Dartmoor ponies urgent

[indie999]

http://dptcrehoming.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/list-of-ponies-urgently-needing-homes.html

If anyone can rehome one of these fellas or filly? Its all quite self explanatory but urgent or they are off to the lions. Crazy.

 

[s4sugar]

These are not Dartmoor ponies.
They are scrub ponies that happen to be on Dartmoor -big difference.

 

[Dolcé]

These are not Dartmoor ponies.
They are scrub ponies that happen to be on Dartmoor -big difference.

They are still ponies in desperate need of homes and they make lovely kids ponies with a bit of work!

Just been looking at these, the stallion is gorgeous and they are offering to castrate, hope he gets sorted somewhere safe, I reckon the mares will be ok I am soo tempted.

 

[indie999]

These are not Dartmoor ponies.
They are scrub ponies that happen to be on Dartmoor -big difference.

I am no expert on Dartmoor and it doesnt interest me as they are just ponies all the same to me.

Should castrate something then shouldnt they? What is a scrub pony?

 

[rhino]

Dartmoor hill ponies.

Should we also 'save' all cows/sheep/pigs that go for slaughter? These ponies are bred knowing that the most likely market for them is as meat ponies.

Not sure why it's 'crazy', sorry

 

[Tinseltoes]

Awwww hope they find homes soon.

 

[nikicb]

It is very sad for the ponies involved. But what happens when they sell or are rehomed? Another lot will come along. Sadly the UK is overwhelmed with poorly bred ponies with little or no future. That doesn't mean for an instant that I don't care about the individuals, but something has to be done to stop people breeding poor quality stock.

 

[indie999]

They are still ponies in desperate need of homes and they make lovely kids ponies with a bit of work!

Just been looking at these, the stallion is gorgeous and they are offering to castrate, hope he gets sorted somewhere safe, I reckon the mares will be ok I am soo tempted.

I know I agree someone has been trying to tempt me to have a couple but am a bit undecided etc, only just lost old boy. We like the stallion beautiful, doesnt look too scrubby to me but very pretty. I just thought it was worth putting the link on to let anyone else know, I wish I had put it on earlier when more may be looking. I know there are so many. Makes me feel so sorry and I have an empty field doing nothing.urgh.

 

[Oliver12]

Dartmoor hill ponies.

Should we also 'save' all cows/sheep/pigs that go for slaughter? These ponies are bred knowing that the most likely market for them is as meat ponies.

Not sure why it's 'crazy', sorry

I was thinking that pretty much myself. Every time I go to pick up my hay from the farm I look into the beautiful liquid eyes of the beef cattle being fattened up in their pens. Such inquisitive and gentle creatures and what is their future.

Lions need to eat meat wherever it comes from.

 

[Jools1234]

tin hat donned

I really don't get what is wrong with these ponies being humanley shot and fed to the lions, they have led a happy, natural life and have been herded of the moor and if they have never been handled will now be stressed and scared, so many like this are taken onby well meaning idiots who a few weeks or months down the line cant cope with them or afford them, at least if they are not passed on there is no risk thet thye will ever suffer

 

[Dolcé]

Dartmoor hill ponies.

Should we also 'save' all cows/sheep/pigs that go for slaughter? These ponies are bred knowing that the most likely market for them is as meat ponies.

Not sure why it's 'crazy', sorry

I do agree with this really but it isn't nice thinking of in foal mares being slaughtered, I can't help being soft. Apparently the zoo takes 800, mainly foals, a year, and they are slaughtered on the farm as opposed to being dragged to markets by bin end dealers - this has got to be the better option for them. I would like to think that they will be bought and given nice homes though, and the stallion is a lovely boy!

 

[indie999]

It seems a nice organisation who are trying to help without being judgemental. I was sent it earlier today as I have an empty field etc. I am just being soft too. Crazy as they should castrate, mongrel or not I am not fussed. Whatever takes your fancy. I think they will castrate the stallion for you if anyone was interested as we enquired(or the person trying to persuade me) UM! Oh well, at least a few have found new homes.

 

[Bikerchickone]

This might sound harsh but these ponies are bred for meat, and even if these ones are 'saved' others will soon be taking their place.

As someone else said their situation seems far better than those who are taken to slaughter and terrified the whole time. I'm as soft as the next person but we have to be realistic.

 

[nikicb]

It seems a nice organisation who are trying to help without being judgemental. I was sent it earlier today as I have an empty field etc. I am just being soft too. Crazy as they should castrate, mongrel or not I am not fussed. Whatever takes your fancy. I think they will castrate the stallion for you if anyone was interested as we enquired(or the person trying to persuade me) UM! Oh well, at least a few have found new homes.

But what happens to the spaces they create by rehoming some of their ponies? This isn't a charity or a rescue.

 

[indie999]

oh dear here we go moral alert.

If you dont want one dont have one. Please dont tell me whats right or wrong I know. Dogs homes, Cat homes etc etc It will continue. At least they PTS before getting trawled through markets etc.

Please write to your MP if you dont like this carry on. As it will carry on. Or just post on the forum to say its not going to stop. So that it can continue.

 

[mandwhy]

I agree Oliver12 I think cows are lovely too :-(

I wouldn't mind a companion pony though, common or not!

 

[Dolcé]

The fact is that hundreds of DHP end up in auctions all over the country around this time of year, dragged around by bin end dealers from sale to sale. If these people can help a few get good homes then good on them, they are obviously not making a profit from them. The places will be filled by more, I would imagine this is down to the farmers allowing them time to rehome before they go to slaughter.

What needs to happen in the case of DHP is, if they are to be farmed for meat, they should be controlled in the same way that cattle, pigs and sheep are, the sales to bin end dealers should be stopped and they should be sent straight to slaughter at the appropriate time. I could live with this, I quite 'like' the thought of them being used to feed the lions at the zoo, it seems like at least they were useful. If they had a good life then it is fair enough but why do they have to be dragged around the country and put through the sales rings before ending up in a slaughterhouse anyway, it is beyond me!

 

[indie999]

Bumping

 

[Lynette]

Can I also mention the point that although these ponies mostly do end up in the lion food chain there is also a purpose to them being bred. Dartmoor would not be Dartmoor without them.

You come down on holiday and see a wonderful wild area and this is because of the sheep and ponies that graze it. Without these animals to control the fauna it would not be the wonderful walking, riding area it is.

Believe me the farmers have cut down on the numbers that are bred as I can remember going to the Tavistock Sales when it would take all day to get through the numbers presented for sale rather than just the couple of hours it now takes and the fate of these ponies was largly just the same. I use to buy a couple every year, worm and halter break them and they would go on to make good children's riding ponies.

I attended the sales and had a very well dressed lady come up to me to ask that if she brought some would I take them back up on the moors to release them. She knew nothing about Commoners Rights or to the fact that she, in her own way, was signing these ponies over to a much slower death through lack of food up on the moors in winter.

 

[Janesomerset]

I have a Bodmin Moor pony on permanent loan from a horse rescue charity. I guess he is what you could call a scrub pony. I wish I knew how to post photos on here, as he is stunning and I have had many compliments on his good looks and great temperament. I am not a well meaning idiot. I wanted a young pony to bring on myself (having had a youngster before) and wanted to loan from a charity rather than buy. It makes my blood boil when people make snide remarks about cross-breed ponies. Interestingly, we had the Chariots of Fire display team at our local Country Fair in July. The lady who owns the team says her Dartmoor Hill rescue ponies are the best she has ever had for her displays.
I do agree that far too many ponies are being bred at the moment, whether they be scrub ponies or show ponies. Times are hard for many people - I would love another pony but can only afford one, sadly. I think it's the same for a lot of people.

 

[indie999]

Bump as another thread posted

 

[PandorasJar]

A new lot will replace them and a series of incapable people will buy them out of a guilt trip. Not the way to help a pony.

Have to agree with others here, they're meat horses, same as cows, pigs etc. At least in this instance they've had far more of a life than many farm animals. If you want a campaign look into intensive pig farming.

 

[rascal]

A new lot will replace them and a series of incapable people will buy them out of a guilt trip. Not the way to help a pony.

Have to agree with others here, they're meat horses

I agree totally with this.
If the breeders want to sell these ponies at a better price, as anything other than pet/lion food then they should improve the quality of the ponies. Alot of them have awful conformation and no one is going to buy such a pony to keep for 4 years until they can be broken to ride/drive. The sort of people who "rescue" a little pony very often dont have the experience and knowledge to back and school them and end up with one that needs rescuing from them.

 

[SarahWeston]

It's not correct to say that the majority of these ponies have conformational problems, most are absolutely fine and they are strong and tenacious ponies.

Many of the farmers involved in breeding these ponies and therefore conserving an important national park are reducing the number of mares that they have (hence the recent advertisements by the DPTC) and are turning out geldings instead (something that people didn't think would work given the herd dynamics but they are now giving it a go).

The two organisations HOPE and the DPTC both seek to ensure that these ponies do go to good, knowledgeable and responsible homes, thereby avoiding the lottery of the sales or the finality of the meat man. The new owners do a great job of bringing these ponies round and the ponies are very good at knowing which side their bread is buttered. I give support to many of those owners and know just how much pleasure they get from their ponies.

Working with a raw pony is also a fantastic way of learning just how much our body language and energy play a part in our relationship with horses - perhaps everyone should have one!!

 

[rascal]

Then the ponies you have seen are different from the ones i have seen on dartmoor, also different to the poor things i have seen going from one sale to another as no one wants them.

 

[bugbee717]

Hear hear Sarah dmhp are great ponies, strangely they always come first in shows, that's clearly down to the bad conformation. These ponies have a job on the moor, more should be done to promote what fab ponies they are. Yes we can talk about over breeding, but that is happening in all different horse breeds, how many tb are not sound because of conformation issues.

 

[rascal]

It is very sad for the ponies involved. But what happens when they sell or are rehomed? Another lot will come along. Sadly the UK is overwhelmed with poorly bred ponies with little or no future. That doesn't mean for an instant that I don't care about the individuals, but something has to be done to stop people breeding poor quality stock.

Clearly im not the only one who thinks they are not well bred.

 

[SarahWeston]

I doubt many people have actually seen that many Dartmoor Hill Ponies.

 

[tango'smum]

this is my bodmin moor pony....saved from the meatman..

 

[tango'smum]

we went to dartmoor sunday.. didnt se any dartmoors.. mostly cross breeds... little shetland types.... bodmin moor is mostly welsh cross. the farmer had a lovely sec D stallion running....