Welcome to the Newfoundland Pony Society

The Newfoundland Pony is an important heritage breed which developed in Newfoundland and Labrador over the centuries. When settlers arrived from the British Isles, they brought their  hardworking ponies with them, including Exmoor, Dartmoor, New Forest and other ponies. The pony developed its own unique characteristics through natural selection and adaptation, surviving harsh winters and interbreeding on the common lands surrounding communities – creating a new breed.

The future of the Newfoundland Pony is uncertain. It is listed as Critically Endangered by Rare Breeds Canada, The Livestock Conservancy, and Equus Survival Trust.  One of the primary roles of the Newfoundland Pony Society is to conserve, protect and preserve the pony for future generations and we need help and support from the public to meet that objective. A challenge promoting the breed is that there is no official public place where people can see them.

We welcome your help and support in ensuring that this pony has a bright future.  

“It’s important for people to interact with them; for children to ride them. I explain how these ponies hauled wood for us and pulled kelp from the beach for our gardens. Newfoundlanders could not have survived without them. We owe them a great debt. I live and die for them.”

– Max Brockerville, Lawn, Newfoundland and Labrador (owner of Max’s May, Maggie May, Duff and Pumpkin)