Horse Breeds

Perry Bog Pony

Country of Origin:Ireland
Use today:Riding and harness work
Color:Brown and bay are the most common colors in the breed, but chestnut, gray and dun are also found.
Height:10 to 11.2 hands
Profile: The Kerry Bog Pony is believed to be descended from the Celdone ponies, used by the Celtic settlers in northwest Spain. Military and trading relations between Spain, Portugal and Ireland have been credited with introducing these ponies to Ireland. Like other equines in Ireland, the ponies were used as pack and cavalry animals during the Peninsular Wars (1804 - 1814), and later in the Great War. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, they were also employed for hauling peat from the bogs in Kerry for use as fuel, hence the modern Kerry Bog name.
Taking the ponies from their natural habitat for work rendered them nearly extinct until the late 1980s, when John Mulvihill of County Kerry made an effort to save them by gathering a small herd of the ponies from the area. He began keeping records of the ponies and gave them the Kerry Bog name. Mulvihill later formed the Kerry Bog Pony Society with the help of other enthusiasts.
In 1995, a breed standard was written by Timothy Clifford, MVB, MRCVS, who spent time assessing the qualities of the ponies. A broader representative committee was formed in 2003 and became a member of the Irish Cooperative Organization Society in 2004. Now known as the Kerry Bog Pony Co-operative Society Ireland, the 1995 breed standard was officially adopted in 2005, and the society was established as a studbook organization in the European Community. The Kerry Bog Pony was first imported to the United States in 2003, and the American Kerry Bog Pony Society oversees the breed here.
Characteristics: Due to its strong legs, hard hooves and powerful hindquarters, the Kerry Bog is very sound and has good balance. It has a small head with a slightly dished face and small eyes. Its strong, medium-length neck gives way to a deep chest, well-sprung ribs and a compact body. The coat is long and dense, allowing the ponies to withstand harsh winter weather.