Mountain and Moorland (M&M) ponies are the native breeds which can be found throughout the British Isles.
The title is used because many of these breeds are found in their natural homes, on mountains and moorland. Many breeding herds are still kept in semi-feral herds in their place of origin.
There are 12 seperate breeds including 4 Welsh sections. They are:
Shetland, Exmoor, Dartmoor, Highland, Fell, Dales, New Forest, Connemara, Welsh section A, section B, section C and section D.
Each breed has a dedicated breed society designed to promote the breed and register and protect bloodlines. The Dales is currently registered as critial by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust, while the Dartmoor and Exmoor are listed as endangered.
In ridden classes, M&M ponies are divided into two categories, small and large breeds.
M&M showing classes have risen in popularity over the past few years. They have three main championships, the biggest being the M&M supreme ridden pony final held at Olympia in December.
Horse & Hound's showing columnist discusses why she thinks the new junior ridden mountain and moorland classes at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) needs a rethink
Course builder Lisa Kelly explains what she considers when building working hunter tracks
H&H caught up with owner Lesley Evans and handler Joe Smith to find out more about “Wena” and how the newly crowned supreme champion is produced
Horse & Hound's showing columnist raises the issue of heavy and tall riders and makes a plea to organisers to provide novice working hunter classes
Follow the action from the BSPS Heritage Supreme Championships at Olympia with our live and interactive written commentary service
We talk to Len Bigley, who will assess conformation in the Blue Chip British Show Pony Society (BSPS) Heritage mountain and moorland championship at Olympia
The Olympia mountain and moorland judge reveals what he is looking for, critical mistakes he hates to see and much more
The new championship is for junior riders on small breed M&Ms and has been introduced to prevent them from being “stifled” by adults
Showing owner Clare Davies watched her pony win at Horse of the Year Show before becoming a grandmother for the first time
Find out what the 2015 mountain and moorland working hunter pony champion at HOYS had to say after her class
Horse & Hound caught up with the winner of the Ponies (UK) Young Riders M&M Large Breeds Championship at Hickstead
Riders are struggling to find time to attend qualifiers due to mid-week competition dates
H&H caught up with showing amateur and mother of two Robyn Purvis about producing her New Forest pony for the prestigious M&M final at Olympia
H&H's showing editor will be tweeting live updates throughout the prestigious mountain and moorland classes and championship
Do you know which native breed this grey stallion is?
Follow the action from the BSPS Heritage ridden Mountain and Moorland supreme championships at Olympia
Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) has launched a special offer for mountain and moorland fans
The dartmoor stood top of the new BSPS Heritage championship at London Olympia horse show
Pumphill Buckthorn proves once again what a superstar he is by taking the new NPS supreme native pony championships at HOYS
Ponies(UK) will host qualifiers for a championship class that will run as part of the established Burghley event Pony final
