Ellister Islay Highland Ponies - Jane Dawson -

A couple of weeks ago I posted an image of a pony on the pictures blog, which I took on the Rhinns of Islay last year. I don't know much about ponies, let alone who owns them, and I sort of guessed the pony belonged to Jane Dawson, a name I knew was connected with ponies. Little did I know and Jane was kind enough to contact me a few days later to set things right. It wasn't one of her ponies.

I haven't met Jane before, although I did meet Lucy, her daughter, earlier in the year. That's why I tried my luck and asked Jane, after I had a look on her website, if she was willing to write a piece for my blog about her ponies. She responded immediately with a written introduction about herself and the beautiful ponies and included a couple of very special images. I hope you find the following story interesting and I want to thank Jane for her cooperation.

Islay Ponies Sea Storm, Raindance, Summer Thyme and Riverdance - Large Image

Jane Dawson: When my husband died in 1977, the Executor of his will sold off all of Ellister Estate very much against my wishes, except for a small area round the house. However in 1996 I was very fortunate to be able to buy back a small part of it; at last I could manage the land for flora and fauna, in the way my late husband would have wished. Continue reading....

The chough is a bird of the crow family which is an Islay speciality. It feeds on invertebrates that inhabit dung piles - and there is no better provider of dung than the Highland Pony! I therefore sold off an old farmhouse and with the proceeds bought a small herd of ponies from the famous Ballinton Stud owned by Scott McGregor.

Highland Ponies are called "the versatile pony" and indeed they are. They've long been used in Scotland as pack ponies, bringing in the peats and numerous jobs on the crofts and farm; by ghillies to bring down the deer from the hills; and nowadays not only in the show ring but also for endurance riding, driving, side saddle, cross country and hunting, and even for dressage.

At the Ellister Islay Highland Pony Stud I currently have three stallions and seven senior brood mares, along with two maiden mares and a number of fillies which will go to a stallion next year. Mares usually only go to a stallion every second year, so that they can overwinter with their foals, out on the hills.

Ponies on the move - Rhinns of Islay - Large Image

I like to keep youngsters until they're three years old, so that they can have a stress-free few years running on large areas of permanent grassland and rough grazing. They learn to socialise and live out on rough ground, have only little handling, but go on to be mannerly youngsters with excellent temperaments. Although Highland Ponies are renowned for their quiet temperaments, they are not lazy plodders! Able to carry 16 stone without complaint, and living out all year, Highlands are increasingly popular.

Islay has always been well stocked with Highland Ponies: there are records of many good ponies being bred at Islay Estates from very early days. Lochindaal Highlands is another stud breeding quality ponies.

Jane's website can be found at www.ellisterislay.co.uk. For the Lochindaal Highlands website go to www.lochindaal-highlands.co.uk

Black Filly Foal