There are a number of wonderful Charities both on and off Dartmoor who always have Dartmoor Heritage Ponies and Dartmoor Hill Ponies available. Some are for loan, some for sale and some for adoption and sponsorship.
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The charities will take great care to match the right pony to your family or circumstances, with friendly advice, ongoing support and a home check to make sure everything is in place for a successful match.
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Have a look at the list below, each one has a link to the charity website where you can find all the information you need about the work they do and the ponies they have available.
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If you would like to come to Dartmoor to see the ponies, for places to stay, things to do, places to eat and a huge amount of fascinating information about visiting Dartmoor, please see – www.visitdartmoor.co.uk
Our magazine Active Dartmoor has an enormous number of articles on all the fantastic activities you can enjoy doing on Dartmoor while you are here! You can read all issues online free of charge. Have a look! www.activedartmoor.com
DARTMOOR PONY HERITAGE TRUST
The Dartmoor Pony Heritage Trust (Registered Charity No. 1109196) was established in 2005 in response to widespread concern about the viability and long-term survival of the traditional Dartmoor pony on Dartmoor. Based at Bovey Tracey, on the edge of Dartmoor they operate a purpose-built, all-weather visitor and education centre.
SOUTH WEST EQUINE PROTECTION (SWEP)
South West Equine Protection was formed as a charity 20 years ago in response to the demand for a locally based society to follow up concerns about Equine Welfare. Whether the ponies are from the moor, are privately owned or abandoned, we do our utmost to provide advice and assistance.
We have helped hundreds of horses and ponies and with your help will continue to do so.
SWEP is active throughout Devon and Cornwall, regularly assisting other organisations such as the Devon & Cornwall Constabulary (including Horse Watch), DEFRA, Trading Standards Animal Welfare, local Commoners Associations, the Dartmoor National Park and World Horse Welfare.
MARE AND FOAL SANCTUARY
The Sanctuary’s aims are not just to rescue neglected, unwanted or abused horses but to rehabilitate, retrain and eventually rehome them into loving, knowledgeable environments. We also focus on educating the public in matters relating to the welfare of horses and ponies.
In 2005 we finally managed to buy our own place, Honeysuckle Farm in Newton Abbot, which ended 17 years of renting properties for the Sanctuary. This has become our head office and rehabilitation centre and we’re extremely grateful to all of the kind supporters who made this possible.
We have since bought three more farms – our Visitor Centre at Coombe Park in Littlehempston near Totnes, South Manor in Newton Abbot, which is our retirement stables, and Upcott Park near Holsworthy, which is our newest site. The Visitor Centre is our only site open to the public and is open from the Easter weekend until November 1st.
HILL PONY RESOURCES
Hill Pony Resources are a Not for Profit Organisation. We are passionate about the ponies of Dartmoor; Pedigree, Heritage or Hill Pony. We work towards seeing a future for them all for future generations to enjoy. Of all these ponies the Hill Pony is seen as the least valued, our aim is to change that opinion by proving just how wonderful and versatile these ponies can be. Dartmoor Hill Ponies are just as capable as their Pedigree relatives and are just as important to the history of Dartmoor.
DARTMOOR PONY SOCIETY
The Dartmoor Pony is now very sadly recognised as a Rare Breed by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust.
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The Dartmoor Pony Society is the Guardian of the Dartmoor Pony breed, and the official representative of the Pedigree Dartmoor Pony on Dartmoor. It is also the Mother Society of the breed worldwide.