Meet Ace, a handsome fellow I met over in Rindge recently. Not only striking in appearance, Ace is also gentle, friendly, hard-working and eager to please. And perhaps most importantly, Ace is a stallion among a population of only about 500 remaining of his kind — the Newfoundland pony.
At six months old Ace came to New Hampshire from Ontario, Canada, and has been cared for by Jackie Belrose of Rindge. His owner Emily Aho, executive director of the Newfoundland Pony Conservancy, is a local leader in the effort to repopulate the breed and coordinates opportunities for Ace, now a full-grown stallion, to be paired with purebred Newfoundland females. Since coming into Aho’s and Belrose’s care, Ace has successfully parented two purebred foals.
I spent time with Ace at his home in Rindge a few weeks ago. In his gated pasture atop a small hill in Belrose’s sunny back field, Ace exhibited his docile nature and handsome beauty as he playfully stood by while I learned more about him from Aho and Belrose.
Stallions in general can tend to have a strong energy and intensity about them, but Aho shared that Newfoundland pony stallions like Ace are just as gentle-natured as their gelding counterparts. In fact, an incredible temperament is just one of the qualities Aho and Belrose say makes this breed so exceptional. Their versatility in work, unique survival traits and total lack of genetic disorders are also characteristics that make the breed so outstanding.
Aho became a champion for the breed after owning a Newfoundland/cross pony from Maine. She had bought the pony as a companion to her other horse, and quickly found herself adoring her new pony’s temperament. This special breed, she explained, originated on the island of Newfoundland as a mix of English, Scottish and Irish horses arrived with settlers. Over time, this grouping blended to create what came to be known as the Newfoundland pony.
However, the breed has not been valued as it should, and has suffered major population losses. Massive numbers of these horses were sent to slaughter or were used in crossbreeding. Aho informed me that attempts at breed improvement are one of the biggest threats to them today. The result of these actions is the dangerously low number of purebred Newfoundland ponies left today.
As she learned about the danger facing Newfoundland ponies, Aho was determined to turn her love for the breed into action through the Newfoundland Pony Conservancy. Founded in 2012, the conservancy strives to preserve the breed as it is and keep the bloodlines going. Through its partnerships and mentorships with other purebred breeders, the conservancy hopes to continue to boost the population.
As an entirely volunteer-based organization, the Newfoundland Pony Conservancy is funded through donations, and any and all funding goes directly to the care and needs of the ponies. Aho says the conservancy is pleased with the progressive and innovative approach to bringing positive attention to the breed, hopefully inspiring others to do the same.
Programs and education at the Carl E. Dahl House in Gardner, Mass., where many Newfoundland ponies make a difference through their participation in Equine Assisted Life Skills classes, further expand the understanding and appreciation of this exceptional breed of pony.
To learn more, visit newfoundlandponies.org or send email to info@newfoundlandpony.org.
Art studio tour
The Fall Foliage Art Studio Tour will be Oct. 8 to 10 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. This Monadnock region art tour is a wonderful way to blend fall foliage tours and fine art. Three Rindge artists will be opening their studios as part of this event: potter Shana Brautigam, Susan Wadsworth with works on paper and multimedia artist Jessica Thurber. Come see their studios and their talents on display.
Final hike and paddle
The Rindge Conservation Commission will be holding its final installment of its annual Hike and Paddle Series. On Sunday Oct. 16, the commission will lead an outing at Contoocook Marsh beginning at 1:30 p.m. in the parking area on County Road.
In recognition of Archaeology Day, the commission will be hosting Franklin Pierce University archaeology professor Robert Goodby.
Thank you to readers who have reached out to me at rindgecommcorr@yahoo.com to share Rindge happenings and feedback on this column. I not only enjoy connecting, but also count on you to help keep this column going. Send your stories to me so we can continue spotlight Rindge in our local newspaper.