> From: Sue Millard
> Sent: 02 Apr 2009 12:05
>
> I have been discussing a quote from Clive Richardson's book
> "The Fell Pony" with someone who is translating it into
> French for the education of French Fell pony owners. This has
> been available on the Fell Pony Society web site for a decade
> without challenge, but also without supporting evidence (ie
> no references!)
>
> The web page (http://www.fellponysociety.org/about_breed.htm) states:
<snip>
> If any any other errors of fact could be pointed out, I would
> be grateful, and also able to correct them in my capacity as
> an FPS Council member.
I agree entirely with Marsha's comments on the paragraph you quoted, but
looking at the rest of the page I have doubts about much of that as
well. I don't believe we have any evidence for the coat colour of horses
in Britain in the Roman period. Hadrian's Wall did not divide England
from Scotland, as neither nation existed until the best part of a
millennium after it was built, and the border, when settled, was north
of the Wall. How can we possibly know that the early, post-Roman ponies
were "strong and sure-footed, placid in nature"? I doubt whether there
was an 'improved fell type' by AD 1420, let alone AD 420, my impression
is that 'improved' breeds in most domestic species are a post-medieval
phenomenon.
Much of the text refers to the north of England when it means the
north-west. In the north-east the advent of railways did not lead to a
decline in pony numbers as the early railway waggons were pulled by
horses and ponies before the invention of the steam locomotive. Ponies
continued to be used extensively underground for haulage in the coal
mines of the north-east well into the 20th century.
I could go on. My impression is that someone wanted to claim a Roman
origin for the characteristics observed in C20th fell ponies and made up
a plausible, but unfounded, story about it.
Best wishes
Andrew
--
Dr. Andrew Millard [log in to unmask]
Durham University
Senior Lecturer in Archaeology Tel: +44 191 334 1147
Deputy Director of Combined Honours Tel: +44 191 334 3006
Archaeology: http://www.dur.ac.uk/archaeology/
Combined Honours: http://www.dur.ac.uk/combined.honours/
Personal webpage: http://www.dur.ac.uk/a.r.millard/
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