Our family is the oldest breeder of Highland Ponies in Scotland as well as being credited with being the Originators of Pony Trekking Holidays. The Ormiston Highland’s Breeding Stud has been in existence for over 150 years in Badenoch. We have been running Riding and Trekking Holidays in Newtonmore since 1952, so we really know how to make you most welcome. At the centre we have a Highland Pony Heritage Display dedicated to our family’s involvement with the breed over the last Century and more.

Anybody involved with Highland Ponies will recognise our families stud names: Gaick, Glentromie, Croila, Strathmashie and Creag Dhubh.

Highland Pony Gaick Mountain Polly below, bred by Ruaridh's great grandfather Edward and shown here by his grandfather Ewan at the Royal Highland Show in 1911 where they got Reserve Champion in the Highland Pony section

The Ormiston family hotel where pony trekking started - The Balavil Arms Hotel, Newtonmore, picture from 1952. On the left Ruaridh's father Cameron and also his grandfather Ewan, pointing.

Jeff the Cowboy leading ponies along Newtonmore Main Street in 1956, The Balavil Hotel is in the background.

The Balavil Arms Hotel as it was in the heydey of Pony Trekking with Ormiston Highland Ponies

Video footage

The links below show video footage from over the years.

Here is a colour one from 1959 on British Pathe News: View Video

This one is Black and White from 1952, the first year of Pony Trekking in Newtonmore: View Video