Dartmoor ponies urgent

[joeanne]

Dartmoor ponies are a registered breed. Dartmoor hill ponies are just heinz 57's that are quite often poorly put together.
Instead of asking people for £60 odd quid to passport and chip, perhaps ask raise money to geld the stallions to reduce the numbers and therefore reduce the amount that are going for meat?

 

[paddy555]

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

I can probably reply to this better than many of you who seem to have had little experience of them. I am currently baby sitting 3 of them before they are chipped and go off to their new homes. Two of them are going as a pair to an excellent home where the owner took one last year and was so impressed with it.

The 3 I am baby sitting were still on Dartmoor this time last week. In the meantime they have been driven in, taken to market where they failed to sell. Moved between 2 different barns and driven down to my stables. They arrived here on Sunday lunchtime. I have spent the past hour sitting on a bin in the stable with the 3 ponies eating hay out of my hands.
The only thing that is stressing and scaring them is that the hay supply might not keep up with their demands.

The fourth foal that I have been baby sitting went to it's new owner today. Having met her she can certainly cope with the foal.
This foal arrived on Sunday, Monday morning (less than 24 hours later) it was very peeved to find it was woken up from it's slumbers at 7am. It was lying down and obviously fancied a lie in!
We loaded her for her journey today. We didn't drive her into the trailer nor drag her in we put the ramp down and she loaded herself.
Stressed? Not really

 

[rhino]

dmhp are great ponies, strangely they always come first in shows, that's clearly down to the bad conformation.

Which shows? None that I go to, so definitely not 'always'... I know one very nice DHP x TB gelding who is a top class pony eventer, can't recall seeing any others competing successfully at affiliated level or even decent RC/PC level.

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

Of course Nobody on here has ever had any experience of them... Why do people always assume that posters don't have very good reasons for preferring other breeds over the DHP?

I worked as the breaker for a lovely lady who took on a few DHPs each year as well as proper Dartmoor ponies, however she stopped a few years ago as nobody wanted them. I have also had a few in to attempt to reschool as they had ended up in very novice homes, who were ever so keen for the kudos of 'rescuing' a poor ickle pony. One family had bought two instead of rabbits as they were cheaper... Not the ponies fault of course, and potentially could have happened to any pony, but when they are so overbred, and so cheap...

 

[Spiritedly]

Dartmoor ponies are a registered breed. Dartmoor hill ponies are just heinz 57's that are quite often poorly put together.
Instead of asking people for £60 odd quid to passport and chip, perhaps ask raise money to geld the stallions to reduce the numbers and therefore reduce the amount that are going for meat?

I think you'll find that HOPE is already doing this, the farmer they work with has already gelded his stallions.

 

[indie999]

I am really glad to hear any pony has found a new home. Mongrel, Heinz etc. My crufts champion pedigree'd dog to the hilt, boy does it have more health issues than my first dog the battersea mongrel that lived for 17 years!

Just glad any of these souls get a home and have a chance in life whatever they are. Breeding snobbery rife eh.

 

[jhoward]

rhino they do in devon, we also have the dhp performance class as devon county huge huge class, qualification is gained at various other shows around the sw.

a friend sells these ponies on, ace87 sister has one, paid well over 1 k for him and hes a real tropper, wins all the time, qualified for the above and takes tiny tots out hunting.

 

[Littlelegs]

Sad as I find it, & much as to me ponies are pets, it really is no different to any other meat animal. I'd much rather something was done, as already mentioned, so that it was humane slaughter or private rehoming, rather than having them carted round sales, for some clueless people to 'rescue' from the meatman.

 

[Spiritedly]

This is my poorly put together DHP, he came off Dartmoor in 2011 and is now 3 1/2.
I've only done one in hand show with him and he came away with a 1st and a 4th so obviously I'm not the only one who thinks his confirmation is ok!

This picture is him with his future jockey, maybe they won't set the PC world on fire, but very few well bred ponies do either, but then I brought him to be my sons pony that he can have fun with and I wasn't aware that to do that he needed to have a pedigree and cost a fortune.

 

[[59851]]

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

I agree with this statement. There are some nice ponies to be had that will go on to make good driving ponies or kids best friends, but the majority are poorly bred little souls who wouldn't make brilliant prospects and for these to go and humanly dispatched for lion feed is the best way for them to go, better than being stuck in a back garden neglected due to ignorance.

 

[mightymammoth]

Just wondering.. Are they bred for meat or do they just need culling as there are so many if them? I would think raising money to geld them rather than this situation time and time again would be better?

 

[mightymammoth]

Then again are they owned or wild?

 

[lastchancer]

Better quality ones should be (and often are) picked up for kids riding ponies or retained for breeding. Poorer quality should (and do)go for meat to prevent further breeding.
And if a few people feel all warm and fuzzy for 'rescueing' a few then good for them.

What's the problem again?

 

[indie999]

This is my poorly put together DHP, he came off Dartmoor in 2011 and is now 3 1/2.
I've only done one in hand show with him and he came away with a 1st and a 4th so obviously I'm not the only one who thinks his confirmation is ok!

This picture is him with his future jockey, maybe they won't set the PC world on fire, but very few well bred ponies do either, but then I brought him to be my sons pony that he can have fun with and I wasn't aware that to do that he needed to have a pedigree and cost a fortune.

Oh a happy ending. Looks nice. Breeding doesnt bother me if its a nice pony thats all that matters, when I got my horse he could have had two heads just glad he was nice type(def a heinz)!

 

[Lynette]

Victoria, They are all owned by various farmers/landowners who have Commoners Rights to run stock on the moors.

However they are also very wild never having had a halter on and the only time of being handled is when they are rounded up in the yearly drift and it is then decided which ones will be returned to winter up on the moors. The weak, old and surplus are then passed onto HOPE, Dartmoor Hill Pony Training Centre or market or finally the lions.

Some can be friendly up on the moors but this is more because they have been in spots where there are holidaymakers who have fed them titbits and then sometimes wonder, when the food runs out, why the pony will turn and either bite or kick them.

Probably the quickest answer to the breeding would be not to turn any stallions out for a couple of years but then you create another problem in that there are no replacements coming through to replace the older herd members. Remember they are used to control the fauna and not a cash crop to the farmer who now with the current financial crisis spends more money putting hay out (some of them do) for the ponies in the winter than the ponies are actually worth.

 

[pip6]

There is a reason why dhp & bhp are not recognised as native breeds. There are distinct herd types, even within each of these 2 groups. The standard can differ wildly. You get a few good ones, a lot are rubbish. They are a cash crop, & if they wont make money are disposed of. Personally I don't think any group of horses that is unable to produce a breed standard should be recognised. All the 'hill pony' bit means is that it was bred/born on the moor, nothing else. If someone said they had a Dartmoor pony you would have a very good idea what it would look like.

Two winters ago a local charity, SWEP, were the main ones out on the moor (especially Bodmin), helping to feed ponies as the farmers couldn't afford to. Ponies were literally starving to death. Farming is a business, the business is to make money, they can't afford to keep them as pets. Pure breds could control the fauna at least as well as these Heinz 57's, after all they have evolved there. Most days I cross Bodmin. There are two herds of ponies, usually close to the A30. To describe them I would say small (under12hh), scrawny, coloured, very poor conformation, always producing more foals.

It's lovely that some find homes, but many do not.

 

[Janesomerset]

My Bodmin Moor pony is 14hh and far from scrawny. Tango's mum, yours is beautiful too. There seem to be three points repeatedly cropping up here. Firstly that a pony has to be pure-bred to be of any use or interest to anybody, which is cobblers. Not everyone wants a show pony. Secondly that people who rescue ponies from markets etc. are ignorant of how to care for them and their ponies will suffer because of that. The H&H News page frequently shows a great deal of equine suffering which has been caused by horse "experts". No names mentioned. Many people who rescue ponies give them a fantastic life. The third point is that too many ponies are being bred, and with that I wholeheartedly agree.

 

[lottiepony]

I know 2 people who took on 2 dartmoor hill pony things

They picked them from photos which I must admit I find slightly insane and there was no home check (I'm based in Suffolk). One came covered in lice - I was the only sensible person on the yard who didn't take my horse up to sniff noses squeal etc as to be honest yes they may of been yarded but I'm not going to risk my girl getting anything!

The problem I find is that a lot go to unsuitable homes and may end up be passed on again. People do not understand the concept of the fact they are wild! They are not 'unhandled' youngsters! They have had very little or no human contact the fact it took one of them over 2 1/2 weeks to get a head collar on hers so he could be turned out does say quite a bit & it wasn't even her that did it in the end!

Yes they do end up a nice ponies but it's the same old moan that there are already hundreds of nice ponies out there.

 

[Tinseltoes]

My Bodmin Moor pony is 14hh and far from scrawny. Tango's mum, yours is beautiful too. There seem to be three points repeatedly cropping up here. Firstly that a pony has to be pure-bred to be of any use or interest to anybody, which is cobblers. Not everyone wants a show pony. Secondly that people who rescue ponies from markets etc. are ignorant of how to care for them and their ponies will suffer because of that. The H&H News page frequently shows a great deal of equine suffering which has been caused by horse "experts". No names mentioned. Many people who rescue ponies give them a fantastic life. The third point is that too many ponies are being bred, and with that I wholeheartedly agree.

Well said.Not all the ponies are scrawny.

 

[AmyMay]

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.

Well the lions have to be fed by something....

 

[indie999]

Well the lions have to be fed by something....

Swill bins were banned years ago and the supermarkets chuck food(they throw it away off the meat counters and dont even offer it to staff) into the bins so why cant they have that then? I think most people are not naive and realise that animals will get eaten whatever they are. But I agree just because its well bred doesnt mean its going to be good. Neighbour had such a well bred horse it was so inbred it was nuts...lost a screw. Look at all the left over racehorses that dont make it. I agree farming is one of the cruelest industrys. Out of sight out of mind. But I personally cannot be that heartless to say that as its a scrub pony its inferior in some way.

 

[q105]

Someone somewhen was looking for a companion shetland....these cant be far from that if size is all that the person wanted. I think its lovely that they nearly all have homes. There are no real suggestions that the ponies should be bought believing they will be ridden at some point. I do understand that they are scrub or whatever ponies....but well done all who have taken one on. Good for you
Q

 

[pip6]

If you'd have seen the ponies left to starve on the moor (yes they are all owned by someone), then you might also think it isn't good to have indiscriminant breeding of ponies of varying quality. If hill ponies were such good animals everyone would be after one. As I said the quality varies hugely, but just being honest in that IMHO most are the very poor end & go for meat. I am genuinely pleased if they find homes. But it's the same situation as over the country where people breed large numbers on the cheap to try & make a few quid.

 

[tango'smum]

My Bodmin Moor pony is 14hh and far from scrawny. Tango's mum, yours is beautiful too. There seem to be three points repeatedly cropping up here. Firstly that a pony has to be pure-bred to be of any use or interest to anybody, which is cobblers. Not everyone wants a show pony. Secondly that people who rescue ponies from markets etc. are ignorant of how to care for them and their ponies will suffer because of that. The H&H News page frequently shows a great deal of equine suffering which has been caused by horse "experts". No names mentioned. Many people who rescue ponies give them a fantastic life. The third point is that too many ponies are being bred, and with that I wholeheartedly agree.

thankyou hes not looking his best anymore.. he has cushings. and hes old ish.. lol.. his mum was a welsh and not sure what his dad was... hes from st breward part of the moor's....

 

[Janesomerset]

thankyou hes not looking his best anymore.. he has cushings. and hes old ish.. lol.. his mum was a welsh and not sure what his dad was... hes from st breward part of the moor's....

He has a beautiful head, very similar to my pony in that respect. All I know about mine is that he went through Hallworthy market.

 

[tango'smum]

He has a beautiful head, very similar to my pony in that respect. All I know about mine is that he went through Hallworthy market.

yes thats where he came from.... around 1996.. was pulled out the meat lorry by his tail as he had fallen over and was being trampled by 20 others...i have had him 11 yrs now.. fab little pony...

 

[PandorasJar]

Someone somewhen was looking for a companion shetland....these cant be far from that if size is all that the person wanted. I think its lovely that they nearly all have homes. There are no real suggestions that the ponies should be bought believing they will be ridden at some point. I do understand that they are scrub or whatever ponies....but well done all who have taken one on. Good for you
Q

A health problem is a health problem, ridden or not. Likewise behavioural. Just because a pony isn't ridden doesn't mean it's any easier to train manners/behaviour initially.

I still think that a lot of these will go to inappropriate homes.

I'm not saying that all will, I have numpty freebies, and am not condeming taking one of these on with genuine knowledge in the slightest. However I think many rescues will end up guilt driven homes, as in the case of puppy farms etc etc. People don't think what they're taking on while being guilt tripped with a very fast approaching deadline.

 

[guesstimation]

The DPTC is not a registered charity but it does take on ponies that need homes, often ones from people who have bought a wild pony at market then have no idea what to do with it! It also advises and provides people with training on how to handle and train a feral foal, much guided by Sarah Weston's book No Fear No Force.

The ponies being shot on the farm by a very good slaughterman is of course far better than their fates in previous years which would be market then transported live often to europe and the organisation is well aware of that. However if the ponies can find nice experienced homes where is the harm in that, I believe all of the first lot have found homes and now the next lot are looking, this is a farmer they've worked with since setting up in 2005 who gelds his ponies and has slowly been reducing his herd, they are also good quality my pony came from him (and most people think he is registered!) and I've had a couple of his in the past too and worked with a fair few of them. OK they aren't registered Dartmoors but then Dartmoor Hill Ponies were on the moors well before the registered Dartmoor was even a recognised breed in one form or another, they've always evolved to what is needed and in demand, Henry VIII tried culling anything under 14hh so they have history, in more recent years we had pit pony stock, coloured took favour, then spotties but now there isn't much market for anything as the whole country is overwhelmed by horses and ponies in need, and of course many were bought by dealers for export which isn't as viable these days. Many types of pony actually couldn't exist on the higher part of the moor it takes a certain hardy type normally the Shetland type to do it and help preserve the higher Dartmoor.

I wish I had the health to get a couple from him as they are good quality ponies he breeds, not saying every farmer on the moor does but HOPE and DPTC are working with farmers who are willing to change and work out what's best for the animals.

I'm not against shooting them on the farm you have to be realistic but to me this farmer's ponies are fab and it seems a waste of a good pony for the lion to get them!

PS. The next lot won't be available until after 7th Nov though do get in touch if you are interested in case homes fall through for others and to reserve. They are being used over a weekend for training so will be having some handling and their personalities will be known a bit more after that for instance the braver or the more timed. Some will probably have a head collar on by the end and some will probably only just be accepting having a person near them touching with a feather duster!

 

[Janesomerset]

yes thats where he came from.... around 1996.. was pulled out the meat lorry by his tail as he had fallen over and was being trampled by 20 others...i have had him 11 yrs now.. fab little pony...

I have had mine for 10 years now. He is a great family pony. He brought the sunshine back into my life after my horse died from grass sickness.
Yours fell on his feet, didn't he! Bless him.

 

[Ibblebibble]

it's the same thing every year, farmers breed the ponies, the do gooders rescue the ponies and promise that the farmer will breed less next year because the money made will pay for castration of a stallion................ but the following year the farmer is still breeding the same amount of ponies and the do gooders line his pockets again It's an endless cycle
i can't see any way forward apart from perhaps rehoming only the best of the ponies, make the farmer take responsibility for the poorly bred stock

 

[nikicb]

it's the same thing every year, farmers breed the ponies, the do gooders rescue the ponies and promise that the farmer will breed less next year because the money made will pay for castration of a stallion................ but the following year the farmer is still breeding the same amount of ponies and the do gooders line his pockets again It's an endless cycle
i can't see any way forward apart from perhaps rehoming only the best of the ponies, make the farmer take responsibility for the poorly bred stock

Couldn't agree more. And there are also all the people who put these pleas out and say "please help these ponies, I would but I don't have the space/time/money (delete as applicable)".

BTW to the posters who think that the ponies are being criticised for being cross breeds, that's certainly not where I'm coming from. 2 out of 3 of my horse/ponies are cross breeds, but they are well put together and certainly my latest purchase was bred to be a certain type/build etc and I have his pedigree. I don't know about my 13.2 as he is 19 and don't know his full history. There will be well put together ponies amongst the groups on Dartmoor, but these are likely to be the exception rather than the rule. I'm not sure how much planning goes into their breeding - it certainly seems to be a rather hit and miss approach.