[Contributed by Hill Pony Resources Group]
An introduction to Hill Pony Resources Group:
We set up to try and find good homes for Dartmoor Hill Ponies when it is time for them to leave the moor. Before we began promoting the ponies earlier this year they were constantly in the news for the wrong reasons. Due to a lack of control of breeding ponies on the moor many are destined to feed large cats at the zoo and more recently promoted to be developed for meat for human consumption.
We believe the only way forward is to show what these wonderfully diverse ponies are worth and we do not support their use for any meat product. Instead we would like to see improved overall management on the moor to prevent suffering.
Earlier this year we found good homes for 22 hill ponies and so far this autumn we have found homes for 11 ponies – 8 have been reserved before they have even come in from the moor. Homes are checked and we have a network of people throughout the country who are willing to check homes are suitable for the ponies. We also document how we work with the ponies to help people become aware of gentle methods of handling ponies if they decide to rehome straight from market or farm for example.
We hope by concentrating on the positives these ponies can bring this will in turn create a demand for them – this combined with raising awareness of the need to control breeding on the moor we hope that the ponies value will rise again and there will still be a reason to keep them on the moor with none facing a poor ending. We are pleased to be involved with a project which means a group of colts will be returned to the moor in the spring as geldings and as such will have a future grazing on the moor where they belong but not contributing to the overbreeding crisis.
How you can help
We have 7 ponies that we are still looking after until they need a new home and we will have foals coming in for handling before they go out. We volunteer our time and rely on fundraising to support our work which can include feeding over winter (hay and hard feed), wormers, farrier visits and vet injections, petrol for home checks, help with transport costs to get ponies to new homes and also support for our gelding project.
We need help with field chores, & home checks countrywide. People who want to support us can contribute by donating to our paypal account hillponyresources@gmail.com or setting up a direct debit (please contact for account number), collecting stamps (please contact for address) donating hay or items on our Amazon wishlist. You can also sponsor a pony in our care.
Email: hillponyresources@gmail.com Phone 07943556196 for more information
Find us on Facebook by clicking here – keep up to date with all the latest news from us.
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