The future of the Dartmoor hill pony is secure following weeks of campaigning by allies of the native ponies.
New protections and financial support mean that the ponies are no longer at threat of extinction.
Last month, Your Horse reported fears that new rules could lead to up to 90% of the population being lost.
Under proposed new grazing contracts, livestock numbers were to be drastically reduced and ponies included alongside other animals in the overall count.
However, on Wednesday (15 July) the government announced that Dartmoor hill ponies will be removed from stocking rate calculations in new Environmental Management agreements, so that farmers do not face a choice between keeping ponies and maintaining sheep or cattle.
The Friends of the Dartmoor Hill Pony had been campaigning against the new grazing contracts, and their petition attracted hundreds of thousands of signatures.
“We would like to thank the Secretary of State for listening to over 220,000 people who care about the future of the semi-wild Dartmoor hill pony herds,” said Charlotte Faulkner, Chair of the Friends of the Dartmoor Hill Pony and the Dartmoor Hill Pony Association.
“This will support Dartmoor’s biodiversity, culture and tourism, keeping Dartmoor as we know and love it for generations to come.”
Pony numbers will also be monitored across the moor to ensure they remain stable.
A new dedicated pony supplement will be introduced into farming schemes to remove any financial incentive to reduce pony populations.
In addition, the government has asked the Dartmoor Land Use Management Group to develop a whole-moor grazing framework ensuring all interests are considered together.
“Natural England has always been clear that Dartmoor’s ponies play a central role in shaping the landscape and supporting nature, and we want to see them continue to do so,” said Marian Spain, Natural England Chief Executive.
“The government policy changes will enable us to work with farmers to secure the agreements we need to recover nature on Dartmoor.
“We will continue to work with Dartmoor Land Use Managers Group and other local groups on the new framework to ensure a healthy, sustainable future for Dartmoor.”
The new pony supplement will also benefit those grazing ponies on other upland areas in England, such as Exmoor and the Cumbrian Fells.
If eligible, they will be able to apply for the supplement, recognising the wider role ponies play in conservation grazing across England’s landscapes.
“This announcement gives pony keepers the reassurance they need that Dartmoor’s native pony populations are a valued and essential part of the ecology and culture of Dartmoor,” added Phil Stocker, Chair of the Dartmoor Land Use Management Group.
“It aligns fully with the DLUMG’s work, where we are running trials to build the evidence that well-managed ponies, cattle and sheep can improve habitat condition and benefit nature more widely.”
Lead image by Shutterstock
