Farmers handed new support to keep ponies on Dartmoor

Dartmoor ponies will no longer count towards livestock limits in new environmental agreements, as ministers move to protect the moor’s historic herds from future decline.

Around 900 to 1,500 ponies currently graze Dartmoor, where they form an important part of the landscape, farming system and cultural heritage.

Under the policy change, ponies will be removed from stocking-rate calculations in new Environmental Management agreements.

This is intended to prevent farmers and commoners from having to reduce sheep or cattle numbers in order to continue keeping ponies.

The move implements recommendation 27 of the 2023 Fursdon Review, which called for ponies and cattle to be treated separately when livestock limits are calculated under government farming schemes.

Pony numbers will also be monitored across Dartmoor, with the government committing to maintain populations at least at their current level.

A dedicated pony supplement is to be introduced through farming schemes to remove any financial incentive to reduce herd numbers.

Details including the payment rate, eligibility requirements and application timetable were not included in the announcement.

The new supplement will not be limited to Dartmoor, with eligible pony keepers on Exmoor, the Cumbrian Fells and other English uplands also expected to benefit.

Ministers said the support recognised the wider role ponies play in conservation grazing across England’s upland landscapes.

Dartmoor Hill Ponies are classified by Defra as an at-risk Native Heritage Semi-Feral population.

Along with Pedigree Dartmoor ponies, they already qualify for some Environmental Land Management support for threatened native breeds and moorland grazing.

The animals help manage vegetation and shape protected habitats, but the debate over Dartmoor grazing has focused on achieving the right balance between ponies, cattle and sheep.

Too much or too little grazing can affect habitat condition, while significant reductions in livestock can threaten the viability of commoning and hill farming businesses.

Around 28% of Dartmoor is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest, although large areas of the moor remain in long-term ecological decline.

Natural England chief executive Marian Spain said the ponies remained central to both the character of Dartmoor and its environmental management.

“Natural England has always been clear that Dartmoor’s ponies play a central role in shaping the landscape and supporting nature, and we want to see them continue to do so.”

She said the changes would help Natural England work with farmers to secure agreements aimed at restoring habitats across the moor.

The government has also asked the Dartmoor Land Use Management Group to develop a whole-moor grazing framework.

This is expected to consider pony, cattle and sheep numbers together while balancing the needs of farmers, commoners, conservation organisations and other local interests.

Phil Stocker, chairman of the group, said the announcement would provide greater certainty for those responsible for maintaining the herds.

“This announcement gives pony keepers the reassurance they need that Dartmoor’s native pony populations are a valued and essential part of the ecology and culture of Dartmoor.”

The group is already running trials to assess how well-managed grazing by ponies, cattle and sheep can improve habitat condition and support nature recovery.

The announcement has also been welcomed by campaigners after more than 220,000 people backed efforts to protect Dartmoor’s semi-wild pony herds.

Charlotte Faulkner, chair of the Dartmoor Hill Pony Association, said the decision would support the moor’s biodiversity, culture and tourism.

The Dartmoor Pony Heritage Trust said the proposed payments should give farmers and commoners a stronger incentive to retain their ponies.

Catherine Anderson, the trust’s head of operations, said: “The review of native breed at risk support is fantastic. This will ensure herds maintain their place on Dartmoor for generations to come. The payments will also create a huge incentive to farmers to retain their ponies on the common.”

The policy’s impact will now depend on the level of financial support, participation among pony keepers and whether the new whole-moor framework can balance habitat recovery with viable grazing businesses.