Horse Illustrated Magazine

The Connemara developed on the coastline of the same name in western Ireland’s County Galway. There were ponies in this area for centuries, and Celtic raiders were responsible for introducing new blood. This includes the now-extinct Spanish Jennet and the Irish Hobby, both thought to be foundation bloodlines of the Connemara.

Farmers who needed horses caught ponies from the nearby area and discovered that they were fairly easy to train.

In the 19th century, Arabian, Welsh, Hackney and Thoroughbred blood was added, and the breed standard was set.

The Connemara’s jumping ability developed from moving over rough and uneven ground and from jumping stone walls along farmland in search of food. It excels in all English disciplines and is often crossbred with the Thoroughbred to produce an agile sporthorse. Heights range from 12.2 to 15 hands. Colors are brown, dun, black, gray, chestnut and sometimes roan.

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