Action Arising from 2025 AGM

Overview

At the 2025 AGM held on 25th August 2025, those members attending discussed and approved that a Special Resolution be put to the membership to change the DPHT Charitable Objective.  

This issue was raised as the Board felt that the with 3 pony charities on Dartmoor, the Dartmoor Pony Society (DPS), the Dartmoor Hill Pony Association (DHPA) and the Dartmoor Heritage Pony Trust (DPHT) there needed to be greater clarity for the public as to the purpose of the DPHT.  The intention was to bring the objective in line with the Charity’s title.  There would be no impact on beneficiaries or activities.

There was unanimous agreement that the term species should be replaced with population as the Dartmoor Heritage Pony is not a species in its own right.

There was debate on substituting the term native ponies of Dartmoor for another more appropriate term. The term native pony or native Dartmoor pony is reserved for pedigree or registered ponies whilst the Dartmoor Heritage Pony is a semi-feral unregistered population.  It was agreed that the term ‘native’ should be retained in some way as it reflected the strong connection and tradition of the Heritage Pony on Dartmoor.  The Board accepted this and amended the proposed wording on the revised objective.

For those unfamiliar with the definition of a Dartmoor Heritage Pony, it is a true to type unregistered Dartmoor Pony that is bred and born on Dartmoor.  They form part of multi-generational semi-feral herds whose continued existence and custodianship sits with the pony keepers and breeders on Dartmoor without whom these ponies would be reduced to an unsustainable population.

Special Resolution

In order to change the Charity’s objective there is a requirement for a Special Resolution to be proposed to the membership and the membership to take a view on whether to change or retain the current objective.  

The Board proposes that the DPHT’s current Objective is amended to:

THE OBJECTS ARE TO PROTECT AND PRESERVE AS A POPULATION FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC THE DARTMOOR HERITAGE PONY NATIVE TO DARTMOOR AND TO PROMOTE SUCH OTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSES AS THE TRUSTEES FROM TIME TO TIME THINK FIT. 

The current objective is:

THE OBJECTS ARE TO PROTECT AND PRESERVE AS A SPECIES FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC THE NATIVE PONIES OF DARTMOOR AND TO PROMOTE SUCH OTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSES AS THE TRUSTEES FROM TIME TO TIME THINK FIT. 

Supporting Information

At the time the current objective was written there was less focus and less well defined definitions of ‘native’ and ‘species’.  However ‘native’ in terms of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust and Native Equine Stud Books is attributed to pedigree/registered pony.  The Dartmoor Heritage Pony is an unregistered semi-feral population that is native to Dartmoor.  

The continued use of the existing terms is a potential source of confusion to benefactors and the public as well as failing to reflect the name of the Charity. 

The Board felt that the wording should be changed and that this would both aid clarity to benefactors and remove sources of confusion and friction with other organisations on Dartmoor.  Whilst relationships with the other key organisations on Dartmoor is good and will remain so whether the recommendation is accepted or rejected; the greater impact is with potential benefactors.  We have three charities that complement each other on the Moor: the DPS, the DHPA and the DPHT.  The Board feel that it is important that we are able to distinguish ourselves in our communications and bring the wording in our Objective in line with our branding and terminology  

Impact on Beneficiaries

It should be noted that there is no impact on our beneficiaries, the work that we do, the ponies and people we support and all other work undertaken.

Voting

All members are asked to participate in this important change.  Whilst the Board does recommend the change, we also wish to hear the views of all of the membership.  The Board will respect this view irrespective of whether the proposal is accepted or rejected.  

Please take time to vote.

Process

The Charity Commission lays down the process that must be undertaken in order to change an objective and this is the purpose of the Special Resolution.  Only if approved is the objective changed with commensurate changes made and registered in the Articles of Association, Companies House and Charity Commission.