Statement from The Exmoor Pony Society. The Society has worked for almost 100 years to conserve, preserve and promote the registered Exmoor pony running in free-living herds on the moor and throughout the UK and abroad. Established by the moorland breeders, the Society has continued to uphold the original intention to breed a pony true to type whose parents are registered in the studbook which was closed in 1962. Today over 500 ponies are owned by the moorland breeders and responsible breeding practices introduced over the past ten years have seen the number of foals born to a sire and dam registered in the stud book decrease in line with the policy put forward by the welfare and equestrian organisations. Coupled with this the Society is working to bring back bloodlines that were sold away from the moor during the past thirty or so years as the popularity of this rare native breed increased. Thus a careful balance is maintained between keeping herds on the moor to carry out their conservation grazing role (non-breeding herds) and herds looking to breed carefully to maintain the small genetic pool. Working with the moorland herd owners, its members and its owners, the Society promotes the breed through its network of Area Representatives, by reporting on the activities of its members and owners, attending shows and events and writing articles. The role of the Moorland Mousie Trust established in 2000 has also assisted moorland herd owners by taking foals and placing them in to conservation grazing projects and promoting the pony by providing direct contact with the ponies at the Exmoor Pony Centre. Interest in this year’s autumn gatherings and in the possible purchase of moorland and in-ground foals is high and with several promotional events coming up over the next few weeks, it is hoped that interest can be turned into sales for both conservation grazing projects and as riding and showing ponies. There are currently 4,500 registered Exmoor ponies worldwide with flourishing daughter societies in Sweden and Germany who also promote the Exmoor pony. Guardians of the Breed since 1921 Conserving and preserving Exmoor’s heritage
Posted on: Mon, 29 Sep 2014 19:27:17 +0000
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