Eriskay enthusiast

Ruth McMinn on preserving this athletic rare breed

- Ruth McMinn

I started riding as a child, hanging around on friends’ farms and begging a ride.

Eventually my parents were able to buy me a Welsh pony, Ruby, with whom I did Pony Club. She was so sweet and taught me so much. Living in Scotland, I was conscious of the existence of Eriskays – my mum had read a feature on this rare breed of ponies living on an island, which the islanders were trying to preserve.

But I didn’t think much more about the breed until 16 years ago, when I had a thoroughbred. Sadly, his companion, an Arab, died of grass sickness and so I began to think what sort of companion I could get that would be helpful to the equine world. I remembered the Eriskays and thought it might be useful to give a home to one of these rare Scottish breeds.

To my surprise, there were Eriskays at Doonies Rare Breeds Centre in Aberdeen, near where I live. They had a yearling ready for a new home. Brogach – Gaelic for “hardy wee lad” – was just meant to be a companion, but when the thoroughbred was retired early due to arthritis, I looked at him and thought I’d better do something with this pony or I’d have nothing to ride. I had an inkling of his ability when he flexed his toes and jumped 4ft out of the pen I was handling him in as a youngster.