A small group of enthusiasts are fighting to save the last of Scotland’s native horse from extinction.
The Eriskay Pony was nearly lost in the 1970s but now, forty years later, there are signs the endangered animals are recovering.
They are Europe’s most rare breed of pony and the crux of their survival centres on their native, natural heartland on the island of Eriskay.
With horses and ponies said to change their characteristics when they leave their native habitat, the true Eriskay pony only exists in the Western Isles where a small number of enthusiastics are bravely trying to save the breed.
The small number left in the Hebrides is all that remains of the breed -
Gerry Macleod of the Eriskay Pony Society (Mother Society) said in their native habit of Eriskay, the the ponies roam around the village , grazing around houses and freely wandering around the community.
Mr Macleod explained they are not wild ponies -
He said they grow a thicker coat to ward off the biting cold and are so tough they are never housed indoors.
In summer, they head for the fresh heather on the hills but in the winter they roam freely around residents’ houses.
Rose Blaney of South Uist who works with children on the ponies said: "I wouldn't like to see them extinct. There's lots of them here and I'd like to keep it going and maybe do something with them rather than them just being on the hill. Take them to the beach and get more youngsters involved."
The ponies are a little known part of Scotland’s heritage and were ideally suited
to the harsh working environment -
The isolation and, until relatively recently, the lack of a causeway link for Eriskay
-
Traditionally, they were used for essential croft work, to haul seaweed from the shore to fertilise the land as well as carting peat.
Those who were bad tempered were bred out in the distant past so the ponies are very friendly and docile, easily handled by women during the war years when all abled bodied men were away.
There are around three hundreds or so Eriskay ponies across the country but so many have been breed and softened on the mainland and lost their native characteristics.
So the future hopes of survival of the pure breed rests on a handful of animals on Eriskay and neighbouring South Uist.
In the 1970s the Eriskay Pony Society was founded and twenty pure Eriskay females (original mares) were located in the Hebrides.
But no pure stallion was believed alive so they were cross bred with Highland ponies.
Then a pure stallion called Eric was located in South Uist but the then Department of Agriculture refused to let him breed on Eriskay but conceded to let him serve mares on Barra.
The Eriskay pony is rumoured to be descended from wild horses stemming back from prehistoric times.
The native Icelandic pony is said to have strong Eriskay DNA as the Vikings took them from the Hebrides when they conquered Iceland some 1,000 years ago.
It is said Robert the Bruce had an Eriskay pony at the Battle of Bannockburn.
