Newfoundland Pony Conservancy Center

11/01/2025

Way to go Ace! Handsome boy!

07/01/2025

It’s our Osceola’s Lucky Ace! All grown up! Stud in training at New England Breeders Service, New Braintree, MA. Check it out! https://newenglandbreedersservice.godaddysites.com/

If we’re not mistaken, but we believe Ace is the very first Newfoundland Pony Stallion to ever stand at stud at a professional breeding service.
Another milestone!

01/01/2025

We may have been quiet lately but we have been far from idle. It's been a year of change, and in our case, positive change. In the USA, 4 gorgeous Newfoundland Pony foals were born in New England, thanks to our involvement establishing two breeding farms, and networking. This brings the total of ponies in the USA to nearly 60.

We have news to share but not yet. Also, our website is currently in process of switching to a different platform and being updated, revised. This takes time. But when we are ready announcements will be made there, here, and in our newsletter. So stay tuned.

FYI - The majority of the USA's Nfld Ponies are located in our state of NH where the climate suits the breed's needs quite well. In our experience, winter is when Nfld ponies are happiest. This 400 year old landrace breed was born of a rock in the middle of the ocean, where icebergs appear in the island's bays in July. The cold and snow and harsh terrain is their element. It is in their blood. It made them what they are. This happened hundreds of years before Newfoundland became a province of Canada in 1949. Canada had nothing to do with this breed before then.

That said, they are unique as compared to man-made modern breeds. Less is More with this breed. To be forced and handled like modern breeds causes them to shut down. We had more than a few come to us that way over the years. One was quite recently.

Amazingly, it remains an unchanged, unimproved landrace, created well before breed registries of any sort or standardization was started. A walking time capsule of lost genetics, it is not a standard breed at all and should not be treated as such. It carries the genetics of its ancestors before those ancestors genetics were changed/"improved" and are not the same anymore.

It is imperative that the traditional pony remain as is, with its diverse and healthy gene pool preserved. This means not breeding for certain fad preferences such as appearance, color, size, discipline, or the pursuit of big money ie breed to the market especially with a rare breed being so hard to obtain.

Or breeding to make their "conformation" conform to modern breeds. Perhaps you don't like their narrow chest? (We hear that a lot) Or you don't think they are well put together? Compared to what? Modern breeds with all their health and mind issues?
THEY AREN'T THAT. That's comparing apples to oranges. They just are not the same!

These ponies can and will do ANYTHING any other breed can do and in fact excel at it (unless you force them.). Their native land of Newfoundland made that narrow chest for survival reasons. If you don't like it, please find another breed. Just know that the first thing to go when we start mucking around with a breed, will be their incredible temperament, which is like no other equine we've ever known.

With our low numbers we do not cull for any reason unless its a life threatening anomaly we don't want to enter our gene pool. All ponies, ultimately need to pass on their genetic package, not just the ponies that are color changers, or are big, etc…

Landraces offer diversity. Standard breeds do not. Landraces are healthy. Almost all standard breeds have genetic problems from the watering down of their genetics.
Newfoundland Ponies have ZERO genetic problems.

For the overall health of the species it is imperative that this breed not be changed. It is imperative that all ponies pass on their genetic package.

Wishing a healthy and safe New Year to all, animals and people alike.

Pictured: Applewood Highland Heather enjoying the snow. Photo by renowned animal photographer Rich Damboise

25/11/2024

24/11/2024

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/19qmiBj3Qr/?mibextid=Mk4v2M
Christmas trees are back!

16/11/2024

Ammy's Honour, a registered sooty buckskin Newfoundland Pony stallion, was born in Newfoundland to long time breeder Debbie Bray. As a yearling, he was sent to Change Islands Refuge for their breeding program. However, he was rehomed. He ended up in the USA, and at 5 years of age, he suffered a horrible injury and ended up with a broken femur in his right rear leg. It was advised that he be euthanized; but the owner then was against it.
Four months after the injury, the Newfoundland Pony Conservancy center became aware of his situation and decided to take Ammy in. We were shocked and heartbroken by the permanent disfigurement this beautiful pony suffered. His hip was caved in, and it was clear that leg was fairly useless. A vet check confirmed the break had fused and, because he was small and young, recommended Ammy be given a second chance. As sad as it was to see him hobble around, he did not appear to be in any pain.
Over time Ammy learned to manage, however he remained disfigured and unable to do everything he could have done without that injury. The vet felt he wouldn't live as long as he could have had he not been injured but thought maybe 10 years if with any luck.
At the age of 16, Ammy was definitely slowing down. That's when we discovered which has truly been a major turning point in Ammy’s life. He is now 18 and can climb up and down a rocky hillside (like his ancestral ponies did on the rocky terrain of his native home) without difficulty!
If you’re seeking a dependable way to support your horse’s joint health, We can wholeheartedly recommend Summit Animal Health


Every purchase made through our Summit Animal Health link helps support Newfoundland Pony Conservancy : https://eternapure.com/NewfoundlandPony .
Be sure to use the code Pony20 for 20% off your first purchase!

21/10/2024

We have been honored with one of the first Top-Rated Awards of 2024 from GreatNonprofits! We appreciate all of your contributions! This is our 9th year in a row to receive this Award. Thank you all!!

Volunteer, donate, read reviews for Newfoundland Pony Conservancy Center in Fitzwilliam, NH plus similar nonprofits and charities related to Animal Protection & Welfare, Animal-Related, Animals, Protection of Endangered Species

14/10/2024

Interesting video that shows Nflds history over many years. The Newfoundland Pony landrace breed developed over 400 years of living on the island.

Clearly as you watch the progression of rule in Newfoundland you can see that this breed is NOT mainland Canada’s heritage. Canada acquired rule in 1949 and otherwise had nothing to do with the formation of the island’s heritage breed, the Newfoundland Pony.

The only place that can call the pony a part of their heritage is Newfoundland. The island created this landrace by its environment and isolation which is the definition of a landrace, folks. And which is what makes the breed so unique.

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10/10/2024

Congratulations!

The R.O.O.T.S. program and the Carl E. Dahl House at Evergreen Grove to receive $225,000 in state, federal funding. What that means for the community

11/09/2024

Want to see the island that created these ponies? This is a fabulous video. Watch this and you’ll understand the breed better.

Great Video of Western Newfoundland ... Smithsonian Channel

28/08/2024

Newfoundland Ponies in the news. Thank you Horse Canada for the coverage of our efforts in the USA.

The beloved Newfoundland Pony has many advocates in its native Maritime province, including Netta LeDrew who owns the Newfoundland Pony Sanctuary located

27/08/2024

The second Newfoundland Pony foal born in Gardner this month has been given a name. Here's what it is and the story behind it.

25/08/2024

3 days old. Thank goodness we worked so hard on imprinting! Hahaha. Kidding. No imprinting needed with this breed.

Truth be told, this is how horses used to be, before registry breed standards and breeding for one purpose/fad, or look, over another, watered down gene pools. And that is what we are working so hard to prevent happening to this breed.

We don’t need just owners and breeders. We most definitely don’t need competition, the intense show circuit. We need breed stewards, and conservation minded people, to keep this breed as it is, to embrace their differences versus forcing them to conform to a flawed ideology of what a horse is today.

The species needs help, and focusing on preserving healthy genetics is what will save it, as well as improve the health and welfare of these animals vs manipulating them to conform to the human need to excel in competition.

The only thing this breed should be competing against is extinction, not only of its numbers. but its precious unique traits that amazingly remain in our modern world today.

25/08/2024

Not even 12 hrs old, he took his first upright snooze. His brother did the same but being 2 weeks older, he had perfected his stance.