Breed Characteristics
What are the indicators of a British Spotted pony and how should they meet the Breed Standard
Breed Characteristics
A quality pony with adequate bone and substance, hardy and active and real pony character of miniature, riding or cob type up to and including 14.2hh
All ponies must display some or all of the following:
White Sclera around the eye.
Mottled Skin – this part-dark, part-pink skin is usually most evident around the genitals, lips, muzzle, eyes and inside the ears.
Striped hooves.
British Spotted Ponies come in a wide range of
Colour
Below are details of 5 common types.
It should also be noted that a Solid Colour is a pony bred from spotted parents but which does not display the spotted coat pattern. Interestingly some ponies born solid colour can and very often do develop spots as they get older.Solid colours are eligible for a seperate register but must be of proven spotted breeding and preferably show some breed characterisics.
Leopard
Any coloured spots on a white or lightly coloured background
Near Leopard
Similar to Leopard but the pony will usually have a darker head, neck and legs with the remainder of it’s body being similar to that of the leopard.
Few Spot Leopard: White base colour with only a few spots. Strong characteristics often accompanied by varnish marks (groupings of dark hairs within an area- usually nose, cheek bones, stifle, gaskin and knee).
Snowflake
White spots on a dark base coat
Blanket
An area of white over the hips and hindquarters with or without spots. Any base colour. The blanket can extend over the entire back and shoulders. The latter must display strong breed characteristics.
Mottled
The coat is most often irregularly ticked with white, having also large or small roan spots, their outlines rather blurred. Sometimes also a coat looking like an ordinary roan but in which dark blots (varnish marks) appear.
Please Note: Piebald and Skewbald markings of any kind are not eligible for registration. Also breeding to greys is highly discouraged as this dilutes the colour and can introduce the greying (fading) gene. A fader foal could be born beautifully covered in spots but over time and years the spots start to fade until you are left with a grey. Highly dissapointing for anyone who is not aware of this.
Breed Profile
Breed Profile
Head
Full of quality and true pony character. Big bold eyes, set well apart. Ears should be well palced, small, neat and in proportion to the head. Prominent pen nostrils. Clean well defined throat.
A course head and Roman nose is discouraged.
Neck
Should have good length and be well carried. Moderately lean in mares but inclined to be more cresty in stallons. Slightly heavier neck is allowable in the cob type.
Shoulders
Good strong, sloping and well laid back. Withers should be well defined but not ‘knifey
Forelegs
Should be square and true. Not tied-in at the elbow. Long strong forearms with well developed knees. Short flat bone below the knee. Pasterns of proportionate length and slope. Well shaped dense hooves. The cob type should have a greater abundance of bone without coarseness and a moderate quantity of fine feather when in the rough.
Hindquarters
Lengthy, strong, well muscled, not ragged or dropping with well set on tail.
Hindlegs
Well let down hocks, large flat clean bone, prominent points. The hock not to be set behind a line from the point of quarter to fetlock joint. No sickle or cow hocks. Pasterns to be of proportionate length and slope. Hooves well shaped and dense.
Action
Low, straight, from the shoulder. Free flowing. Hocks well flexed with straight action coming well under the body. The cob type may show more knee action.
What British Spotted Pony Owners Say
I had never heard of the British spotted pony before I ended up with one, he is the smartest most loving pony I have ever met, everyone who meets him loves him,I wish I had had a British spotted pony when I was a kid!
Jenna Foskett
Owner
Beautiful, incredibly smart with hearts of gold
Asenath Back Chamness
Owner
Looking for your next Spotty friend?
The Society offers free advertising to members for their Stallions at stud or ponies and youngstock for sale.
Alternatively you can visit our Welfare page where we have ponies looking for their new loving homes due to changes in current owner circumstances.