Visitors to this year’s GWCT Scottish Game Fair will be able to learn everything there is to know about the late Queen Elizabeth II’s working Highland ponies from the Balmoral Estate in Aberdeenshire.
A fascinating demonstration from stud manager Sylvia Ormiston – who has been there since 2007 – and two of the Balmoral ponies offers visitors the chance to discover what makes this rare breed unique and how they are prepared for working on the hill in some of the country’s wildest terrains.
Sylvia and her ponies are ready to reveal all about the life of a Highland working pony; from breeding to training.
Beginning with a discussion about the breed, Sylvia will detail how they select the right mares and stallions for breeding and the significance of beginning the trainning process from a very young age.
The ponies will demonstrate how they carry pannier baskets which are used to carry anything from gear to picnics. Using special weights to simulate a stag or deer carcass, the pony will show how it would be placed on its back using a deer saddle to then be carried off a hill.
Having worked as the stud manager on the Balmoral Estate since 2007 and now with xx ponies to take care of, Sylvia and her team are part of a breeding programme to help restore the numbers of Highland ponies which are currently listed on the Rare Breed Survival Trust’s watch list.
Part of a tradition going back centuries, Sylvia is keen to share as much as she can about the beloved Highland pony breed. Not simply there for show, the ponies both work the hill during the stag and the hind season taking them through till Christmas if the weather allows. As more estates become conscious of using environmentally friendly methods and with the Highland pony having so little impact on the hills, there’s an increasing demand for them. Having learned to traverse the rocky, steep and heather covered hills from a young age before also carrying weights of up to 18 stone, they are also much better equipped to tackle Scotland’s tricky terrain than any vehicle.
Sylvia and members from the Highland Pony Society (of which she is president) will be on hand to answer questions and even introduce you to ponies XXXX
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