The Native Pony, Mountain & Moorland Pony Enthusiasts Community

The Native Pony Enthusiasts Community - Hamlet's House

The Dartmoor Pony

Height
Not to exceed 12.2hh.

Colour
Most commonly bay, brown, grey and black. Occasionally chestnut
and roan are seen.

Markings
Excessive white markings are discouraged.

Build
Body should be of medium length, with good depth throughout the chest, and ribs well-sprung.
The shoulder should be sloping, and withers well defined. Hindquarters should be strong, well muscled and of medium length. Legs should be short, with good bone and hard well-shaped feet. Head should be small and neat, with large kind eyes and small ears.

Movement
Low and straight coming from the shoulder; with good, but not undue, hock action.

Trimming rules for showing
Manes and tails should be long, natural and flowing, no pulling or thinning is permitted.
The jaw line, outer ear hair, and ends of tail may be trimmed. Working ponies may be body clipped, no trimming or clipping of the legs is permitted.

History
The Dartmoor pony is thought to be one of the most ancient breeds, native to the High Moors of Devon. Once caught from the moor and and tamed, they were commonly used as a pack ponies for the tin industry; carrying tin from mines to the nearby towns. The subsequent closure of the mines saw many ponies turned back out to the moors, some were kept for farming duties, tillage and transport.

The rough, rocky terrain, sparse grazing and bleak unfiorgiving climate of the Dartmoor Hills has ensured that only the toughest survive. This environment has produced a sure-footed, small, but strong and hardy pony.

After the first world Dartmoor ponies reduced to such dangerously low numbers that foreign blood had to be introduced to save the breed from extinction.

The aftermath of the Second World War saw numbers further reduced, to just 28 ponies.
Local breeder Miss Calmady-Hamlyn worked hard to save the Dartmoor pony.
With support from local farmers and breeders they strived to increase their numbers; by the 1950s numbers had increased significantly. At present there are over 200 Dartmoor ponies registered each year. Over the years the Dartmoor pony's unique qualities have seen them contribute a strong influence upon breeding of the British Riding pony.

Some herds of Dartmoor ponies still roam free on the moors; they are a valued part of the conservation process. They help to keep tree invasion at bay, and the gorse under control, far better than any other animal. A number of these ponies are not pure Dartmoors, being a mix of other breeds. This is why you may see dun or coloured ponies; these are known as Dartmoor Hill Ponies and should not be confused with pure bred Dartmoor ponies.

The Dartmoor ponys calm temperament and friendly nature make them an excellent choice for a child’s first pony. Their natural, surefooted jumping ability ensures their popularity as mounts for childrens jumping competition and pony club activities. Thanks to the Dartmoor pony's strength and build they are easily capable of carrying small adults; they are a common sight in showing classes. Today the Dartmoor pony has gained such popularity world wide that breed societies have been set up in France, Germany, Sweden, Australia, Canada, and the U.S.

Breed Society
www.dartmoorponysociety.com

Did you know?
The first evidence of ponies on Dartmoor dates from 200BC, where hoof prints were found at Shaugh Moor within the boundaries of a Bronze Age settlement.

The Rare Breeds Survival Trust currently recognises the Dartmoor pony as 'Vunerable'.

One of the earliest recorded references to the Dartmoor pony is in the will of a Saxon Bishop, Awlfwold of Crediton, who died in 1012.

In 1950 there were around 30,000 ponies on Dartmoor. There are now just 800.

At the start of the Century, officials from the High Security Dartmoor Prison, in Princetown, were raising good quality (though unregistered) ponies. Prison guards would use the ponies when escorting work parties from the prison to work in the quarries. This continued until the 1960's.

Time line
1899 - Dartmoor ponies were registered in the Polo Pony Society Stud Book.
1925 - Dartmoor Pony Society (DPS) formed.
1957 - The last acceptance of ponies of unknown breeding into the stud book; all ponies to have registered Dartmoor parents to be accepted.
1962 - A Supplementary Register was opened for the grading, of Dartmoor ponies without registered breeding.
1972 - Number of registered ponies rose to 331.
1979 - First Dartmoor Pony Society Stud Book published.
1985 - Swedish Dartmoor Pony Society, Svenska Dartmoorsällskapet, formed.
1998 - The Rare Breeds Survival Trust recognises the Dartmoor Pony as a Rare Breed, classed in the Vulnerable category.

Hamlet's House - The Native Pony Community

The Native Pony Enthusiasts Community - Hamlet's House™