Ruth on the Hoof

Ruth on the Hoof Native Pony Project: The Hidden Hoofbeat of Britain & Ireland. DM for prints & art references 🐴🐴
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Animal photographer (primarily equine) and advocate for rare breeds and their place in our landscapes

The Hidden Hoofbeat of Britain & Ireland

13/09/2026

Native breeds are the best choice for conservation grazing in our habitats and environments - they are perfectly adapted for the habitats and climate as they are a natural part of it. This is Hector and Brian, they are a small herd of Exmoor ponies who have been conservation grazing in this little wetland nature reserve for over 15 years - a testament to native hardiness and further proof that native breeds are the best choice for grazing projects 😍🐴 It is important to note that welfare provision for any grazing animals in enclosed wetlands must be provided - even water buffalo do not want to be in water 24/7. These welfare provisions include (but are not limited to) providing a dry escape where the animals can rest out of the water and providing welfare checks and acting upon any issues. The exmoor pony is an ancient breed, with some speculation that they may even be descended from the wild horses that roamed Britain before the last Ice Age. This is not supported by current DNA research, but these ponies certainly resemble those carved and painted by ancient humans. Exmoors are famed for their mealy markings which are considered a primitive trait and one that is not as common in other breeds. Ponies have been reported on Exmoor throughout much of written history, and these ponies formed the basis of the modern Exmoor pony. Sadly, they nearly became extinct in the 20th century (as did many of our native breeds) due to factors such as mechanisation and war. Some accounts also suggest that they were a target for easy meat during hard times of hunger during the World Wars 🐴🐴 ©Ruth Chamberlain known as Ruth on the Hoof. Any use of these images (including art references) and text must have prior permission from the author/creator🐴🐴_____________________________________

Eriskay pony at dusk🐴⛰️ The Eriskay pony is one of the oldest and rarest breeds in the UK. It is the last remnant of the...
11/09/2026

Eriskay pony at dusk🐴⛰️ The Eriskay pony is one of the oldest and rarest breeds in the UK. It is the last remnant of the western isles pony and survived extinction due to isolation by sea of Eriskay. It was utilized by the islanders until better connections were made to Uist and the Mainland. During this period, machines became more available replacing the work of the ponies, threatening their existence. These ponies are critically rare and hardly found outside the British Isles 🐴⛰. There were around twenty left in the world during the 1970’s, and due to the hard work of the crofters and locals, they saved the breed and formed the mother society and studbook (Eriskay Pony Society-CEnE). Eriskays have a very dense coat that is shorter than most of our other natives, most likely an adaption for living by the sea. They are prized for their lovely temperament and willingness to work, which makes them an ideal family pony and working partner.
Eriskay ponies are categorised as priority by Rare Breeds Survival Trust 🐴🌄

©Ruth Chamberlain aka Ruth on the Hoof. Any usage (including art references) must have prior permission from the author/creator.

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Heltondale Prince V - the stunning Fell pony stallion 😍🐴 The Fell pony is one of the UK’s rare native pony breeds. They ...
10/09/2026

Heltondale Prince V - the stunning Fell pony stallion 😍🐴 The Fell pony is one of the UK’s rare native pony breeds. They originate from the Cumbrian fells (where they get their name) and are adapted to live, work, and thrive in all the extreme weather the region is known for. They are an extremely versatile breed and well suited to all kinds of riders, drivers and liberty trainers. Not to mention their wonderful suitability to conservation and rewilding due to their natural hardiness. The Fell pony was also famously ridden by the late Queen in her latter years. Her fell pony, Carltonlima Emma, made a striking lone figure at the funeral - she certainly made a few people tear up as she stood patiently waiting for the Queen’s coffin to pass. There are still fell ponies (and other native breeds) still working in the Royal family - long may it continue! 🐴🐴 ©Ruth Chamberlain also known as Ruth on the Hoof. Any use of these images (including art references) and text must have prior permission from the author/creator🐴🐴______________________________________

09/09/2026

Did you know that horses have prehensile lips, just like rhinos! Rhinos and horses are actually distantly related 😍🦏🐴🤯 Horses use this prehensile lip to grab, gather, and sort through vegetation - it’s almost like a hand! This makes them great conservation/rewilding grazers and browsers as they can gather the vegetation and neatly snip it with their teeth - it is gentler for the plant too as they don’t tend to tear up the roots and cause lasting damage.

This lovely Exmoor pony is demonstrating the use of his prehensile lip to browse the vegetation in his nature reserve 🐴⛰______________________________________

Handsome Toby the Highland pony on sand dunes in the Outer Hebrides. Highland ponies are equally at home high up on a hi...
08/09/2026

Handsome Toby the Highland pony on sand dunes in the Outer Hebrides. Highland ponies are equally at home high up on a hill, or down by the seashore. This breed was developed in the highlands and islands of Scotland as a crofters pony working in all sorts of agricultural roles. They are also well known as a deer stalking pony where they carry red deer carcasses off the hill (see my other posts for more details). They are valued for their strength, kindness and easy keeping. Highland ponies are categorised as “At Risk” by Rare Breeds Survival Trust 🐴🌄 _______________________________________

✨🐴Calendar update🐴✨I’ve had a few messages about calendars and I thought I’d make a postI’ve had a very busy year this y...
08/09/2026

✨🐴Calendar update🐴✨

I’ve had a few messages about calendars and I thought I’d make a post

I’ve had a very busy year this year and was hoping to get properly started on the book - therefore I had not planned to do a 2027 calendar. However, I do love creating them and helping raise funds for pony charities so I was thinking of doing a very limited print run calendar for next year which would also feature breeds like the Faroese Horse, Bosnian wild horses, and even some images of working highland ponies - along with some old favourites.

I will only be doing UK delivery this year

Please comment below if you’d be interested in one of these calendars to help me decide whether to do it or now 😊🐴

Gorgeous Roði the Faroese horse. He belongs to the wonderful Rossalív and is standing outside the government buildings a...
07/09/2026

Gorgeous Roði the Faroese horse. He belongs to the wonderful Rossalív and is standing outside the government buildings at Tinganes in the Faroese capital city of Tórshavn. There are very few Faroese horses left in the world and extinction is a very really possibility. These horses are an important part of not only Faroese history, but British history too. Many of the Faroese horses were exported and sent to Britain as pit ponies once mechanisation arrived and they weren’t as useful in their traditional role.

Historically the native Faroese horse a multipurpose work horse, transporting materials like peat, manure, and seaweed etc. They even did the milk round in the cities. They were also the only means of transport up and over the steep hills before there were tunnels, machines, and roads. They are thought to have been brought to the islands by Norse settlers. Some of these Norse settlers travelled via the British Isles on their way to Iceland (with the Faroe Islands being between Britain and Iceland). This is why the British Atlantic breeds like the Eriskay pony and the Shetland pony are closely related and physically similar to the Faroese horse and Icelandic horse 🇫🇴🐴

Nowadays, Faroese horses cannot be exported due to there being no Passport Issue Organisation on the islands (which is their only real chance of recovery due to the lack of people able to keep and breed them in the Faroe Islands). This is what the Faroese Horse society (Faroese Horse | Felagið Føroysk Ross) is trying to change and there is hope in a project which saw Faroese embryos exported in Icelandic mares to Denmark and there have been some Faroese horses born outside of the Faroe Islands for the first time in many years

Beautiful Fell pony Globetrotter Jenny ⛰️🐴 The Fell pony is one of the UK’s rare native pony breeds. They originate from...
06/09/2026

Beautiful Fell pony Globetrotter Jenny ⛰️🐴 The Fell pony is one of the UK’s rare native pony breeds. They originate from the Cumbrian fells (where they get their name) and are adapted to live, work, and thrive in all the extreme weather the region is known for. They are an extremely versatile breed and well suited to all kinds of riders, drivers and liberty trainers. Not to mention their wonderful suitability to conservation and rewilding due to their natural hardiness. The Fell pony was also famously ridden by the late Queen in her latter years. Her fell pony, Carltonlima Emma, made a striking lone figure at the funeral - she certainly made a few people tear up as she stood patiently waiting for the Queen’s coffin to pass. There are still fell ponies (and other native breeds) still working in the Royal family - long may it continue! 🐴🐴 ©Ruth Chamberlain also known as Ruth on the Hoof. Any use of these images (including art references) and text must have prior permission from the author/creator🐴🐴______________________________________

Shoormal Shoostran the handsome Shetland pony 🐴🥰 The Shoormal stud is a wonderful place to visit - “Shoormal” is a Shetl...
05/09/2026

Shoormal Shoostran the handsome Shetland pony 🐴🥰 The Shoormal stud is a wonderful place to visit - “Shoormal” is a Shetland dialect word for the water’s edge where there is a high water mark on the beach - perfect for a coastal place like the Shetland islands. Shetland ponies are an ancient breed, with remains of small ponies being found on the Shetland Isles dating to 2000 years ago! The remoteness of Shetland meant that very few horses were imported which has kept the breed pure. The lack of available fodder (especially in the winter) made these ponies extremely hardy, strong, and resilient - it also possibly accounts for their small stature (which would need less energy than a larger animal). Like a lot of the UK breeds, they can turn to seaweed in times of scarce food - in fact all the Scottish pony breeds often lunge at the chance to forage seaweed. Shetland ponies an important part of life on these islands and the crofts people lived and worked on. From transporting fertilisers like seaweed and peat, ploughing, and transporting people. They have legendary strength and are the strongest horse breed relative to its size - they can pull nearly twice their own weight! Shetland ponies also became very in demand as pit ponies - in fact many of the best Shetlands were exported to the mainland and there was a risk that the best stock may be lost to the islands if it carried on. Some of these ponies were reimported to Shetland to keep the breed quality high. Today the Shetland pony is immensely popular all around the world. The Royal family have a great fondness for them that started with Queen Victoria. Perhaps the success in popularity of the Shetland pony is the great love and pride many people in Shetland have for them. I have never travelled to a place where a breed originated to see so much merchandise and physical ponies in fields. In my opinion this is how we should see all of our breeds - a part of our heritage that should be celebrated and preserved 🥰🐴

04/09/2026

Beautiful Welsh Section A ponies at the Ffynnonbach Stud in North Wales last summer 😍🐴

The Welsh Mountain Pony, otherwise known as the Welsh Section A, is the smallest of the 4 Welsh pony sections. This breed is considered the foundation for all the other Welsh Sections. They descend from the mountain ponies that have inhabited the mountains of North Wales for centuries. They are extremely hardy, intelligent, and beautiful and have become a firm family favourite for children. The Welsh Section A was refined by adding in Arabian and Thoroughbred blood - resulting in the beautiful flashy pony beloved across the world.

Like all of the U.K. M&M breeds, they are very hardy and can live out in open areas with the ability to work when called upon 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🐴

©Ruth Chamberlain aka Ruth on the Hoof. Any usage (including art references) must have prior permission from the author/creator.

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