Dartmoor Pony

The Dartmoor pony is a native British pony from Dartmoor in Devon, where small horses have lived and worked on the open moor for centuries. The registered Dartmoor is a distinct breed, although not every free-living pony on Dartmoor is purebred. It is a small, strong riding and driving pony, traditionally no more than about 12.2 hands, with a neat head, deep body, sloping shoulder and sure-footed way of going. Dark solid coats such as bay, brown and black are common, and spotted coloring is generally outside the registered breed standard.

Dartmoors are used for children's riding, harness work, showing and conservation grazing, and many retain the thriftiness needed for rough native pasture. That hardiness can become a management problem on rich grass; weight control and laminitis prevention are routine concerns for owners. Ponies raised semi-feral on the moor may need careful catching, handling and farrier training, while stud-bred ponies are usually prepared more like other children's mounts. Breed societies and moorland herd owners also balance pedigree conservation with the grazing role these ponies still provide.