Article by Linda Digby, Executive Director of the Atlas Coal Mine National Historic Site outside Drumheller, Alberta, Canada

Drumheller coal miners weren’t alone as they laboured underground. They worked side by side with pit ponies. These little Belgian or Shetland ponies were bred for working in the confines of a mine, and ranged in size from farmyard standard down to the size of a large dog.

The pit ponies worked eight hour shifts, just like the men, and were an important part of the haulage crew. Their job was to haul empty coal cars to the miners for filling, and haul loaded cars out of the mine. Most of the Drumheller mines used ponies on haulage, sometimes in combination with electric locomotives.

The ponies lived in an underground stable, and were generally well looked after. The stables were warm and dry, with plenty of food and water. Some underground stables even had electric lights, a luxury the miners themselves lacked. The stable boss was charged with their care.Pony drivers were charged with keeping the ponies moving, so no miner ever had to wait for an empty coal car. Drivers rode on the front bumper of the lead car, as there is no seat on a coal car. A pony might pull 6 to 8 tons of coal on each trip.

Just like the men, every pony had its own personality. Some were keen on pulling cars, and some preferred a life of idleness. An effective way to motivate a pit pony was with food. A driver might sacrifice the treats in his own lunch to inspire his animal to work harder. Some ponies were fond of apples and oranges. Some liked pie. For others, it was the pickle. A spoiled pony might kick over the miner’s lunch pail and select his own treat, without waiting to be offered one.

Ponies spent all winter underground, and sometimes, the whole year. The Drumheller mines produced domestic coal, used for heating homes in the winter. When the weather warmed up in the spring and people stopped buying coal, the mine was shut down for the summer. This meant no work for the miners, or the ponies. In many cases, the stable boss moved the ponies to an outdoor summer pasture, where he looked after them until the mine opened up again in the fall. He took care to protect their eyes when he brought them out of the dark into the bright sunshine. Sometimes he wrapped the eyes in rags, and removed one layer at a time.

Although life in the pits sounds unkind, many miners will swear the ponies were looked after much better than they were. They speak with affection of ponies they knew: Strawberry, Turk, Johnny, Spider and many others.

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Copyright 2006 Drumheller Community Futures and the Atlas Coal Mine National Historic Site