Wild-born Exmoor stallion Farleywater Zeus has recently made the long journey from Porlock Hill in Exmoor National Park, to join the semi-feral Exmoor herd on Langeland island in Denmark.
Farleywater Zeus
was born and bred on Buscombe into the South family’s Farleywater H67
herd. As a five year old, he became a fully licensed Exmoor stallion in 2014 and spent a year with mares out on the Chains, before joining the Coldicutt family’s Porlock 100
Exmoor pony herd. There, he’s been the resident stallion for over three years and has sired some beautiful foals.
With his fillies now starting to mature, it was time to find Zeus a new job. He has never been tamed or lived anywhere except the moor, so it was desirable to secure this charismatic stallion a role with another semi-feral herd.
The perfect solution turned out to be Langeland in Denmark, when it transpired that The Danish Nature Agency
was seeking a suitable stallion to run with their Exmoor mares. In 2003 and 2006, The Danish Nature Agency bought a number of wild, non-pedigree Exmoor ponies from a herd on the island of Tærø, which had been established from Exmoor ponies imported from the UK in the 1960's, and placed them on the island on Langeland. In 2006 they bought their first Exmoor breeding stallion “Felix”
from Germany. In 2013 he was exchanged with a Exmoor stallion called Nemo
. So the currently Langeland herd consists of the original ponies from Tærø and descendants of Felix and Nemo.
It was decided that Zeus should take over as the new sire. While any foals he sires cannot currently be entered in the Exmoor Pony Stud Book, it is hoped that once a system is in place to confirm purity (following the completion of the Exmoor Pony Genome Project
), the purebred Exmoor ponies in this herd can be recognised and embraced within the breed.
The plan was for Zeus to make the journey in LOC Transport’s
3.5 tonne luxury van, where he could enjoy his own ‘travelling stable’ which would minimise stress and maximise his comfort. The challenge was going to be separating him in from his mares on Porlock Hill and successfully loading him for the journey.
“There was a little apprehension about how Zeus might feel being separated from his mares and detained at the farm, but he proved to be the perfect gentleman,” said Matthew Coldicutt, “Thanks to a tip from the Exmoor Pony Project about putting him in our stock box first, then transferring him into the luxury side loading van, the operation was both safe and ordered. Special thanks to Billy Binding and Joe Floyd for their skills in handling livestock.”
“Zeus is a very good example of the breed, having lived wild and free all his life and retaining all the characteristics and behaviours of a truly semi-feral Exmoor stallion,” said Exmoor Pony Project founder, Dawn Westcott. “It’s been great to find him a good new opportunity where he can continue breeding. I remember the day we released him onto Porlock Hill after his year out on the Chains, and watched the way he confidently gathered up the mares and bonded with his new herd. We wish him all the best in his new job.”
“We’ve also recently sent a young moorbred Exmoor gelding, Farleywater Sitka, to a new home in Germany, travelling in the same way, this time with Campbell Equestrian
. It vastly increases the quality and comfort of the journey when the ponies can enjoy their own ‘travelling stable’ inside these luxury vans, particularly when they are young, or not used to being handled. There is no unloading and loading en route and they get plenty of space to rest and eat forage. It is good to see the Exmoor ponies getting treated so well and having these great opportunities to promote the breed overseas. We'll be following his progress on Langeland and who knows, he may come back to Exmoor one day.”
Dawn Westcott
Some pictures of stallion Zeus - photos by Martin Buschman, Marc Lubetzki, Kirsten Muus, Kirsten Bruns, Heike Bartkowiak, Priska Huber, Maureen Harvey, Jan Johansen, Dawn Westcott, Croft House B&B Lynton
Watch my short film about Zeus and his journey to Langeland in Denmark here below:
https://youtu.be/Eow3eGLrQo0
