Dartmoor pony

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The Dartmoor pony roams wild in Dartmoor National Park, Devon, in the United Kingdom. It is closely related to the Exmoor Pony.

Under the breed standard, introduced in 1924, a Dartmoor pony should stand at no more than 12.2hh, and should be bay, brown, black, grey chestnut or roan. Other colours do occur, usually as a result of interbreeding.

Because of the extreme weather conditions experienced on the moors, the Dartmoor is a particularly hardy breed with excellent stamina. Over the centuries it has been used as a working animal by local tin miners and quarry workers.

Despite this, numbers have declined - from an estimated 25,800 in the 1930s to perhaps 5,000 today.

Some are owned and protected by farmers - these animals are usually identifiable by branding. It is illegal for visitors to feed the ponies, although it is a common sight to see ponies being fed snacks through an open car window.

The Dartmoor Pony Moorland Scheme (DPMS) was established in 1988 in a bid to halt the decline in numbers and along with the Dartmoor Pony Society, runs a breeding scheme. The Dartmoor Pony has since been granted Rare Breed status.