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 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 was 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
Voting papers were sent out in January 2026 and the results were counted by an independent 3rd party – MiVoice – on 27th January 2026.
Process
The DPHT are finalising the process set down by the Charity Commission, and are:
- Amending the Objective in the Articles of Assocaition
- Updating the AoA at Companies House
- Updating the Objective of the DPHT with the Charity Commission
We have asked Tozers as our legal advisors to support these changes.