
Many ponies became lost to the cause that way, including their identity as a Newfoundland Pony.
This is why we advocate for all involved to be responsible breeders, for life.
Saving endangered breeds is NOT just breeding for numbers.
Making healthy breeding choices, ensuring they are in the right homes, and staying responsible for the life of that pony is crucial.
The pony's gene pool is still diverse but if the trend to geld colts, inbreed, overlooking rarer bloodlines and adding common lines to every breeding the pony will be in much worse danger of extinction- that is of all that makes it so special.
As such, our responsibility includes not just helping individual Newfoundland ponies, but bringing the breed back from extinction without compromising what changing this breed. Conservation Breeding
is the goal and all owners should follow the principle.
Being true breed stewards, and understanding the importance of saving and carrying every single Newfoundland Pony's genetics into the future, we NEVER geld/neuter our colts or stallions.
We also don't overbreed, ie breed just to increase numbers. Without breed steward homes for them readily available, ponies that go to non-breeding homes are often lost to the cause of
beating extinction of this most important landrace breed.
We do NOT advocate breeding for the show ring. Only 17% of horse owners show.
And Blue ribbons don't save breeds.
In fact the pursuit of winning/competition damages breeds as history has shown with the majority of breeds alive today. This happens in other species as well. Look up "100 years of Dog Breeds." the effect of fad breed is just horrifying! www.thescienceexplorer.com/how-popular-dog-breeds-have-changed-after-100-years-of-breeding-1029
Almost all modern equine breeds have genetic and/or temperament issues. Some breeds are not expected to survive much longer. Not only is this irresponsible, it is cruelty to breed animals who will have a lifetime of suffering, simply because their owners compete and need to win or want a certain color, or look. Fad breeding throws away genes important to health and welfare and is simply cruel.
The Newfoundland Pony has zero genetic or temperament issues. Our mission is to keep it that way.
The most important thing the critically endangered Newfoundland Pony
should be bred to compete for is beating Extinction.
On the flip side: there was a period, shortly after it was realized the pony was nearly gone from the island, when people were breeding like crazy but not always ensuring safe, breed-responsible homes for these offspring. Increasing numbers was the goal which at that time was understandable.
However breeding for numbers is NOT the answer. Not every owner wanted a stallion for their child, despite their docile, sweet disposition. Plus having stallions near mares can be challenging.
For a while, gelding to create an "Ambassador for the breed" was a thing, and becoming popular, trending toward creating a breed consisting of many sterile Ambassadors, narrowing the gene pool.
The cause to save the breed diminished bloodlines because of that. This also puts the breed at risk of developing genetic problems which with such low numbers, they'd never recover from.
Mares were also not being bred. Someone once told us that they would never breed their mare, because she was "so rare and something could happen to her." Reminding us of what happened to the Shakers, education is important in order to save this breed.
SAVING CRITICALLY ENDANGERED BREEDS IS NOT FOR EVERYONE, NOR SHOULD IT BE.
CHALLENGES WE FACE:
Ponies tend to be passed from one home to another, frequently, especially when kids outgrow them..
Many ponies became lost to the cause that way, including their identity as a Newfoundland Pony.
This is why we advocate for all involved to be responsible breeders, for life.
Saving endangered breeds is NOT just breeding for numbers.
Making healthy breeding choices, ensuring they are in the right homes, and staying responsible for the life of that pony is crucial.
The pony's gene pool is still diverse but if the trend to geld colts, inbreed, overlooking rarer bloodlines and adding common lines to every breeding the pony will be in much worse danger of extinction- that is of all that makes it so special.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Emily Chetkowski Aho
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Emily Chetkowski Aho, President
Aaron Leather, Vice President
Greta Camuso, Treasurer
Faith Williams, Secretary
Jacqueline Evans Belrose, Member at Large
Teri Muskavitch, Member at Large
Karen Nelson, Member at Large
Alison Emslie Smith, Member at Large
Every year since 2015, thanks to our supporters & followers, we have received Top-rated Nonprofit recognition by Great Nonprofits for which we are very grateful. Thank you. To learn more about this accomplishment and to support our efforts, please go to https://greatnonprofits.org/reviews/write/newfoundland-pony-conservancy-center