Garron

Type of horse

Look up  garron  or  garran in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

A garron or garran (from Scottish Gaelic: gearran) is a type of small sturdy horse or pony. The term occurs in Scotland and in Ireland,[1] and generally refers to an undersized beast.

In Scotland, a garron is one of the types of Highland pony.[2] It is the larger, heavier type, bred on the mainland. The Isles' type of pony is generally smaller and slightly finer, but still within the standard of the Highland pony breed. There is less difference today than there once was between these two types.[citation needed]

The word garron may also characterise a Highland cross of a Clydesdale horse with ponies. Farmers used such garrons, especially in the Highlands and Islands where a full-sized Clydesdale would not have been as economical. These horses were valued for their hardiness and ability to work on slopes.[3] Highland deer-stalking estates kept garrons to bring the stags off the hill, as some still do, for tradition or where  ATV access is not practicable.[4]

## Mentions in literature

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Garrons are mentioned a number of times in George R. R. Martin's fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire. There, Garrons are used in cold mountainous areas, generally to the North near the Wall.[5]

The word is used by R. S. Surtees in the first chapter of Jorrocks′ Jaunts and Jollities.

The author Nigel Tranter mentions Garrons frequently in his novels about Scottish history, for example "Macbeth, the King".

In the Irish folktale "The Tailor and the Three Beasts", the tailor meets a garron along the way who asks the tailor: "Would you make me a hole ... where I could go a' hiding whenever the people are for bringing me to the mill or the kiln".[6]

## See also

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* Garrano, an ancient Portuguese variety of pony.

## References

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1. ^ Garron, Dictionary,com
2. ^ Ewart, J Cossar (1904). "The Multiple Origin of Horses and Ponies". Transactions of the Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland. XVI (1799): 266–267\. Bibcode:1904Natur..69..590.. doi:10.1038/069590a0. S2CID 4005141.
3. ^ Topham, John. A Highland Garron horse ploughing at Coubal, Shetland Archived 2011-09-08 at the Wayback Machine (accessed 2014-10-15)
4. ^ "Highland Tradition | Sports Afield". Retrieved 2023-11-29.
5. ^ Martin, George R. R. (2000). A Storm of Swords. Bantam Spectra. pp. 202. ISBN 0-553-57342-X.
6. ^ "The Tailor and the Three Beasts | An Cartlann". Retrieved 2024-10-04.

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Horse breeds of the British Isles

Horses|

* British Warmblood
* Cleveland Bay
* Clydesdale
* Gypsy
* Hackney
* Irish Draught
* Irish Sport Horse
* Shire
* Suffolk Punch
* Thoroughbred
* Welsh Cob

Ponies|

* British Spotted Pony
* Connemara
* Dales
* Dartmoor
* Eriskay
* Exmoor
* Fell
* Hackney
* Highland
* Kerry Bog
* Lundy
* New Forest
* Shetland
* Welara
* Welsh
* Mountain and moorland pony breeds

Types|

* Cob
* Garron
* Hack
* Hunter
* Windsor Grey

Extinct|

* Galloway pony
* Irish Hobby
* Norfolk Trotter
* Old English Black
* Yorkshire Coach Horse

Horse breeds originating in: United Kingdom, Ireland
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