Everything about Pit Pony totally explained
A
pit pony was a type of
pony commonly used underground in
coal mines from the mid 18th up until the mid 20th century.
History
Ponies began to be used underground, often replacing
child or female labour, as distances from pithead to coal face became greater. The first known recorded use in
Britain was in the
Durham coalfield in 1750. In later years, mechanical haulage was introduced on the main underground roads replacing the longer pony hauls ("driving") and ponies tended to be confined to the shorter runs from coal face to main road (known in
North East England as "putting") which were more difficult to mechanise. As of 1984, 55 ponies were still at use with the
National Coal Board in Britain, chiefly at the modern pit in
Ellington, Northumberland. At the peak in 1913, there were 70,000 ponies underground in Britain.
Breed and conformation
Larger horses, such as varieties of
Cleveland Bay, could be used on higher underground roadways, but on many duties small ponies no more than 12
hands high were needed.
Shetlands were a
breed commonly used because of their small size. In the
Interwar period, ponies were imported into Britain from
Iceland and the
United States.
Geldings and
stallions only were used.
Donkeys were also used in the late 19th century. The ponies were low set, heavy bodied and heavy limbed with plenty of bone and substance, low-headed and sure-footed. Under the British Coal Mines Act of 1911, ponies had to be four years old before going underground; they could work until their twenties.
Work
Pit ponies were normally stabled underground and fed on a diet with a high proportion of chopped
hay and
maize, coming to the surface only during the colliery’s annual holiday. Typically, they'd work an eight-hour shift each day, during which they might haul 30 tons of coal in tubs on the underground
narrow gauge railway. Recollections differ on how well the ponies were cared for in earlier years, but it should be remembered that they represented a capital asset to the mine, and that the best work could be obtained from animals that were in good condition.
Further Information
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