Country Challenge

#CountryChallenge

I have chosen to do the United Kingdom or Great Britain :gb: :gb: :gb: as my country for this challenge as it is the country I live in and also British Native breeds are some of my favourites.

The pony in this picture - a Shetland mare called Britannia - has a coat colour most commonly found in and associated with the Exmoor Pony. The Exmoor Pony is so ‘British’ as the breed was never ‘improved’ using Arabs or any other breeding merely preserved so Exmoor Ponies show what pure British Ponies are and always have been. This is contrary to the more well known Dartmoor and Welsh Ponies whose modern breeds both have Arab blood.

The breed of a Shetland Pony is extremely hardy like most British breeds so can survive the tough winters on the Shetland Isles with a thick winter coat. Britannia has had the Union Flag (more commonly known as the Union Jack :gb: ) clipped on her quarters but has not had her whole body clipped as the thick coat is a key characteristic of the breed.

She has made friends with a robin who is following her as she trots along. Robins are a common sight in Britain (especially in winter) and are also the national bird.

The scene is typical of British countryside and not without clouds (rain is very common here). Britain has many fields, hills and woodlands as can be seen in this landscape.

Overall that is it. Thank you very much for taking the time to read my post and I hope you learnt something!