Characteristics of the Exmoor Pony

There is little variation between adult Exmoor Ponies although they naturally range from about 11½ hands-13½ hands, the majority are 12-12½ hands.
The ponies are very stocky and strong, with deep chests and large girths, the large capacity of the digestive system is important in winter as they consume large quantities of rough material which provides them with internal warmth. The Exmoor Pony does in fact present a wonderful example of efficiency in the business of finding, gathering, chewing and digesting food, and all around the country small groups of Exmoor ponies are being pressed into ecological service by grazing open spaces in such a way as to main the natural balance of the indigenous flora. This is due to their teeth being well adapted to a coarse diet. A pony that cannot eat successfully in harsh conditions will not survive, so the Exmoor has evolved incisors that meet cleanly and have a most effect bite – this even endures into old age. As a result the ponies do not damage plants as readily as other breeds and indeed they neatly graze around many allowing the plants to flourish and increase in number.	The ponies have deep chests and large girths
...their colouring enables the ponies to blend in with their native background...	Their colouring falls within a limited range of bay, brown or dun, with black points (with no white markings) and as a they blend in very well against their native background of heather, grass and bracken. Although their only predator in recent history has been Man, they retain the coloration most advantageous in terms of survival. This may also be the adaptive functions of the distinctive facial markings - the mealy muzzle and ring around the eye; the light and dark contrast break up the outline of the head making its movements less obvious to a predator.
The ring of colour around the eye is referred to as a toad eye . The fleshy structure immediately around the eye being yet another defence system against harsh weather conditions.

The Characteristics Of The Exmoor Pony

by Sue Wingate