Blog Post

Farmers gather in the Exmoor pony herds 

Dawn Westcott • Oct 27, 2018

Finding good homes for the small number of Exmoor of foals is boosted this year by the NEW MEPBG Certificate of Authenticity

During October, the Exmoor farmers have been busy gathering in their Exmoor pony herds so the foals can be weaned and inspected - and it’s been a magnificent sight. Exmoor ponies are an endangered breed and an iconic part of Exmoor.

The pony gatherings have been taking place for many generations and one of the herds, Withypoole Herd 23 , is celebrating its 200th Anniversary. Owner, Rex Milton , said, “It’s tradition, every year we round up the ponies on Withypool Hill and Anstey Common and Herd 23 has been here for a very long time, since the 1800’s. We present the foals for inspection and registration and then hopefully find some good homes for them to go to. We’ve got to manage them in a traditional manner, they’re part of Exmoor and we’ve got to do the best we can for them.”

Herd 23 Exmoor ponies are famous for their bright bay and golden colouring. They're strong, up to height and retain the desired ‘true moorland type’ through living and breeding in their semi-feral, free-living environment. They make excellent riding and driving ponies as well as conservation grazers. The stallions Knightoncombe Royal and Combe Royal , run out on the moor with the mares. Unfortunately, The Aristocrat , who was running on Withypool Common is missing, presumed dead.

Rex’s brother, Robin Milton , co-owns the herd. “The family has been farming and keeping the ponies here for many generations. It’s part of the heritage and they’re part of Exmoor. It’s one of those iconic things that are specific to Exmoor. Pretty much every visitor and tourist you talk to wants to come and look at the scenery, the ponies and the red deer.”

Like other herd owners, the Miltons intend to keep one or two filly foals to perpetuate their herd. But colt foals cannot return to the moors and must find homes elsewhere as soon as possible after gathering. Exmoor ponies are an endangered breed and foal registrations are in alarming decline, with under sixty female foals pedigree registered for 2017 - worldwide. While care is being taken not to over-breed - and some herds are even taking a breeding rest - it’s also important to breed enough ponies to maintain a healthy gene pool. This autumn, MEPBG herds with some foals available include, Withypoole Herd 23 , Porlock Herd 100 and Tippbarlake Herd 387 .

With some of the farmers frustrated by lengthy delays in registering their ponies, which has in the past resulted in lost sales, this year the Moorland Exmoor Pony Breeders Group (MEPBG) has decided to offer its breeders the opportunity to issue a special MEPBG Certificate of Authenticity for the pedigree and non-pedigree Heritage Exmoor ponies they have bred on Exmoor. It will feature a special ‘Born & Bred’ Exmoor National Park logo and map of the herds.

“The aim of the Certificate of Authenticity is to give the Exmoor ponies of Exmoor National Park better recognition and status - particularly the perfectly good population of Exmoor ponies currently languishing outside of pedigree registration through the absence of an upgrading system to the paper stud book.” said Dawn Westcott, MEPBG spokesperson and Exmoor Pony Project founder. “The general feeling within the MEPBG is that we should act to safeguard the ponies and this involves building their brand image and recognising their true type and authenticity. The new certificate will help to do that.”

If you're interested in finding out about the breed and this year’s foals, contact details for the herd owners can be found in the MEPBG Breeders Directory at http://www.mepbg.co.uk/about-MEPBG-directory

Short film Exmoor Pony Foals - A Good Future
https://youtu.be/Ox_6SH_zgO8

This article appears in the Western Morning News (26 October 2018) and the West Somerset Free Press (26 October 2018)

Photographs/film footage: Dawn Westcott, Millie Ker, Stefanie Schmidt

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By Dawn Westcott • 25 Oct, 2023
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New Heritage Exmoor Pony & Equus Survival Trust DNA Project

By MEPBG • 28 Nov, 2021
DNA profiling for Exmoor ponies to authenticate lineage and safeguard their moorland heritage.

New DNA Profiling for MEPBG Exmoor Ponies

By Dawn Westcott • 22 Nov, 2021
We are pleased to announce the start of The Heritage Exmoor Pony & Equus Survival Trust (EST) DNA Project
. The purpose of the project: The Equus Survival Trust (EST) is to provide funding and establish a DNA parentage baseline for the moorland Exmoor Ponies stewarded by the Moorland Exmoor Pony Breeders Group (MEPBG) i n the Exmoor National Park .

 The Equus Survival Trust will create a database of the DNA markers and the parentage relationships and provide pedigree & DNA parentage test information to breeders, owners, and potential owners.
 Statement of Intent / Scope of Project: 1) DNA Parent Test all ponies (until grant is exhausted). Owners of ponies will receive copies of DNA reports. 2) Solve relationships between the ponies sampled and/or create foundation base lines for ponies that cannot be fully parent verified due to missing parents, but who have been inspected by MEPBG and qualify as purebred moorland Exmoor Ponies. 3) Compile a DNA database with census information & DNA markers; MEPBG Liaison will receive a spreadsheet of this data to share with member breeders/owners. 4) Update database annually with any additional pony census /DNA 5) EST will allow accredited genetic studies of the gene pool data with appropriate accreditation of EST & MEPBG. This project offers an enormous opportunity for the MEPBG Exmoor ponies to establish correct DNA baselines for their herds (pedigree, purebred, true to type Exmoor ponies) , in a format which allows accessible research by the herd owners and also to accredited experts, as agreed with the herd owners. Molland Moor - Moorland Herd 99 Exmoor Ponies The Heritage Exmoor Pony & EST DNA Project has started with DNA profiling and collection of field data from the long-standing Molland Moor herd of Exmoor ponies, Moorland Herd 99 . This herd has become stranded outside of the closed Exmoor Pony Stud Book through failure to establish a DNA baseline for the herd when DNA parentage verification was brought in as a pedigree registration requirement in the early 2000's. However, the Dart family and Molland Estate have managed to maintain a healthy herd of resilient, robust, good quality, true to type, free-living Exmoor ponies to this day. With the tiny, endangered Exmoor pony gene pool, it is important to ensure that this moorland Exmoor pony herd receives appropriate recognition and status and is safeguarded for the future. The Moorland Herd 99 Exmoor ponies retain the desirable learned and genetic characteristics and behaviours of extensively grazing, free living animals, through living on one of Exmoor's toughest moorlands. These ponies are also awarded the MEPBG (Moorland Exmoor Pony Breeders Group) Certificate of Authenticity - born and bred in Exmoor National Park by an MEPBG herd owner. It is exciting to be DNA profiling the Molland Moor herd and establishing the all important DNA baseline for these lovely ponies. Molland youngstock are available for sale now. More information and contact details for the Molland herd and the Dart family at https://www.mepbg.co.uk/moorland-herd-99

Withypoole Herd 23 Exmoor Pony Gathering

By Dawn Westcott • 17 Oct, 2021
The historic autumn gathering of the Milton family's Withypoole Herd 23 in Exmoor National Park

NEW Exmoor stallion joins Tippbarlake Herd

By MEPBG • 11 Mar, 2021
Stunning young moorbred Herd 23 stallion, Withypoole King, bred by the Milton family, has joined the Tippbarlake herd mares on Brendon Common.

MEPBG Runs Out of Patience 

By MEPBG • 08 Nov, 2019
Five years and counting to improve registration issues and nonsense for moorland Exmoor ponies. The MEPBG has had enough.

2019 Heritage Exmoor Pony Festival

By Dawn Westcott • 24 Feb, 2019
This year, the Heritage Exmoor Pony Festival runs from June through to the end of September. We're currently adding events to the Calendar and already have a host of wonderful Exmoor pony experiences available, which you can find here http://www.mepbg.co.uk/2019-heritage-exmoor-pony-festival The Heritage Exmoor Pony Festival is organised by the Moorland Exmoor Pony Breeders Group (MEPBG) and the Exmoor Pony Project and its aims are to celebrate the Exmoor Ponies of Exmoor National Park and promote the moorland foals looking for good homes in the autumn. This year, you can watch the magnificent Tippbarlake Exmoor pony gathering , enjoy watching (or taking part in) Exmoor pony classes at local and county shows (inc a special Exmoor Pony Parade) , treat yourself to a ' Connecting with Exmoor Ponies & Yourself' workshop, take part in a wildlife photography workshop on location, join the Wild Pony Whispering Walk on the Dunkery Commons, and the National Trust's amazing Foreland Herd Walk. There's something for everyone and we look forward to welcoming you to our events. 2019 Heritage Exmoor Pony Festival Calendar of Events http://www.mepbg.co.uk/2019-heritage-exmoor-pony-festival

Inspecting the Foreland Exmoor pony herd 

By Dawn Westcott • 09 Nov, 2018
An opportunity to see how the West Exmoor National Trust's Exmoor pony herd is doing - at their autumn gather and check

Beautiful Exmoor Ponies - NEW Short film

By Dawn Westcott • 06 Nov, 2018
Some amazing Moorland Exmoor pony footage for Exmoor pony lovers - enjoy!

Short Film: Exmoor Pony Foals - A Good Future

By Moorland Exmoor Pony Breeders Group • 25 Oct, 2018
Watch our film about the amazing Withypoole Herd 23 pony gathering on Exmoor and what future is faced by the moorland foals
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