The Plight of the Dartmoor Pony

By Rebecca Gibson

General news

10 January 2011 16:42

Horse & Country TV (Sky 280) is premiering a documentary which gives an insight into the Dartmoor pony and the threats to its future survival. Filmmakers Ian Newton and Jo Barker spent several years working on Dartmoor to create this new programme called -The Plight of the Dartmoor Pony.

The film shows the magic of the breed, the traditional practices that maintain Dartmoor and its ponies, and the work of the people who ensure the survival of this wonderful animal.

Ponies have roamed Dartmoor for at least 3,500 years and over the centuries they have been used for all sorts of tasks, from pulling small wagons and as pack ponies carrying tin from Dartmoor’s many mines through to riding. In the late 1800’s they were popular as polo ponies and after the moors’ mines closed the ponies were left to run wild once again.

Today their numbers are dwindling and a combination of economic pressures and cross breeding with other types of ponies has left the numbers of true Dartmoors at a vulnerable level, whilst pony keepers struggle to make keeping Dartmoor ponies economically viable. 

The documentary also looks at the work undertaken by the Dartmoor Pony Heritage Trust whose work with pony keepers, the National Park and the Forestry Commission is vital in order for the charity to find more ways to promote the breed and to develop new uses for this remarkable pony. 

It also shows how the economic slowdown has impacted on the Dartmoor Pony Heritage Trust’s work that prior to this, was making good headway and was seeing a dramatic increase in the financial value put on the Dartmoor Pony. The programme highlights how pony prices have dropped once more, making the survival of this breed even more critical.

The Plight of the Dartmoor Pony can be seen on Horse & Country TV (Sky 280) on Wednesday 2nd February at 7pm. 

You can find more information about the Dartmoor Pony Heritage Trust at www.dpht.co.uk