Fell Ponies hail from northern England and the Scottish border. Large animals could not survive in the wild without extra forage, so by natural selection the breed remained a pony. Early influences probably included foreign horses used by Roman mercenaries, and the now extinct Galloway Pony. In fact, old farmers still sometimes refer to a Fell as a Galloway. Bred to be work ponies, they were utilized for sheparding, pack ponies, farm work, transportation, pit ponies and trotting races.

Fells today are black, bay , brown and gray, the latter adopted by Cistercian Monks as a sign of their order in the 16th century. They are renowned for their ground-covering trot, thick leg feathering and untrimmed mane and tail. The lay of their shoulder makes them a comfortable long distance riding mount and the soundness of limb and foot makes them trouble-free competitors for driving, jumping or dressage.

The Fell Pony Society was formed in 1916 with Queen Elizabeth II herself as its Patron. The Queen of England is a knowledgable breeder of the ponies and her husband, Prince Philip, often competes in driving events with a four-in-hand.