| The Exmoor is the last survivor of the Celtic ponies | | | | Nisaean and Bacterian breed. Caspian rediscovered in |
| from the Pleistocene age and one of the oldest | | | | 1965 - resembles Horse Type 4 - forerunner of the |
| equine breeds in the world. This ancient breed of | | | | Caspian that is a pony-sized horse of Western Asia. |
| pony is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1085, | | | | The Exmoor pony is exceptionally strong and hardy |
| Exmoors are believed to have existed during the | | | | with great powers of endurance. The height limit of |
| Bronze Age. | | | | the mare is no more than 12.2 h.h. and of the stallion |
| Experiments have been conducted on the fossilised | | | | 12.3 h.h. Although small in stature they are strong |
| remains of the original Celtic pony found in Alaska and | | | | enough to carry an adult rider. |
| compared with those of the Exmoor. They have | | | | In 1912 The Exmoor Pony Society was founded to |
| revealed the same shape jaw bones and the | | | | improve and encourage the breeding of moorland |
| beginnings of a seventh molar tooth found in no | | | | types. They ensure that the breed stays pure and |
| other breed. Because of its remote habitat in Devon | | | | only true Exmoor ponies are passed for registration |
| and Somerset it is one of the purist of the Mountain | | | | and branded by the Society star on the shoulder. At |
| and Moorland breeds in Great Britain, having | | | | the end of the Second World War the numbers of |
| undergone very little infusion of outside blood. | | | | ponies fell to just 50, as thieves killed them for meat |
| Much research was carried out on the skeletal | | | | and soldiers used them for target practice. Today, |
| structures and dentition of the Exmoor pony by | | | | though it is still considered a rare breed, the numbers |
| Professor Speed and others scientists. Their findings | | | | are estimated at around 2,700 World-wide; the result |
| suggest that the modern domestic horse descended | | | | of a successful breeding programme. Herds of |
| from the four sub type species: | | | | Exmoor ponies still run wild on the moor, they are |
| The Exmoor Pony found in north-west Europe | | | | rounded up each year for inspection; the pony's herd |
| resembles Pony Type 1 - Ewart's Celtic Pony. The | | | | number is branded beneath the Society's star and on |
| Highland Pony - resembles Pony Type 2 - Ewart's | | | | the nearside hindquarter with the pony's own number. |
| Norse Horse. Akhal-Teke - resembles Horse Type 3 - | | | | |