The Connemara pony looks like getting a new lease of life on Clare Island, Co Mayo, under a project proposed by a group of island women.
The scheme is viewed as an alternative form of animal husbandry and will involve the breeding of the traditional west of Ireland ponies for sale and export.
An application for initial funding towards the establishment of "a Connemara pony co-operative" and for initial running costs has been made to the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs through the island's development co-operative.
"Our intention is to establish an excellent breed of the ponies and to sell their foals each year," said Ms Gráinne Kelly. "Over the years the Connemara pony has been cross-bred and many of those with a good pedigree have been exported. We want to redress this."
The islanders, who are being advised by the Connemara Pony Society, recently spent a day at Drumindoo Stud, near Westport, refining their basic riding skills and improving their knowledge of pony husbandry. The course was funded from the Community Education Budget of the Mayo Vocational Education Committee.
Ms Ciara Cullen, an island farmer and former chairman of the island's co-operative, Clare Island Community Co-operative Ltd, said that "traditional farming on the small island farms has become increasingly difficult with so many EU restrictions and, therefore, creative measures are necessary".
"We view our project as sustainable 'alternative agriculture' and we are very encouraged by the huge interest the island children and teenagers have taken in the idea."
It is hoped a pony club will eventually be established. However, Ms Cullen said that pony-trekking for tourists is not an option in the short term because of prohibitive insurance costs.