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When Quality isn’t a Compromise!

Most if not all the images throughout this site, would have been taken on our homefarm in the UK over a period of years.

Although we have occasionally sold broodmares, since the importation of the mares and stallions to Australia and the prohibitive costs in doing so, they will remain the foundation stock to the Watermark herd.

Youngstock will occasionally be for sale, so please check back regularly for updates.
Please note: we do currently have a waiting list and should you wish to be placed on this list, I suggest you contact us by email.

We will continue to import new stock, so please check back regularly for news of new arrivals.

New Mare arriving 2009 - See News Index.

All the mares have been carefully selected over a period of years for their quality/conformation, movement, stamina, temperament and hardiness. The girls vary in height, from the one smallest girl of 13.2hh - 135cms to 16hh - 163cms, however, most of our girls are in the ranges of 14.2hh - 147cms to 16hh - 163cms.

The girls live as natural a life as we can supply, foraging on some 300 acres, they also live out all year round regardless of weather conditions. The winter quarters we supply for the girls have plenty of natural shelter and we supply add lib minerals and hay or haylage daily. Although all fields have a supply of water from troughs, we do also have natural brooks running through 90% of our fields and natural spring fed ponds, often we have found mares bathing in them neck deep.

During the spring and summer months we rotate the use of our fields to ensure quality of grazing all year round. We re-seed our farm every few years and plant a wide variety of grasses, because of this we have excellent hay crops for the winter months and occasionally we will take haylage.

The girls are on a strict worming programme throughout the year and any new horse coming onto the farm is kept in quarantine for a period of three weeks. Once these mares have been given the all clear from our veterinary surgeon, vaccinations adminstered, foot care, teeth checked and wormed, they are sent out with a single companion or a small group, this way we have found it minimises risk and injury as they settle into the main herd.

I am still breathless when I check the ladies, living in such a large herd is stunning to see, yet every single mare will pay their respects to you as you are walking amongst them. They all have very individual personalities, in fact we have nicknamed two of the mares ‘The Two Fat Ladies’ they are hilarious to be with and are never far from each others side. Other girls just loved to be hugged, scratched or just enjoy standing peacefully with you.

Winter 2006/7 gave us some mixed blessings. On the one hand our winter has been very mild and reasonably dry with a constant grass growth; on the other hand, we knew we would have to pay for this glorious season one way or another. Early February gave us gale force winds, bringing old established trees down and by mid February we had a 1.5ft snow fall. March had not improved the grounds with a constant battering of heavy winds and constant rain. So the girls were brought off the fields and remained barned until the weather and grounds improve. Although by the look of these pictures - I don't think anyone is complaining!!

The images you see below are Fell Ponies from the Llancloudy Stud [please see link for further information]. Predominantly a black herd and which seemed easier to photograph against the harsh background; at that time a great deal closer to home than the Gypsy herd. I hope this will give you at least a small idea of the conditions in which both Fell Ponies and Gypsy ponies are able to cope and will thrive under good management.

I hope you have enjoyed looking at a small selection of the mare group. Please check back regularly for updates and new images.