Artist
Rhonda Snow
the Native Pony
Original artwork
Rhonda Snow is an Anishinaabe artist from Fort Frances and has recently finished a series of paintings of Native Ponies.
prints
Prints can be purchased directly from Rhonda. Please email to obtain pricing and availability of the print of interest.
Gifts & Greeting Cards
View hand made gift sets and custome hand crafted items. Coming Soon.
the return of the NATIVE PONY
- Annishinabe artist Rhonda Snow is the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from Rare Breeds Canada for her tireless work preserving the Native Ponies. Her vivid Woodlands style canvases captivate viewers and share the knowledge she has gained from the Elders about the NATIVE PONY from the Bush and playing an important role in the comeback of the breed from near-extinction.
LONG AGO the Rhonda uncovered the evidience (one Example) she was on a radio series and the Late Larry Aiken explained the the Native pony was documented in the birch Bark scrolls and we not inductued by the Spainards”He stated they were indegious and native to this land.
Also when Rhonda was young she heard the loggers telling stories of (they said indian ponies) while having coffee and she listened and understood.
With the decades of reserach Rhonda had uncovered these little Ponys are rich with history and needed to be celebrated for what they are – Native Ponys that were always here and lived free the wild but choosing on thier own to help people. She knew what she needed to do , share with the world and she did!
The Storys Rhonda listened to tell a compelling truth of the relationship such a good relationsip with Native people because they were true relatives!
Rhonda is currently working intensively with breeders to help understand a purpose and establish educational and equine-assisted learning programs that feature The Native Pony life free on the Land .
She is also actively researching the history of the breed, interviewing elders and knowledge keepers to collect stories of how Indigenous peoples related to the Native Pony before and after contact with Europeans.
Rhonda works intensively with breeders to help establish educational and equine-assisted learning programs featuring the Native Ponies.
She is also actively researching the history of the breed, offering her thoughts about someday having natural preserves to help the Native Pony to be rewilded.
After decades of living along side herds of Native Ponys, listening to elders and knowledge keepers Rhonda painted the stories (on hides, rock and canvas) of how Indigenous peoples lived with the Native Ponys both before and after contact with Europeans.
Rhonda remembers how she felt when she finally found where the Ponys went and will never forget how she felt when she finally found them. They were not horses THEY WERE PONYS.
Rhonda hopes they will never be horses with human influcencing their size increasing, it could happen with Colonialism. The Native Pony can be a powerful healers because they were originally born free.
The Native Pony was land raised not like domestic animals that share certain physical features that are unique, like small in size, full spirit ponies from the wild.
Colonial influence in the breeding can change the Native Pony. It all depending on human purposes that specific reasons that they are domesticated for.
This is opposite than born wild and could change their originality to become bigger size and traits human consider important. HOWEVER this could very much change the traits needed to live in the wild again if not considered.
A wild animal can be strong enough to live independently of people. While domestication in close association with people will cause the bush ponys to rely on humans for food shelter and medication.
Domestic animals can share certain physical features as well, changes in teeth, ears and even smaller brains. Human influsence can change a once small spirited pony of the wild into livestock.
Rhonda Snow is an Anishinaabe artist from Fort Frances and has recently finished a series of paintings of Native Ponies which will be shown in partnership with the Symphony shows by sharing her art and the storys that are the Featured Production.
About Rhonda
toAnishinabe artist Rhonda Snow is the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from Rare Breeds Canada for her tireless work preserving the Native Pony breed. Her vivid Woodlands style canvases captivate viewers and share the knowledge she has gained from the Elders about the “small horses of the big woods”. She has personally cared for Native Ponies, playing an important role in the comeback of the breed from near-extinction.
Rhonda has created a book called The Trail of the Native Pony that has vivid woodland style painting and is a delightful introduction to the Native Ponys history and experiences helping humans shared personally by people who lived along side them when they were born free, stories she experienced also. This book is a step on the Native Pony Trail that can start a healing Jounery that can help see and prioritize listening to the language of all things wild, learning from the stories,that will open the value of the wild for all ages.