In the 13 years of caring for the site at Bellever, our herd of ponies have never been used for active breeding. Instead, support is provided to our Recognised Pony Keepers that utilise the free grazing on site which encourages the abundance of insects, birds, small and large mammals to flourish under our guardianship. Promoting our work to new and existing audiences through education and conservation activities is our raison d’etre.
You can imagine our SURPRISE and utter JOY late Friday when not one but two foals popped out!!
They were a bit of an accident! Last summer the two fillies were put into a non-breeding newtake (stone enclosed area of moorland) – apparently it’s hard to keep a stallion away from flirting ladies! When they came to us in the autumn we were not aware of their condition. Then a couple of months ago Maria our Bellever Warden reported they had big tummies. The result, two beautiful additions to our conservation grazing herd. Born to our roan Chinkwell mares, owned by Margaret Rogers and Michael Lamb – Glebe Farm. Both Maria and her eyes and ears on the ground, volunteer Michele, are on round the clock duty. We have a very busy site with thousands of visitors every day.
Keeping those gates shut really does help us.
Owner Margaret, was thrilled to hear the news, she loves her ponies and is a committed and passionate Dartmoor Pony breeder. There are no plans for the foals as yet, except they will have to be passported and microchipped in due course. We have put a request to Margaret and Michael to see if our followers are able to name the pair of cuties. Toffee and Coffee, are the current working names as we don’t know whether they are fillies or colts!
If you visit Bellever and I’m sure you will want to – please consider a DPHT free guided walk. BOOKING ESSENTIAL please email admin@dpht.co.uk or phone 01626 833234.
If visiting PLEASE ADMIRE FROM A DISTANCE and allow them the space to enjoy and familiarise themselves with their new environment.
Our plans are to revisit our breeding policy in due course, which is in line with our primary objective to ‘Secure the future of the Dartmoor Pony on Dartmoor’.