The Hidden Hoofbeat of Britain and Ireland with Ruth Chamberlain
March 9 @ 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm
Saturday, March 9, 2024
The U.K. has several ancient native pony breeds, also known as Mountain and Moorland ponies. Many of these breeds descend from semi feral herds in a particular region, which gives them unique characteristics and behaviors suited to that environment. Many of these pony breeds still roam in large semi feral herds, in wide open spaces such as in the Lake District and on Exmoor. This continuation of the semi feral herds is crucial to protecting the unique ancient gene pools that were historically favored by people, and gives these pony breeds their ability to thrive in extreme climates. Today, breeders with extensive commoners’ grazing rights and conservation schemes are the last strongholds of our mountain and moorland ponies in their native environments. Many of these breeds are at high risk of becoming extinct. If that happened, we would lose a great deal of our heritage and history. The ponies and horses help shape and sculpt our landscape and industry; from working in mines to hauling seaweed – the scope of their influence is enormous. Ruth Chamberlain is travelling around Britain and Ireland documenting the wonderful and rare native horse and pony breeds. She aims to create a book, with information and history for each breed, to promote them and raise awareness of the situation they are currently in. Her breathtaking photography will leave you in awe of these very special equines.
About Our Speaker: Ruth Chamberlain is an equine, dog and wildlife photographer based in the Lake District, UK. She is currently working on a project documenting the native equine breeds of Britain and Ireland. Ruth is from rural Cumbria, where she grew up with native breeds and seeing the semi-feral Fell ponies out on the various Lake District fells. She studied zooarchaeology with some focus on British horse breeds and their history with people.
She is a huge advocate of using native ponies for grazing projects such as conservation and rewilding, with an extensive “pony network” to fall back on. Ruth interacts and photographs numerous herds of native breeds, and has an understanding of their behavior and habits that only comes from years of experience. Ruth started the Hidden Hoofbeat of Britain & Ireland project to help promote and save our rare, and very special, equines. https://ruthonthehoof.com/
2:00 p.m., ZOOM, Members: FREE…Non-Members: $10.00. Pre-registration and pre-payment are required. Call 860-567-0857 or register online THE HIDDEN HOOFBEAT REGISTRATION
A link to the program will be emailed to you on March 8.
Saturday, March 9, 2024
The U.K. has several ancient native pony breeds, also known as Mountain and Moorland ponies. Many of these breeds descend from semi feral herds in a particular region, which gives them unique characteristics and behaviors suited to that environment. Many of these pony breeds still roam in large semi feral herds, in wide open spaces such as in the Lake District and on Exmoor. This continuation of the semi feral herds is crucial to protecting the unique ancient gene pools that were historically favored by people, and gives these pony breeds their ability to thrive in extreme climates. Today, breeders with extensive commoners’ grazing rights and conservation schemes are the last strongholds of our mountain and moorland ponies in their native environments. Many of these breeds are at high risk of becoming extinct. If that happened, we would lose a great deal of our heritage and history. The ponies and horses help shape and sculpt our landscape and industry; from working in mines to hauling seaweed – the scope of their influence is enormous. Ruth Chamberlain is travelling around Britain and Ireland documenting the wonderful and rare native horse and pony breeds. She aims to create a book, with information and history for each breed, to promote them and raise awareness of the situation they are currently in. Her breathtaking photography will leave you in awe of these very special equines.
About Our Speaker: Ruth Chamberlain is an equine, dog and wildlife photographer based in the Lake District, UK. She is currently working on a project documenting the native equine breeds of Britain and Ireland. Ruth is from rural Cumbria, where she grew up with native breeds and seeing the semi-feral Fell ponies out on the various Lake District fells. She studied zooarchaeology with some focus on British horse breeds and their history with people.
She is a huge advocate of using native ponies for grazing projects such as conservation and rewilding, with an extensive “pony network” to fall back on. Ruth interacts and photographs numerous herds of native breeds, and has an understanding of their behavior and habits that only comes from years of experience. Ruth started the Hidden Hoofbeat of Britain & Ireland project to help promote and save our rare, and very special, equines. https://ruthonthehoof.com/
2:00 p.m., ZOOM, Members: FREE…Non-Members: $10.00. Pre-registration and pre-payment are required. Call 860-567-0857 or register online THE HIDDEN HOOFBEAT REGISTRATION
A link to the program will be emailed to you on March 8.
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