Many years ago, my stepdaughter took in a Newfoundland Pony who had been abused.  (NOT PICTURED HERE) He was a train wreck.  We couldn't put a kind hand on him without him quivering in fear all over his body.  He bit. He   kicked. He wanted nothing to do with people. Just awful. 

At that time both my trainer stepdaughter and I were new to the breed. He was definitely a problem.  However, my stepdaughter, after spending time around him, noticed that he did best when not being forced to do anything. She let him roam her property, and over a short time, he decided to follow her, keeping his distance but always watching, curious about her.  Over time, he came much closer, and eventually let her touch him. Of course there was apprehension on his part but he slowly let go of his fear.  Within a few months, he was her best pal. 

Pretty much she could do anything with him, but she NEVER FORCED HIM. She learned as did I, that overall, less is more with this breed. Eventually he could be ridden. And before too long he was adopted by a team of veterinarians who traveled around the country educating kids at the schools about animal care. He was a super star. He was beloved. He came right into the schools without an issue. He loved the kids, and he trusted, totally. 

We both took away lessons from that experience. Personally speaking I have never seen an equine so fearful, so shattered, but in the right hands, he was able to forgive, totally. That was remarkable.

Over time and as we acquired more Newfoundland Ponies, we continued to learn to go with what they already are.  We continued to listen to the ponies.    

I remember when our first foal was born, 13 years ago.  I bought every popular horse birthing book out there.  Like 10 of them!  I was then poised and ready to get that foal to imprint on me within the first 30 mins, which the book said was absolutely crucial to building a relationship, and I needed to put a halter on it, immediately.  I had that book nearby for reference.   

As it happened, we were there when she was born. Timing myself on my watch, I was ready to do the imprinting task. BUT, the foal walked right over to me! Mom wasn't worried, either. Bonding? Imprinting? Checked THAT off the list of things to do after birth. She came pre-bonded! Pre-imprinted. It was so surprising. I didn't bother with the halter. She was glued to me like my best pal already. 

The next day our farrier came, and the foal walked right up to him. He was shocked at how friendly she was, and he had met many foals in his lifetime. He even touched her feet. Filly didn't care. 

Being used to modern breeds that spooked at anything, I was not aware that there were equines like this.  So, I tossed the books. They weren't written for Newfoundland Ponies. Nothing out there was. 

As she grew up, I continued to watch, listen, and learn. 
All preconceived notions, old wives tales, cowboy tricks, horse whisperer blah blah blah, was BUNK.  Natural horsemanship?  Just Hocus Pocus.   
Clearly, these are NOT Quarter Horses or any other modern breed and should not be handled as such. 

The Newfoundland Pony breed is the epitome of natural and these gurus should take the time to learn from them!

We call them a partner breed for a very good reason. For hundreds of years, on the Island of Newfoundland, they were family members. They worked side by side with people, willingly. Docile, tame, smart, with an incredible temperament, the people of Newfoundland knew how to handle and train them.  Round penning??  Never!  Natural Horsemanship?  Eh? Years and years of training? Lol. Having to make sure they are worked weekly and restarted regularly after any time off? That's funny.  

You can't find a more trusting, steady breed than this one, although I understand the same applies to the Fell pony. 

Sadly, you can sure find ponies that have been ruined in the wrong hands. I recently saw an atrocious example of this, which is what compelled me to write. 

That said, the #1 most important thing for all equines is to feel safe.  Safe in the herd, safe with people. All herds have equines who have certain positions/jobs. They are very much like pieces on a chessboard. 

I'm sure you've heard or perhaps think that horses turned out in a field are "just standing around doing nothing."  Well you couldn't be more wrong. Body language communication and interactions are a constant. Why? Because being a prey animal is a constant, 24/7. 
Equines always need to know that their herd mates have their back but they also need to know that people have their back as well. ARE YOU SAFE TO BE WITH?  

They assess you from many feet away. They hear your heartbeat from 16 ft away or more. They sense your level of anxiety often times before you do, and they instinctively know your true intention.  Equines are honest. They give immediate feedback.  Again, this all reverts to the #1 need to feel safe. 

Can you ruin a Newfoundland Pony?  Oh yes indeed. In fact we took in 4 ponies who were handled like quarter horses, round penned, lunged over and over. Ridden intensely in competitive equine programs. Forced to do what that are told, when they are told. No real relationship/connection with people. 

Guess what?  Those ponies were absolutely shut down! They had an invisible brick wall in front of them. No joy. No light in their eyes. No personality. SHUT DOWN.  So cruel. 

How did we get them to come out of it?  We let them be Newfoundland Ponies, much like my stepdaughter did with the abused pony she took in. 

Recently we took one of our mares back, but she was not the same as when we placed her. We had noticed the change in her previously. She used to come right over to see us when we stopped in. But after a while she didn't even look at us and she didn't look happy.  

Sparing the details, she showed no affection or interest in people. This was upsetting. We sent her to a large farm as was planned, where there are other Newfoundland Ponies. The owners of that new location let her just be. They asked nothing of her. It took about a month but that lovely personality came back. The farm owner realized this when the mare walked up to her and put her head on her shoulder, took a deep breath and exhaled.  It was a big thank you.  That brick wall was gone. She trusted again. 

BTW, this mare was the first born foal I mentioned earlier. We knew her very very well. 
We knew something was very wrong. 

I've run into people who've told me that they had worked hard desensitizing a Newfoundland Pony. One such pony arrived to us with a warning that it bit and kicked. The haulers were told to tell us that upon arrival. Not once did we see that behavior. 

I've never known a single pony of this breed who needed to be desensitized. Crossbreds, yes, but not purebred.  It is people who need to be desensitized, from what the horse world has told them they should do. 

To sum up, do NOT allow old school cowboys or anyone else handle your ponies like a Newfoundland Pony shouldn't be. Don't fall for the big deal trainer who professes to know everything. They don't. If they don't know the real Newfoundland Pony and how to work with them, they have a lot to learn. 

Don't forget there is money to be made, and some trainers will tell you anything to earn that money.  Make sure you know where your ponies are going at all times!  Make sure you and other owners know the difference between a Newfoundland Pony and other breeds. Spend time with your pony and let them teach you. Embrace all of their good qualities. This is so important for their welfare and future. 

REMEMBER - Less is More. Work with what they are which is NOT a quarter horse or any other modern breed!  


IN ADDITION - we highly recommend learning how horses/ponies communicate with body language. 
We have followed Sharon Wilsie, the creator of Horse Speak, for 10 years. She has many free videos on YouTube and her latest book is super helpful.  No hocus pocus.  No gadgets, sticks, or whatever products to buy. No buzzwords. No "liberty training."  No ego behind it all. Just real caring for the welfare of all equines. "Horse Speak changes everything."

You will learn how to emulate the body language/communication that horses use with each other. Fascinating and easy to learn.  

Do your pony a big favor and check it out. It's a game changer and it allows you to see immediately what people do wrong, causing horses to suffer because of misconceptions, of which I just saw horrible examples of, which inspired this blog. Clearly these people know little about the breed!

The Newfoundland Pony Conservancy's mission is to provide 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.
As part of our yearly planning, NPCC representatives assessed the current state of affairs in both countries, as well as the need for Newfoundland Pony Breeders to expand the lesser used blood lines, and avoiding inbreeding.
The breed currently has no genetic health issues but it is vital to maintain this and preserve genetic diversity.

Following these discussions, we have sent important purebred registered mares born in the USA to an established Newfoundland Pony farm in Canada as part of a multi-breeder international cooperative breeding program. This is the first time mares have been exported to Canada as a deliberate breeding strategy. A stallion was sent to Newfoundland some years ago by the USA's first ever Newfoundland Pony Breeder, Cindy Mehaney of Fiddler's Green Stable, Michigan. Cindy got us started, back in 2010 and we are forever grateful for her mentorship.

Having worked cooperatively with Canada over the years; we know these mare's bloodlines are ones that Canada can use.
On the USA side of things, with only 60 ponies here, access to suitable stallions is extremely limited. What few intact stallions are in the USA are almost all close relatives, or carry common bloodlines that are appearing more and more in foals.
This is a relic, Landrace breed, a rare mix of a large variety of ancestral, working mountain and moorland ponies, interbreeding on the island of Newfoundland over 400 years. We need to preserve the breed's diversity of TYPE as influenced by the particular ancestral breeds that interbred in the various regions of the vast island while conserving the unique inner traits that distinguish the breed.
Every Newfoundland pony owner is a breed steward in some sense. In an ideal world, Newfoundland Ponies would only go to people who will breed them. Owning any critically endangered breed is a responsibility and not without its challenges. With such a small total population, every pony's genetic package is important for the future.

Breeding choices matter 100%! There is one bloodline that appears in the majority of this breed, a stunning foundation stallion who sure puts his stamp on the foals, but overused. Losing other bloodlines is worrisome. However logistics, with ponies living all across the vastness of North America, make it very difficult to connect the right mare and stallion.

So what about AI/semen collection alternatives? The process is expensive, complicated over the border, and the efficacy is limited.

That said, the mares are now on lease to P & P Pastures LTD. With their help and that of other breeders in Canada, we have selected some amazing stallions for the ladies, without the most common lines, but carrying bloodlines either we do not have or are very limited in the USA. These foals will make a difference in expanding the underused lines, and aid in keeping the breed healthy and diverse in both countries. P & P Pastures will own half of the foals born, and we will own half.

Our mission encompasses the welfare of the individual ponies and the welfare of the breed. That's how we work...that's how we "pony on".
​And that's why we did this.

Pictured are two native North American breeds.
The Newfoundland Pony and the Canadian Horse.

The Newfoundland Pony, an island pony breed, is North America’s only native pony breed and that has not had its genetics “improved”. It is as it’s native homeland, the island of Newfoundland, created it to be - well rounded, hardy, cold tolerant, sane, healthy, capable and willing to do anything it is asked to do.

A landrace breed that is hundreds of years old, it was only acquired by Canada in 1949, which is when the island was.

As it is currently getting noticed, breeding for one purpose over another is a looming threat to this breed. Selecting out certain traits changes breeds, forever.
That is not preservation.
Breeding to the market (which is where the money is) over time has permanently damaged many breeds. Hence the issues many breeds have today.

​Newfoundland Ponies should not be handled like modern breeds are.
They are not wired the same, trainers can easily sour them. We have seen this happen.
Think handling a golden retriever like a racing greyhound - not good.

With this breed, less is more. They train you either positively, or negatively if you don’t have an open mind to changing yourself.
Desensitizing a Newfoundland pony is just the opposite - people need the desensitizing. At no fault of the horse world, people only know what they have experienced and with 500 of these ponies on the planet, very, very few have experienced them.
To keep this breed as is, education is paramount, but also difficult.

We are looking for people to be, or learn to be, true breed stewards, not just breeders, to help preserve this breed and prevent its kind, willing nature from being exploited. Preferably looking for stewards located in New England.
​Reach out to us at [email protected]

#blueribbonsdontsavebreeds
#preservingtheNewfoundlanfpony
#breedstewards
#nativeislandponybreeds
#newfoundlandponiesusa
#newfoundlandpony
#helpNewfoundlandponiesthriveinnewfoundland

*This is the shocking story of the sabotage of our ability to raise funds in a recent fundraiser.   Donations of any amount are greatly appreciated.  
https://www.paypal.com/us/fundraiser/charity/1373941

This just in:   “The NH Gives online giving event created by the New Hampshire Center for Nonprofits raised more than $3.3 million from 5 p.m. June 6 to 5 p.m. June 7 for a record-breaking 610 participating New Hampshire nonprofits.”  Monadnock Ledger Transcript. 6/10/23

What a fabulous event and opportunity that was for 610 registered non-profits! What’s impressive is the amount of donations keeps increasing every year.  We love NH and for many reasons, but the results of the NH Gives annual fundraiser clearly shows there are many community and environmentally minded people here. 

Did you know that the majority of the USA’s Newfoundland Pony population resides across this wonderful state?  It’s true. And recently Massachusetts joined the effort, with currently 10 Newfoundland Ponies at a farm there, very close to NH.  

We were one of the organizations invited to participate in the NH Gives fundraiser. All donations from that were earmarked for veterinary care, transportation, and other needs of Newfoundland Ponies directly. 
On June 6th at 5 pm the fundraiser kicked off.  We had a Facebook post scheduled for that exact moment. That post was an official post from the NH Gives donation platform itself, allowing people to go directly to our NH Gives donation page. 

And, to get the ad out there in the newsfeed where 609 other organizations were, we boosted our post. Essentially an ad, that is a common way that groups  promote their mission.  
The next morning it was surprising to see that our post had gotten very little notice. With a following of over 4000 people that was odd, especially for a boosted post 

Digging into this a bit, what it came down to was the boosted post had been rejected by Facebook.  Huh? That had never happened before in all the years we have been involved with this breed. And this was an official post!

Over most of the day we kept trying to get it boosted. We asked Facebook for reviews repeatedly and every time we got the same response - rejected.  

Come to find out, someone had flagged our NH Gives post as being a scam. The supposed offense was this:   “Ads must not promote products, services, schemes or offers using deceptive or misleading practices, including those meant to mislead or scam people out of money or personal information.” 

What???

We got nowhere trying to rectify this with FB other than a warning that they could shut down our account.  And the clock kept counting down. 

Around 2pm, just 3 hours before the event was to end, I edited a NH Gives template post announcing the fundraiser that we posted a few days earlier, and boosted it.  Doing that got us in the newsfeed a bit but it was already too late. We had missed an important opportunity for fundraising, plus challenges, matches, and awards that were available via NH Gives.  

Our day’s end total was less than we expected, $800. Curious about how others did, we took a look at what similar small organizations got for donations this year, groups that we seem to get near the same amount each year. Those organizations got between $3000 to nearly $5000, which is amazing! We got but a fraction. 

The next day I requested yet another review.  This time Facebook confirmed we had been flagged and that our boosted post violated none of their terms.  Every boost we had attempted was now approved, 18 hours after the fundraiser ended. Essentially there was really nothing Facebook could do but say they were sorry and that they would strive to do better looking into these reports the next time. 
There we are then. 

We had been targeted by someone. Our efforts had been sabotaged by a small-minded person with a bit of online terrorism. 
Basically, an attack was made against our all volunteer animal sanctuary, a legitimate 501c3 for a critically endangered breed, to prevent us from getting donations. 

Wow, really?  Someone would really do this? Can’t even wrap my mind around that. For everyone’s information, we don’t sell Newfoundland Ponies, ever.  Ponies/foals go on mentored leases, breeding, or otherwise.  We make no money that way. This fundraiser was pretty important. 

You just have to ask yourself “What purpose did that serve?” 
We lost potentially thousands of dollars, dollars earmarked for the ponies themselves. They didn’t hurt us, they hurt the ponies, for goodness sakes!

It doesn’t really matter who did it but what does matter is that this person clearly has issues. This person puts themselves over the needs of an animal who needs help. If this is another person involved with the pony, their heart isn’t true.  To them, it’s not really about the pony, it’s about themselves. THAT was the purpose served, for that person. 

Folks, hasn’t the Newfoundland pony been through enough at the hands of people??

No one ever said this would be an easy mission. Over the years we have made lemonade out of lemons, numerous times, and we are doing that once again by having a fundraiser of our own to compensate for what we lost.    
​
To the person who did this - No, you didn’t win. That’s because the only thing we compete with is Extinction. 

*In light of what happened, hindering our ability to raise funds during the recent NH Gives Fundraiser, donations of any amount would be greatly appreciated.  
​Thank you!
https://www.paypal.com/us/fundraiser/charity/1373941

Ammy's Honour is one of our registered Newfoundland Pony stallions. The Newfoundland Pony Conservancy is a 501c3 organization working to save this unique breed from extinction.  Ammy is our poster pony, the epitome of strength and perserverance. 

When Ammy was 5 years old, he suffered a catastrophic injury, ending up with a broken right femur on his right rear leg, seen in this photo.We learned about Ammy's plight 4 months after his injury. When we saw him for the first time, we were shocked.  Their veterinarian had strongly advised euthanasia, which, while looking at him, was completely understandable. He was in terrible condition. He could barely walk. We took him, knowing full well that this rescue could end in utter heartache.
When our veterinarian looked at him she said "He is young, he is small, and his break has fused.  Let's give him a chance."  And so we did.  Hard to believe it, but that was 12 years ago.  Over that time, brave Ammy learned a new way to walk, and to even canter.  He had his challenges but all in all, he addressed and conquered almost every one. He is an inspiration, and his strong will to survive is admirable.
Ammy is a sweet, happy pony who is not in pain, and that outcome was the best of all. 
Our veterinarian and an animal physical therapist said that eventually his good joints would suffer, from having to hold all of his weight and being unbalanced. This would affect his quality of life. They both guessed he'd make it to his teens, but not much longer.
With only 500 Newfoundland Ponies left on the planet, being so rare (and being such an amazing Pony) we knew we had to breed him. Actually with a breed teetering on extinction, it is imperative that we breed. We tried Artificial Insemination with 2 different mares but that didn't work. Our vet said that we could try to have him breed a mare the normal way. Our vet was present as were helpers who were on every side of him. In 2021, Ammy and Storm had a beautiful filly. Her registered name is Ammy's Islay Storm and she is truly a miracle.  
Still, we remembered what the physical therapist and our vet said. Ammy is 18 now. We noticed that he was starting to slow down.  Then, last year, a kind person made a generous donation, and also turned us on to Summit Animal Health.
We decided to start Ammy on their highly regarded chondroitin product.  Within a week, there was a dramatic difference. Wow! 
Though he will always have his disability, the rest of his body moves like he is 10 years younger! The change was crazy and wonderful!
On top of his general improvement, Ammy will be able to breed this year, of course with our team of experts and helpers present. 
But wait, there is more! Summit Animal Health graciously offered to sponsor Ammy! On top of that, for product that is purchased through our web page's special link, Summit Animal Health, will make a 30% donation to the Conservancy! 

Plus we have a Promo Code for you.  Pony15 gets you 15% off your 1st purchase!   
Click here FMI - https://eternapure.com/NewfoundlandPony
Thank you Summit Animal Health, for changing Ammy's life!  
And thank you to anyone who gives this a try with their own animals.
@summitanimalhealth
​


Newfoundland Pony Conservancy Center.

Country Folks magazine's journalist Laura Rodley paid us all a visit at the Dahl House recently on an unseasonably cold day.  Despite the weather, we aren't too sure who enjoyed the visit most, Laura and her husband, or the animals. But it was clearly evident that the farm animals were more than happy to share their magic with everyone.  :)

Thank you for telling this beautiful story of symbiosis, found in the collaboration of 2 organizations who are changing the lives of people and animals, together.  
Here is the story: 
https://countryfolks.com/the-magic-of-working-with-animals/

Apparently there are many people who have "forgotten" or perhaps never knew. Dad is gone now, a victim of Covid 19 in early 2020, along with many other soldiers who lived at the Holyoke Soldiers home. Honestly, in a sense I am glad he is not seeing what’s going on.  

My mind reflects on closer to home difficulties over these past 2 years which included major life-saving Surgery of the human kind, Veterinary emergencies, Real Estate Roulette, Fraud, Lies, Rumors, Deceit, and being stabbed in the back behind the scenes. Uncertainty of the future most definitely occured.  But, we stayed the course. Considering the source of the challenges served good purpose. There was simply nothing to do but to pick ourselves up, dust off, on move on. 

Over the winter, numerous people contacted us to see if we were open for tours, but we don’t do tours in the winter. Honestly, I got the feeling some inquiries were people wondering about our status; possibly wondering if we were still in existance, or if our ponies were going to be dispursed. 

I’m here to say that we were and still are alive and well, despite it all.  Our volunteers, believers, and followers would not let such a thing happen.  Everyone came together - all of them brilliant, honorable people.  

Our mission has not changed.  In fact we have evolved to be where we had dreamed of being one day. Our plan was never to collect all the ponies we could find, never to put notches in our belts. We have always stuck to our mission. We have always considered the Newfoundland Pony first in every thing we do.  We have always believed the herd should grow in Newfoundland. Always believed in their traditional usage being preserved and promoted. Always believed that the pony is Newfoundland's Pony and Newfoundland's heritage, not Canada's, not the USA's.  

We continuously assess who is benefiting from every step we make.  Proud to say it has and will always be, the pony.  No one associated with us has profited from their plight. Our mission is clear, our boundaries are as well. 

We have moved forward with those whose sense of decency is the same, honest people whose hearts are true. We, including our ponies, have found safe haven. 

That said, the world is still a mess and the incidence of mental health issues has risen drastically. But the number of professionals who can help them has not. There is sadness, depression, anger, dispare, frustration.  Add this all up and it is no surprise that substance abuse has ensnared more people, good people.  

Today the ponies work side by side with people battling substance disorders at a therapy farm close to our new location. We are offering Equine Assisted life skills development programs there, both for residents and the community. 

While the residents learn about the breed, and how to care for the ponies (and other animals there), through our Side by Side People & Ponies EAL program, they are also working on building relationships, both with the ponies and with people. 

Unlike humans, ponies don’t lie, they don’t judge, they don’t hold grudges, they’re not vindictive, and they give immediate feedback. Interactions are life changing. In this case it is life changing for all - on top of ponies and people working together for a better life, the farm has joined us in our mission.  Newfoundland Ponies will be bred and born there. 

Other aspects of what we do have changed as well.  Our new farm is no longer open to the public. Bittersweet, while we were busy helping ponies & people for 11 years, we forgot about taking care of ourselves.  But no worries, in due time, there will be opportunity for the public to meet the ponies.   We will announce that as soon as plans are firmly in place. 

In the meantime be well, be safe. Please keep the people and animals of Ukraine in your hearts.   Little Blue and Daffodil are proud to wear the blue and yellow. 

LOOKING BACK, PART 5.

​Applewood Highland Heather was most definitely pregnant, confirmed via ultrasound.  To see the tiny pony fetus made our hearts jump but at the same time, reality set in hard.  We now had a pregnant pony and we needed to ensure all would go well.  However, we knew nothing about breeding. Once again, Cindy Mehaney was more than happy to mentor us.  She had much experience with these ponies, and many foals were born thanks to Cindy's efforts. 

Over the nearly year long gestation, we watched over Heather and sought advice from Cindy.  An experienced mare; this would be Heather’s 6th foal but unfortunately only her 4th purebred foal.  Crossbreeding with an endangered breed mare is not wise. It puts a purebred mare through the rigors, the risk, and time dedicated to carrying, birthing, and raising a crossbred foal that will not help the breed.
As Heather’s foal grew, so did our trepidation. I purchased books on foaling and over the winter, read everything I could find. Our birthing kit was set-up months before hand. Foal-safe fencing was installed. A foal blanket was purchased. I consulted with Poulin feeds and put Heather on their hay balancer. And bought a foal halter. What I had read was that it was super important to get a halter on the foal within 30 mins of birth so they will imprint on you. That stuck with me and so I was prepared.

All was well, but while her pregnancy progressed perfectly, our farm suffered a tragedy.  Winston, my beloved mini-donkey who had a police record in 3 towns and was so famous for his antics that Animal Planet reached out about having him in a show, and who was my reader’s favorite subject in a column I wrote, was found hanging from a hay net wrapped around his now broken neck. He was gone and I was devastated. 

When we found Winston, the ponies were standing all around him. They were clearly effected. Once his body was removed, I went back to comfort the others.  His best donkey pal, old Shaggy, stood there looking numb, with his head hanging down.  As I went over to him,  I totally broke down, I lost it and sobbed from the depth of my soul and heart.  Heather slowly waddled over to me.  Softly yet with purpose, she leaned her body against mine and hugged me. At that moment, I felt loved and as my tears fell on her, I felt her foal kick for the very first time.  It seemed like she was saying that there is life still, all around us, and another one on it’s way. 

That was the day when we named the foal.  Winsome Dream.  Winsome after my beloved Winston, and Dream after her father Macosa’s Dream.  But after the tears had subsided, a thought hit me.  Maybe Heather was trying to tell me that Winston’s soul had joined the unborn foal’s soul.  How beautiful but on the other hand Oh Shoot!!  If that foal was anything like mischievous Winston, we were screwed! 

Every day spent on foal watch seemed like this foal would never be born. I used my books to check for signs of going into labor, such as her udder bagging up, her tail head “softening”, and vulva lengthining…but there was nothing that I could see. 

On April 11th, I happened upon Heather laying down, looking like she was pushing. Convinced this was it, baby’s birthday, I stayed. But Heather gave me a dirty look, got up and did nothing else, all night long!  Exhausted, the next day I purchased a baby video monitor.  She still hadnt bagged up.  And to my eyes, she showed none of the signs I read about over and over. 

Just before sunrise on April 12th, via the monitor, I heard Heather moving around. She was in labor! We raced to the barn just in time to see Winsome born. With our veterinarian on the phone coaching us, Mom and baby met face to face.  Tansy and Mandy came over to see and nickered at Winsome, her wobbly legs unfolding as she stood. Then, all at once, the sun started to rise, a flock of wild turkeys showed up gobbling, 30 ft away. Chickadees called to each other amongst the trees. A neighborhood Rooster crowed. And Shaggy let out the biggest bray we ever heard.  It was a beautiful welcome to the world. 

Oh, and my worry about haltering the foal within 30 mins?  Winsome was born friendly, she came right over to us and to anyone who came to see her. Mom was cool with it too.  Imprinting with a Newfoundland Pony at birth I have since learned does not apply.

​LOOKING BACK. Part 4
In early 2011, Cindy Mehaney let us know that she was getting a registered Newfoundland Pony stallion, from Maine, on a breeding lease. She asked me if, while he was on his way to her farm in Michigan, we’d like for him to make a pitstop to breed our mares.
That was a pivotal moment, to either step up to help the breed or to politely decline and just enjoy our ponies as pets.
We realized that there just weren’t any Newfoundland Pony stallions in the area (or so we thought) and that this was an opportunity that we may never get again. Then Cindy told me the stallion’s name, Macosa’s Dream.
Wait, what? Macosa? You see I had met him before, when I purchased Bob, (a Clydesdale cross and best horse ever) from the horse farm in Maine where Macosa lived, in 2004. Back then, I thought he was a handsome pony. He lived in a special place in the back of my mind, but nothing more.
Seven years later, there was no doubt we would breed our mares to him. And so we made the trip to Maine to pick him up, the start of the first leg of his journey. Quite frankly, having been hurt by a stallion some years before, I had much trepidation about even being near him.
His coloring was like nothing I’d seen before. He was what we Nfld pony people call a radical changer, a roan, but his owner showed us photos of him in July, where he’d be completly dark again. And then he would roan again, before the winter months turned him dark once more.
We loaded him into our trailer and thus began a new chapter in our pony world.
With the help of horse-experienced daughters, Lexi and Caityln Aho, and at their farm, Macosa successfully bred our Applewood Highland Heather, the first purebred Newfoundland Pony mare he had ever encountered. Try as we did, and over a long period of time, our other mare, Brynshire’s Mandolyn, had absolutely no interest in him.
While waiting for the day his transport was to arrive, Lexi road him on the trails. Even riding along in a group of all mares, he did nothing but behave. Macosa then traveled the rest of the way to his new home.
Over time we learned that it wasn't just Macosa who was a kind, safe, stallion - the same manners and sanity applies to the majority of Nfld Pony stallions.
Macosa was the first breeding stallion in the USA and this rendevous produced his first registrable offspring. Spending time with him, Macosa proved my own fear of stallions should not apply to all, especially not him; he was the epitome of grace, dignity, manners and kindness to mares. He was not just handsome, he was stunning. And we were so lucky to have had him in our lives for even just a short time.
Photo courtesy of Amanda Rains

Looking Back - Part 3

​LOOKING BACK - Part 3
Onward to NH...In 2010 we bought a little house with beautiful views, in a little town. Before we had even unpacked we got a call from a woman in Michigan who owned and raised Newfoundland Ponies. I had just joined the pony society and she had found us that way. We had a lovely chat.
I learned that her husband was from Newfoundland. They hauled their ponies themselves from Canada to the USA. Cindy Mehaney told me many things about the pony, but also something I was not prepared to hear - that in order to save the breed, we must breed our registered mares. On top of that, Fiddler's Green Stables was the only known breeder of registered Newfoundland Ponies in the USA. Seriously? It was then I learned just how endangered they were. But BREED?? I had never even bred a guppy before!
We stayed in touch and became friends. It wasn't long before we were a small part of the small Nfld Pony Facebook community. But I never forgot what Cindy told me about breeding...
We met at an important intersection along the pony path, picking the road to Extinction or the one to Survival. Had Cindy Mehaney not reached out, the path I would have chosen would have been the one to Extinction, simply because I did not know...
Cindy Mehaney, you are a true steward of this breed. And a true friend.

​Pictured top to bottom at Fiddlers Green Stable: "Porch Ponies". Dunworkin Shandy Chapman with newborn colt Jiggs. Foundation stallion Champion K.