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Dartmoor Pony
After my long suffering daughter moved away from home for a few years to study in Perth, I bought her a pony she could get on and ride in comfort. Though she was happy to get on the Shetlands, and didn’t complain much, I took pity on her and got her a lovely moving young Dartmoor. When she moves back he’ll be strong enough for her to ride. Following Easter of 2010, Dart will be educated under saddle & in harness by a friend who lives locally & has a number of Clydesdale X's working in harness & under saddle. Perhaps this year Lise may finally get on her pony.
At his foal show in 2008, Dart received first place, champion, & then went on to gain Supreme Pony in Any Other A.P.S.B. breed. We were thrilled at his doing so well as the Dartmoor Pony is only seen infrequently at shows.
Dart at Pakenham Ag. Show on 20/3/2010.
1st: Other Pony Breed, Led Gelding, any age.
RESERVE CHAMPION, Other Pony Breed.
Dart at Glengarry Ag. Show on 5/4/2010.
1st: Led Dartmoor Gelding.
CHAMPION: Led Dartmoor Male.
SUPREME LED DARTMOOR.
1st: Mountain or Moorland Led Show Hunter Hack.
CHAMPION: Led M/M Show Hunter.
We would like to thank Charmaine of Del Haven Lodge Pony Stud for taking Dart out to the shows & handling him for Lise. He has learnt a great deal from Charmaine's expert handling & it is hoped that after his education to saddle & harness he will continue to prove himself in the ring under these disciplines.
Dart has now completed his harness education and is home again. Pictured on his second outing with the stud's co-owner, Liz, and with a family friend joining in on the drive. Dart is very well mannered, though a little green. In time he will settle to being a superb harness pony with easy going strides and a relaxed manner. We are having fun with the boy.
U.K. visit Xmas / New Year 2009
On her first visit to Perth in 2005, Lise met a U.K. lad on holiday from Devon. He subsequently emmigrated to Australia, and this Xmas season of 2009/2010 saw them travel to the U.K. for her first white Xmas in Devon. Before leaving the U.K. Lise went up to the moors to see the semi-wild ponies near Haytor, and took photos of the very shaggy creatures. Lise's Dart at home isn't very much like the native ponies on the moor, but then again, their lifestyle is very different to what our Dartmoors have here in Australia. Enjoy these photos of the native Dartmoors in their winter woollies up on the moors of Devon.
THE DARTMOOR PONY AT HOME
History
The Dartmoor is the native pony breed of the county of Devon in the South West of England. The ponies have been recorded living on the wild and unhospitable moors of Dartmoor since the Middle Ages. The ponies have the metabolism to prosper in the tough and uncompromising conditions they have to contend with. The ponies have an exceptional temperament and breeders have long realized their potential as children's ponies with the ability to make wonderful companions, give endless fun, and if required compete and succeed in all spheres of competition.
There are many ponies living on Dartmoor, all sizes and colours, most of unknown breeding. The true to type Dartmoor Pony with known breeding is recognized as a rare breed by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust and is typical of the ponies seen in the show ring at County Shows throughout the United Kingdom.
Heritage Ponies
These ponies are unregistered true to type ponies who have been given Heritage Trust List (HTL) status. They remain unregistered unless they enter, if approved and meet certain criteria, the Dartmoor Pony Society/Duchy of Cornwall Upgrading Scheme.
HTL status was granted several years ago to The Dartmoor Heritage Trust, a charity not connected with the Dartmoor Pony Society, to allow farmers on Dartmoor to obtain payments to assist them to retain their unregistered but true to type herds on the Moor.
Information on the Dartmoor breed per Dartmoor Pony Society
