Farmers of the area led a hard life with large families to support. Only able to afford one good pony, a mare that could give the farmer a foal each year to sell, farmers used this one pony to pull carts, ploughs working from sunrise to sunset. These ponies were also fitted with baskets called creels to carry loads of rocks, seaweed to fertilize the fields and turf cut from the bogs to use for cooking and heating. The mare would also cart the family to church on Sunday. If the mare did not have the stamina, disposition and hardiness required, she would be replaced with a mare that did. It was this that kept the mares that could produce these qualities in their foals in Connemara.

The sport of local racing was very popular and the Connemaras could compete equally with the larger racing breeds, the thoroughbreds and the Irish Hunters.

Maplehurst Michael MacDaire
Elphin Mountain Connemaras

Cronan - Elphin Mountain Connemaras

The Connemara is the largest of the Pony breeds and ranges in height from 13 to 15 hands high, with 14 to 14.2 hands being the average. Full maturity is reached at five years of age. Sometimes older, and they can live well into their 30’s.

The Connemara “stands on short legs, covering a lot of ground”.  The cannon bone measures 7 to 9 inches below the knee. The body is deep and compact, well balanced with depth, substance and good heart room. The shoulder slopes well with good length of rein and moves freely with little knee action in surprisingly large strides for its height. The Connemara has a handsome pony head with a well defined jaw and good width between its large kind eyes. They are easy keepers who do not require a rich diet to stay fit and healthy.

The acceptable breed colours are black, bays, browns, chestnuts, palominos, and roan with the most common colours being grey and dun. Black points are common; however, paints are not acceptable.

The Connemara has a natural jumping ability and its build makes it quite suitable for dressage. They often compete and win over horses 16 hands and taller with their inherent endurance, intelligence and heart. Connemaras can do it all, from show jumping, eventing, working hunter, dressage, western pleasure, endurance, driving and most importantly, being your best friend

There are many famous Connemara Ponies that have made an indelible mark in horse show history.

The Nugget was a 15 hand Connemara gelding who at the age of 22 cleared a 7’2” fence at the 1935 International Horse Show in Olympia, London. He won over 300 prizes and earned over 4,500 pounds sterling in prize money.

Little Squire, a 13.2 hand Connemara won the Open Championships at Madison Square Garden in 1939 by clearing 7’ fences. The press dubbed him “The Littlest Horse with the Biggest Heart”.

Dundrum was the International Jumping Champion from 1959 to 1963. He was Tommy Wade’s 15 hand Connemara gelding. Dundrum became Supreme Champion at the Wembley Horse of the Year Show when he set a record by clearing a 7’2” puissance wall. In 1961 he won five major events at the Dublin Horse Show being the first horse in history to win so many awards. He is regarded as being the Show Jumper of the Century.

Stroller, a half-bred 14.1 hand Connemara who became the only pony to have ever competed in the Olympic Games. He was ridden by Marion Coakes of the British team at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico.  Marion and Stroller won the Individual Silver Medal, only four points behind the Gold Medal winner. Stroller was one of only two horses to jump a clear round in the entire 1968 Olympic Games, clearing a 6”10” Puissance fence!

Marcus Aurelius was affectionately known as “The Bionic Pony”.  He was a Connemara/Thoroughbred cross who was ridden by Mary Anne Tauskey. In 1975 they captured the Gold Medal in the Three Day Event as members of the United States Equestrian Team at the Pan American Games and in 1976 won the Gold again as members of the United States Three Day Event Team.

Seldom Seen and Last Scene, both Connemara/Thoroughbred crosses ridden by Lendon Gray, were 2 of the top six Grand Prix USDF Horse of the Year Award recipients in 1985.

Custusha’s Cashel Rock won both the An Tostal and Camlin Trophies and earned Gold Medals from the ACPS in Hunter, Jumper, Dressage and Combined Training.  In 1977, 1978, 1979, Rocky reigned as Champion Connemara In-Hand at Woodstock. Rocky won Awards Championships from the Washington State Horseman’s Council in Dressage, Adult Amateur Hunter and Jumper, Small and Working Hunter. In 1988 he took the Championship in USCTA Area VII in Adult Training Level and USDF All-Breed First in First Level Dressage.

In 1993 a large crowd assembled at the West Coast Connemara Show for the retirement ceremony of the dun Connemara stallion, Custusha’s Cashel Rock, owned by Mel and Helen King of Silver Creek, Washington. Rocky will always be remembered , immortalized as the 1990 model for the Breyer™ horse model named, “Rocky, Champion Connemara Stallion”.

Hideaway’s Erin Go Bragh, owned by Ed and Jackie Harris began his partnership with rider, Carol Koslowski in 1988. Go Bragh moved quickly through the preliminary ranks finishing second three times in 1990. His win in 1991 at the MCTA Horse Trails, a highly regarded event with a notoriously tough cross country course, against very stiff competition gave an indication of the talent this Pony possessed. It was however, his win at the Groton Horse Trials later that same year when up against riders such as Bruce Davidson, Mike Plumb and Denny Emerson that it became quite evident how special this Pony was. In the following three years Go Bragh gave remarkable performances at almost all of the major shows on the East Coast.  To learn more about this “Little Horse That Could” Click the  to purchase the DVD or VHS video.

Photo by Cealy Tetley

Clementine - Glenormiston

Feature Breeders

• Legacy Connemaras

• Elphin Mountain Connemaras

• Dark Horse Station

• Glenormiston Connemara Pony Stud

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