CAMPAIGNERS and friends of the Dartmoor Hill Pony are hoping demand will be high at the next drift sales at Chagford on Thursday, October 14. 

Last year there were 434 sales — auctioneers Rendells of Chagford say they are expecting between 300 and 400 this year, although all the moorland quarterly drifts have not yet been completed. A similar auction was held at Tavistock Livestock Market last week.

The auction used to attract buyers from all over the country and Ireland, but the cost and restriction of transportation laws, along with the recession, have all had an effect on the market.

Timothy Garratt, a senior partner at Rendells, said the last few years had been very good but legislation by the EU and the UK Government had not helped to encourage sales.

'We are the only country in Europe which has this type of pony and therefore this type of sale.'

'The main buyers came from Ireland but transport rules state that only four ponies can travel per lorry and if they cross the water they have to be transported just one at a time — it's crazy.

'This EU-led legislation covers all types of equines, of all ages, all sexes, all over Europe and was meant for the transportation of horses from say, Poland to Italy, not for Dartmoor ponies.'

Mr Garratt has had meetings and worked with officials from Defra, the RSPCA, and government ministers on draft legislation such as the tranportation of animals and micro-chipping but he feels more could be done at government level to promote the market and the welfare of the ponies.

'These ponies are herd animals who like to squeeze together when transported. If you put just four in a large transporter they just rattle about like peas in a barrel. Personally, I think at least eight to ten would be far safer for the ponies.'

The Dartmoor Hill Pony Association is hoping its efforts to generate interest both locally and nationally and facilitate the buying and transportation of the animals will encourage more people to 'adopt' the ponies, particularly for children to ride.

Just ten years ago the ponies were selling at just 50p a pony but there will be a minimum of £10 at the Chagford auction.

To help sales nationally the DHPA has organised transportation to collection points around the UK, including Scotland, Kent, Worcester, Lancashire and Essex. 

Charlotte Faulkner, the secretary of both the Dartmoor Hill Pony Association and the Friends of the Dartmoor Hill Pony, told the Times: 'People have been very kind in taking these wild and wonderful creatures, who with just some tender loving care can became a great friend to their owner.

'The markets have been difficult due to both legislation and the recession but I have just been talking to a woman in Peebles, Scotland, wanting a pony, so obviously, demand is there.'

She said the Dartmoor pony was ideal for children's ponies and equine assisted therapy. More recently, the DHPA had been promoting 'pony agility classes' — similar to dog agility ones — which Charlotte said were becoming very popular and 'tremendous fun'.

There are believed to be approximately 1,000 ponies on the moor and each year in a number of 'drifts' the animals are rounded up and mostly young foals are taken to local markets.

Cherry Seage, secretary of the Dartmoor Commoners' Council, said she was hoping for a good sale to prevent unsold ponies just being turned back out on to the moor.

'There is less and less livestock such as cattle and sheep on the moors and farmers are looking to "come down from the hill," as they say, to raise more profitable breeds.

'The Natural England view is that they are hoping the ponies will stay on the moor.

'I hope the pony sales will be successful and buyers with take charge of them but it is difficult to say until the market has been completed.'

She added that legislation had not helped as it was now illegal to notch the ears of the pony, which previously helped to identify ownership and keep track of the wild ponies. The new legislation, though, only applies to horses but not to other farm animals.

A further drift sale will be held at Tavistock Livestock Market on Saturday, December 4.