Like its British Isle ancestors, the Newfoundland pony is a small, hardy and willing work horse with fabulous hair. For centuries, the breed was counted upon to clear the rugged landscape along this remote Canadian outpost, then help cultivate it.
The glory days wouldn’t last however, as mechanized farming eventually crept its way north, leaving many a pony without work and thus on the chopping block. By the 1970’s, the Newfoundland pony was on the verge of extinction. If not for the focused efforts of a few dedicated North American breeders, we could very well be discussing the Newfoundland pony as nothing more than a memory. Though the future of the Newfoundland pony is slightly more promising than it was decades ago, with a global population under 2,000, the Newfoundland remains a critically endangered breed.
Special thanks to Villi Poni Farm of Jaffrey, NH, and 221Photography.