Breed	Dartmoor
Alternative Name(s)	N/A
Place of Origin	Dartmoor & Devon, England
Type	Pony
Approximate Height	12.2 hh.
Color Variations	Bay & Brown
Blood Temperature	Warm
Uses	Under-Saddle
Characteristics	Willing, Athletic & Kind

Dartmoor Pony History & Origin
The Dartmoor has ancient roots and has had a challenging past, which nearly resulted in the extinction of the breed a number of times. The Dartmoor is one of England's native pony breeds and for centuries has lived in a semi-wild state in the open moorlands of Dartmoor in Devon. Although they can still be seen there, the majority of the ponies are now kept and bred in private stables.

Through time the Dartmoor pony has been noted for its excellent qualities and abilities, including a natural jumping ability. It has benefited further during the 20th century from infusions of blood from a variety of other breeds. Significant contributions to the modern Dartmoor pony came from the Arabian stallion Dwarka, foaled in 1922, and his son The Leat, as well as the Welsh Mountain pony Dinarth Spark. The Dartmoor suffered severely from 1789 to 1832, which saw the birth of the industrial revolution.

The breed was infiltrated greatly by Shetland blood to produce suitable pit ponies, which resulted in a decrease of good, pure-bred stock. Revived through the use of Welsh Mountain ponies and Fell stallions, the breed again suffered large losses during WWI. The Second World War almost saw the breed's extinction as its natural habitat was taken over by the army for training exercise. Luckily it was saved and today good quality.

Area of Breeding
Dartmoors ponies are bred in Britain, Europe, and in North America, and are often used as a basis for the Riding Pony.

Dartmoor Pony Uses
The breed makes an ideal children’s mount, but it is also quite capable of carrying an adult. With their natural jump and good movement, they are used for hunting, showing, and jumping, and are also excellent driving ponies.

Dartmoor Pony Breed Standard

Height:	Not Exceeding 127 cm. (12.2hh.)
Color:	Bay, brown, black, grey, chestnut, roan. Piebalds and Skewbalds are not allowed. Excessive white markings should be discouraged.
Neck & Head:	The head should be small with large kindly eyes and small alert ears .It should be well set on a good neck of medium length. The throat and jaws should be fine and showing no signs of coarseness or throatiness. Stallions to have a moderate crest.
Shoulders:	Good shoulders are most important. They should be well laid back and sloping, but not too fine at the withers.
Body:	Of medium length and strong, well ribbed up with a good depth of girth giving plenty of heart room.
Loin & Hindquarters:	Strong and well covered with muscle. The hind quarters should be of medium length and neither level nor steeply sloping. The tail is well set up.
Limbs:	The hocks should be well let down with plenty of length from hip to hock, clean cut and with plenty of bone below the hock. They should have a strong second thigh. They should not be 'sickled' or 'cow-hocked'. The forelegs should not be tied at the elbows. The fore-arm should be muscular and relatively long and the knee fairly large and flat at the front. The cannons should be short with ample good, flat, flinty bone. The pasterns should be sloping but not too long. The feet should be hard and well shaped.
Movement:	Low and straight coming from the shoulder with good hock action but without exaggeration.
General:	The mane and tail should be full and flowing. The Dartmoor is a very good looking riding pony, sturdily built yet with quality.

*References:
- Dartmoor Pony Society, England
- The Encyclopedia of Horses & Ponies. Tamsin Pickeral.

Dartmoor Pony Breeders
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