Connemara is a region in County Galway, a beautiful area in western Ireland.  It is home to one of the most athletic, versatile, hardy, and strong breeds of pony.  Due to the harsh terrain, tumultuous weather, and remote location, the Connemara Pony is a national treasure.  The lineage is relatively unclear but there is belief that the Connemara originated from the Norse predecessors of Icelandic ponies.  There is also thought that the Irish Hobby, Spanish Jennet, Barb, and Andalusian had a say into the well dispositioned pony.  Whatever the true relationship is, much began to change during the Great Famine of the 19th century.  Families struggling to put food on the table were faced to sell their ponies, severely reducing the number of Connemara within the area.  Fear of losing sight of the breed, a Board was established to help “improve the conditions of local livestock” of the western seaboard.  Crossbreeding with Arabs, Thoroughbreds, Hackneys, and Welsh Cobs proved unsuccessful as none of these breeds had the stamina to live in the wild environment of Connemara.  Thankfully, in 1923, the Connemara Pony Breeders’ Society was created, with all intention of preserving and improving the integrity of the Connemara Pony as the native breed of Ireland. Ballyconneely, home to the Connemara Pony Show is very near the Connemara National Park where you can experience the ponies in their natural habitat.