Continuing the Newfoundland pony's story: A Land & Sea archival special
It's estimated there were thousands of Newfoundland ponies in Newfoundland and Labrador as recently as the 1960s. But by the summer of 1993, experts said there were fewer than 100 known animals ready to breed.
Wallace Froude of Brown's Arm, Notre Dame Bay, said there was a time when there was at least one pony — known for its smaller head, small, furry ears and more compact frame — for every family in his community, .
But as a way of life came to pass, the introduction of snowmobiles and ATVs reduced the need for the pony.
Learn more about the Newfoundland pony and efforts to keep the breed alive in this Land & Sea archival special, which originally aired in 1993:
But the ponies had people in their corner who were not willing to let the breed die out. It led to a provincial search for the right stallions to be able to help carry on the story of the Newfoundland pony.
It was the least they could do before it's too late, said one champion of the Newfoundland pony, helping to pay back the debt to the animals that helped build the province.
More to discover
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