Group: Pony

The Dartmoor Pony is one of the British “Mountain and Moorland” breeds. The Dartmoor has bred and survived in the open tracts of Moorland in the area of the Dart River. It is probable that these ponies are descended from an ancient class of European horse brought to Britain well before the Norman Invasion. They breed naturally, rarely encountering man in their native state and therefore, only the most hearty and fit survive. In captivity, the Dartmoor Pony is gentle if trained when young and often is used as a mount for young riders. Dartmoor Ponies have a reputation as handsome, compact ponies which perform well in field and at show.

Physical Description:
Although the breed is largely “wild” in that it breeds and lives without man’s control, there are a number of qualifications a Dartmoor Pony must satisfy if it is to be registered, once domesticated. It must not exceed 12.2 hands in height. The predominant colors of this breed are bay, brown and black; moreover, oddly colored horses (piebald and skewbald) may not be registered. The Dartmoor Pony is compact and strong. It has a small head with very small ears and alert eyes. The shoulders, back and hind quarters are well-muscled and the tail and mane are abundant.

Origin:
The more remote origin of the Dartmoor Pony is probably traced to ponies brought by migrating people from the continent before the Norman Invasion. The breed, as we know it today is a pony which lives in the county of Devon, England and in the vicinity of the Dart River.

Interesting Facts:
The purity of the Dartmoor Pony breed has for some time been threatened by the introduction of other breeds of ponies – especially the Shetland – to reduce its size so it could be used in the mineral mines so important to Devon’s economy. The efforts of private breeders to spearate the purest examples of the breed and maintain its integrity, however, promise that the breed shall be preserved.

American Shetland Influences:
1. Arabian
2. Welsh
3. Thoroughbred

Breed Organization
For more information, contact:

Dartmoor Pony Society of America
145 Upper Ridgeview Road
Columbus NC 28722
(708)894-5672

The Dartmoor Pony Registry of America
Treasurer/Secretary/Newsletter Editor
Ned Frybarger
295 Upper Ridgeview Road
Columbus, NC 28722
(828)894-5672
http://www.dartmoorpony.com/

American Dartmoor Pony Association