Hardy does not mean maintenance-free
An older Exmoor Pony needs owners who resist the breed's own reputation. Exmoors are ancient, hardy natives built for exposed moorland, with a thick double coat, a distinctive mealy muzzle, and a constitution that thrives where finer breeds struggle. That toughness becomes a senior-care trap: an Exmoor will keep grazing, keep up with companions, and look reassuringly shaggy while carrying too much weight, developing sore feet, or losing condition under the coat. The change in care is therefore about inspection rather than indulgence, regular hands-on checks, honest weight management, and a willingness to call the vet for a pony who rarely complains.
Weight is the Exmoor's central senior issue
Most older Exmoors remain easy keepers, and rich pasture that a thoroughbred type would need can overload a native pony's feet and metabolism. Feel for condition under the winter coat with your hands, checking the neck crest, ribs, and quarters, and use a weigh tape consistently rather than admiring his round outline. A thickening crest, fat pads, or reluctance to move freely are reasons to tighten grazing management and discuss his risk with a veterinarian promptly, since foot soreness in a pony on lush grass is an urgent problem, not a wait-and-see one.
Feet, legs, and moorland ground
Exmoor hooves are hard and suited to rough terrain, but senior feet still need regular trimming and checking for cracks, thrush in wet fields, and uneven wear that changes his stance. Watch him walk on a firm, level surface where short, pottery steps show up clearly; natives often look freer on soft ground that cushions discomfort. Pick up each foot routinely so a problem is found by you and not by his reluctance to be caught.
Coat, shelter, and a pony who lives out
An Exmoor's winter coat, with its water-shedding outer layer, is genuine protection, and many seniors continue to live out happily with access to a shelter and natural windbreaks. The care change is checking that the system still works for this individual: an older pony who loses condition may feel cold he once shrugged off, and one whose coat stays long, curly, or patchy into warmer weather should be discussed with a veterinarian rather than accepted as a native quirk. Feel through the coat for skin irritation, lice, and rain-related soreness along the back after prolonged wet spells.
Teeth and eating on short grazing
Moorland ponies are built to graze coarse forage closely, which makes dental wear a defining senior issue. An ageing Exmoor may crop short grass inefficiently, spend longer grazing to get less, and lose ground in winter when forage quality drops. Watch for dropped feed, slow chewing of hay, or a pony who leaves long stems while eating the leafy parts. A veterinarian should examine his mouth on a regular senior schedule and sooner if eating changes.
When hardiness should not delay the vet
Seek veterinary help quickly for foot soreness or a bounding feel to the lower leg, a pony who stands rocking back or is reluctant to walk, rapid weight change in either direction, choke or persistent feed dropping, or a dullness that is out of character. Also book a review if his coat sheds abnormally, his drinking changes, or stiffness steadily increases, because a stoic pony presents late and deserves to have changes investigated rather than admired as toughness. Keep a simple dated log of weight tape readings, hoof visits, and dental findings so trends are visible. KinsLe's Pet Passport suits this Exmoor precisely because his records sit in one portable packet, making a slow drift in weight or feet obvious at each vet visit.