Guards Fell Ponies

Guards Fell Ponies Family breeders of Fell Ponies for over 100 years, North Lakes based.

Evening checks with the sweetest little duo 🥰 Guards Milly and her colt foal by Wildhoeve Adiction. We’ve ended up calli...
15/08/2024

Evening checks with the sweetest little duo 🥰

Guards Milly and her colt foal by Wildhoeve Adiction. We’ve ended up calling him Maestro day to day, but it looks like Guards Mountain Flame for his registered name, not only to reflect his deep rooted connection to the rugged landscapes around us, but his fiery spirit which is beginning to emerge 😆🔥

A Legacy of Fell Ponies on Both Sides of the Family This week, we’re taking a step away from the Guards ponies which ori...
14/08/2024

A Legacy of Fell Ponies on Both Sides of the Family

This week, we’re taking a step away from the Guards ponies which originated on my Nana’s paternal side, to highlight the Fell ponies that were a part of our family on my Nana’s maternal side.

The gentleman featured in these photos is my Nana’s maternal grandfather. While they didn’t breed Fell ponies, back then it was common in the area to have at least one on the farm.

These ponies were essential to the farm’s daily operations, from taking the whole family in a trap to the local market town or being ridden across the farm to check livestock, they did it all!

Their adaptability and strong work ethic made them an invaluable asset to farmers, and they became a beloved part of rural life.

My Nana clearly had no escape from the Fell pony bug, with this passion running deep on both sides of the family!

Please share! I used to work with these lovely ponies, let’s make sure they get back to their home at Oak Tree Animals' ...
13/08/2024

Please share! I used to work with these lovely ponies, let’s make sure they get back to their home at Oak Tree Animals' Charity!

Charlie and I checked out the Fellside to Calebrek bridleway today. This photo shows the stunning views over to Roughton...
03/08/2024

Charlie and I checked out the Fellside to Calebrek bridleway today. This photo shows the stunning views over to Roughton Gill.
Back in the day, fell ponies were essential to the mining operations here. They played a crucial role in transporting heavy materials and ore to and from the Roughton Gill Mine, navigating the rugged terrain with their incredible strength and endurance. 🐴💪

Molly and Lucy, who provided us with beautiful healthy foals over the years, now in their wonderful new home at Cragg Ho...
29/07/2024

Molly and Lucy, who provided us with beautiful healthy foals over the years, now in their wonderful new home at Cragg House Farm. How lucky are they with that amazing view!? We wish their new family the best of luck with them!
We have retained Milly (the dam of our foal this year) out of Molly, and Lily and Lucky Star out of Lucy ❤️

Our beautiful Lily Girl. 2 year old filly by Quarryhouse Gay Gordon out of Guards Lucy. A firm favourite 🤩
29/07/2024

Our beautiful Lily Girl. 2 year old filly by Quarryhouse Gay Gordon out of Guards Lucy. A firm favourite 🤩

Three generations of fell pony enthusiasts hard at work repairing fences, the eldest being my Nana at 81 years old, she ...
27/07/2024

Three generations of fell pony enthusiasts hard at work repairing fences, the eldest being my Nana at 81 years old, she is an inspiration 💪❤️

Guards Model f.1956 - along with Guards Gipsy, laid the foundation for the Guard’s ponies we know today.Exceptionally su...
26/07/2024

Guards Model f.1956 - along with Guards Gipsy, laid the foundation for the Guard’s ponies we know today.

Exceptionally successful in the show ring, he won the Lady Yule Cup for the champion in hand colt/stallion at the Fell Pony Society Stallion and Colt Show three times.

His sire was the very well known Master John a show champion himself, owned by Joseph Baxter. Master John was a travelling fell pony stallion, being led by his owner to visit various different studs. Note in the final clipping Mr Baxter was also showing his pony at the same show Model gained champion, at the age of 87 - an amazing achievement!

Unfortunately the only hit with Model’s name in the FPS online archives was mention of his son in the 1968 Newsletter. Guards Bob, a two-year old black gelding won second prize at the Fell Pony sales, making 86 gns (£1,335.92 in today’s money).

🌧️
23/07/2024

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📜 Weekly Historic Highlight: Guards Gipsy 📜This week, we’re celebrating Guards Gipsy, born in May 1942. Along with Guard...
19/07/2024

📜 Weekly Historic Highlight: Guards Gipsy 📜

This week, we’re celebrating Guards Gipsy, born in May 1942. Along with Guards Model, Gipsy became the foundation of our entire herd. Their legacy attributes to the consistency of type seen in our ponies today.
This photo shows Gipsy at a show with my great-grandfather, a testament to her important role in our history.
Her lineage is not documented in any resources I have, though I’d love to know it! 🐴
Her height is documented as 13.2, though next to my grandfather she looks bigger, his shortness seems to be something I have inherited!

Spotted by a little foal!
18/07/2024

Spotted by a little foal!

GUARDS PRINCE JOSEPH f.2002 (Guards Joe x Guards Gypsy Princess)Carrying on with our weekly historic posts, this week is...
12/07/2024

GUARDS PRINCE JOSEPH f.2002 (Guards Joe x Guards Gypsy Princess)

Carrying on with our weekly historic posts, this week is the turn of Guards Prince Joseph, who was exported to Germany.

He is out of what is widely considered amongst the family to be one of best mares we’ve had at the stud, Guards Gypsy Princess. As with all Guards ponies, Princess goes back to our foundation mare Guards Gypsy and was out of Guards Penny by Waverhead Prince II, who was an extremely successful pony, both in the show ring as and a breeding stallion.

His Sire, Guards Joe (full brother to Guards Jester ) is also sire to most of our latest brood mares, our Guards Arnie, and Guards Apollo who was exported to the Willowtrail stud in the USA, where he was their stud stallion for many years.

Guards Prince Joseph is full brother to Guards Prim, Guards Milly’s grand-dam. Milly is the dam of our foal this year by Wildhoeve Adiction.

Charlie and I had a great weekend. It’s been a while since we’ve been able to get out together, so a sunny Saturday ride...
01/07/2024

Charlie and I had a great weekend. It’s been a while since we’ve been able to get out together, so a sunny Saturday ride on the common was much needed for us both.
No matter what, he’s my happy place ❤️

30/06/2024

It’s impossible to tell the black ones apart sometimes! We definitely have a type 😁

Early mornings with the girls (and little boy) ❤️
30/06/2024

Early mornings with the girls (and little boy) ❤️

THE SHOW TEAM 🏆These photos show my great-great-granda, great-granda and great-uncle Dick attending shows with the Guard...
26/06/2024

THE SHOW TEAM 🏆

These photos show my great-great-granda, great-granda and great-uncle Dick attending shows with the Guards ponies.

I find it amazing how the granda’s are leading both the mare and foal, how well mannered those ponies must have been!! Show prepping and travelling 5 ponies too, the thought of it makes me dizzy 🥴

Keswick show would have been a fairly local show to them then, being around 12 miles from the farm at which the Guards ponies originated. The James Tunstall Memorial Cup is awarded to the Champion Fell pony.

My heart ❤️ Milly has her own little mini me 😭
20/06/2024

My heart ❤️ Milly has her own little mini me 😭

Brief pause in the torrential rain last night 🌧️🌅
16/06/2024

Brief pause in the torrential rain last night 🌧️🌅

GUARDS BELL f. 1951 (Guards Dolly x Storm Boy).A collection of photos of my great-great granda’s prize winning broodmare...
15/06/2024

GUARDS BELL f. 1951 (Guards Dolly x Storm Boy).

A collection of photos of my great-great granda’s prize winning broodmare Bell. Bell’s Dam Peggy also foaled Guards Model, who is found in all our ponies pedigrees, including Wildhoeve Adiction!

The first two photos show my great-great-granda at The Royal Show when it was held at the Town Moor in Newcastle Upon Tyne. I believe this was the 1962 show and Bell is pictured with her foal Guards Bell II. The Royal Show was a prominent agricultural event held at various locations across the UK, until it was discontinued in 2009.
The third photo shows my Nana with Guards Bell and her table of trophies! I have never seen this photo before, I find it absolutely amazing to see my Nana like this with a pony.
The fourth shows my great-great-granda with Bell at our local show at Hesket Newmarket. 66 years later I took Guards Charlie to the same show (last picture). We are so lucky to still have this great local show going so strong after all these years, so that we can carry on these traditions.

13/06/2024
Pretty in pink 💕🌸
12/06/2024

Pretty in pink 💕🌸

✨NOW 👀🏡 ✨Guards Cora - rising 3 year old filly by Quarryhouse Gay Gordon, out of Guards Clara. Fully registered, both pa...
12/06/2024

✨NOW 👀🏡 ✨
Guards Cora - rising 3 year old filly by Quarryhouse Gay Gordon, out of Guards Clara.
Fully registered, both parents FIS clear, with exceptional old bloodlines.
FULL SISTER to Guards Commodore, who is renowned in the showing world and recently qualified for HOYS.
Has mostly lived out as part of a herd with a mix of youngsters and older mares. Last summer lived with geldings and was regularly handled, tied up, brushed, hooves picked out, fly sprayed and lead around.
Now at an age where she can start her career in any sphere. She has the classic Guards pretty head and lovely & bright temperament, with moves to die for!
As with a lot of ponies this year her feather has partially gone with the wet weather, but returning now.
(Some photos taken last summer).

Just love him 🧡
11/06/2024

Just love him 🧡

GUARDS HERO f.1949 (Guards Peggy x Storm Boy)Hero was bred by my Great-Great granda, Richard Little who lived in Ireby, ...
08/06/2024

GUARDS HERO f.1949 (Guards Peggy x Storm Boy)

Hero was bred by my Great-Great granda, Richard Little who lived in Ireby, Cumbria. He was unbeaten as a foal in the show ring and continued to do exceptionally well in the following years. He won The Lady Yule Cup for the Champion In hand colt/stallion at the FPS stallion show as a four year old.

In 1954, as a five year old, he was selected by the Pakistan Government to improve their breeding programme, and so he was exported to Pakistan!

Photo 6 is the registration document for Brown Bess VI, who was Hero’s maternal grand dam. This is the oldest registration document we have, dated 1925, the same year the Guards prefix was first recorded.

A family member kindly shared photos and newspaper clippings I haven’t seen before. With our family having such a deep rooted connection to fell ponies, and the Guards line being such an old one, I thought it would be nice to start doing a weekly historic post, for anyone who is interested ☺️

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