The Dartmoor Pony
By: Susan Deutermann

 
(Top left is Gummy Bear, top right is Oaktree Starstorm, bottom left is a gray upgraded newtake mare, bottom right is Gummy Bear again.)

The Dartmoor pony is an ancient breed, going back to the Romans using the small brown ponies found on the southwest moors of England.  These were small but very strong and stable ponies and were used in the tin mines, and eventually in the coal mines.  They also were an easy breed to use on small farms that could pull, ride, and didn't take much to feed.  During World War I the breed almost disappeared as they became not only a source of food but were also used as moving targets for artillery .  But fortunately the breed was saved and today they have become, still a rare breed (only about 300 here in the United States), but a successful family pony, that quite often pops up in a second life as a really successful performance pony.  Ponies such as Tracey Morgan's national champion combined driving pair that were 11th at the world championships in Austria, and headed to England to compete once again at the international level.  Farnley Gabrielle, still teaching children to ride at age 20, and many more.

Dartmoors at an upper standard height of 12.2 Hands have held their own as hunter ponies, pony club ponies, in combined driving, dressage, even games and working cows....they start out as the small child's pony and stay in the same family to drive for the parents and grandparents.  Basically Darties are a breed that is sound in mind and body, comes in a small brown wrapper, and  have a wonderfully steady disposition, great bone, and way of going.

The crossbreds have also been busy. Dartmoors bred to Thoroughbreds, Arabians, Morgans, Quarter Horses, etc. produce a good medium to large pony that has the Dartmoor solid disposition, along with that lovely bone and movement. They are useful in a multitude of disciplines from fox hunting to polo. Some of the success stories are Singltree Gypsy Rose (eventing and jumper ponies), Farnley Dolphin, (a welsh cross, very much at the top of the hunter ponies), High Born Taffeta (thoroughbred cross cleaning up with a young rider in the dressage ponies), just to mention a few.

(Shilstone Rocks Mountain Song is pictured left and Moortown Heron right.)