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Dartmoor Pony Preservation Scheme

The Dartmoor Pony Society was concerned that the native Dartmoor (unregistered Dartmoor pony) might disappear due to market forces. The Dartmoor Pony Society whose primary interest is in the improvement of the pedigree Dartmoor Pony, was alarmed that the number of native ponies had dropped to a critical level. The native pony is in effect the gene pool for the breed. Once the native pony is lost from Dartmoor – its original habitat – it is in effect extinct. The pedigree pony relies on new blood coming in from the native pony to ensure that the pedigree does not become inbred. The Dartmoor Pony Preservation Scheme is run by the Dartmoor Pony Heritage Trust. The aim of the scheme is to support as many of the existing native Dartmoor Pony herds on the Commons and to ensure that the number of native Dartmoor ponies does not fall any further. The Trust runs a number of initiatives to assist pony keepers:

* Handle young stock in five foundation skills - creating quiet ponies suitable for family homes
* Castrate colt foals not suitable for breeding
* Run a Sales List
* Publicity and Marketing
* Private Sales
* Promotion of the Dartmoor Pony for Conservation Grazing
* Bellever is a 1,000 acre site of prime moorland and forestry on Dartmoor - we allow pony keepers to send their ponies to this site to mature
* Administer the Heritage Trust List - this enables suitable stock eligibility for the Native Breeds at Risk Supplement

Pack Pony Project

Education Programme

We are applying for funding to launch an educational facility at Brimpts Farm, Dartmeet, Devon. Funds will enable us to create a facility to offer equine assisted learning, education and training to a number of clients / partners. The grant will also allow time for more in depth market research and expansion of the project.

We will start with a team of five Dartmoor pack ponies to work with a broad spectrum of pre-dominantly young people ranging from children with disabilities to youth offenders. We will offer a variety of educational courses, many based around the Brimpts Tin Mine Trail. We want to bring history lessons to life and explain the important role ponies have played in Dartmoor’s past. Children will learn the importance of conservation grazing, why they shouldn’t feed wild ponies and to appreciate the Dartmoor landscape and its heritage. The very nature of this work is raising awareness and creating a role for Dartmoor ponies in today’s environment.
DPHT Education Programme - Incorporating the Dartmoor Pack Pony Project

A pack pony is an unregistered Dartmoor Pony trained to carry a pack and be lead on short and long expeditions across Dartmoor.

What we are hoping to achieve and how? We are currently designing a number of bespoke courses of varied content; ranging from National curriculum links to addressing behavioural issues. The type of course we offer will be tailored to the specific needs of the organisations and individuals involved, this is something that will be developed alongside the organisations we work with.

We are also producing guided walks for tourists to enjoy, with the ponies carrrying lunch and equipment. A further advancement on this idea will take customers out across the moor for 2/3 day expeditions. Corporate clients are already showing interest in team building and leadership courses.

Aims:

* Create the facility
o Recruit and train a full time project officer and volunteers.
o Source and train 5 pack ponies.
o Source / produce five pack saddles. (We hope to have these produced locally. Pack Saddles are produced and sold all over the world but currently not in the UK. We are hoping to recruit local saddlers to assist us with design and production.) We have already made one pack saddle which we used during the 2006 Ten Tors event.
o Run four, eight-week pilot projects partnering DNPA education team, Devon Discovery, and a number of youth offending teams. The Project will culminate in three-day pack pony expeditions across the Moor.
o Enter a Pack Pony Team into the 2007 Jubilee Awards during the Ten Tors event in May. This will be in Partnership with Millford School.
o Continue our market research, creating a broad client base.
* Short term aims:
o Produce and maintain an evaluation process.
o Create publicity for the charity and this facility.
o Work with educational authorities to increase funding opportunities.
o Identify commercial sponsors to help fund placements on courses.
o Training days offering advice on handling and working with Dartmoor ponies
o Sell trained ponies.
* Long term aims:
o We aim to expand the project enabling the DPHT to reach a broad client base, ranging from young offenders to family day visitors walking along the Brimpts Tin Mine Trail.
o Create a range of expedition routes with the DNPA education team and Devon Discovery for schools incorporating an award system, run at a different time of year to Ten Tors.
o Offer team leadership and team building courses to corporate businesses.
o Offer pack pony tours as a viable Green Tourism initiative.

Partners in the programme:
Devon Discovery

Devon Discovery is the Devon County Council Outdoor and Residential Education Service.

Devon Discovery seeks to provide accessible, safe, high-quality support and facilities for people of all ages and abilities to participate in outdoor and environmental education and residential experience.

The Service places a particular emphasis on working with schools, youth groups, colleges and the wider community in Devon. The main target audience is Devon Schools, Devon Youth Services, Voluntary Youth and Community Groups and Lifelong Learning. A number of Torquay and Plymouth schools and groups have continued to use the service post L.G.R. in 1997

The Service provides: -

* 4 Residential Education Centres:
o The Wembworthy Centre (Mid Devon)
o The Start Bay Centre (South Hams)
o The Dartmoor Centres (High Dartmoor)
o Pixie's Holt
o Dartmoor Training Centre
* Outdoor and Adventurous Activities
* Environmental Education Activities and Projects
* Training programme for Teachers/Group Leaders
* Lifelong Learning Courses
* Personal and Social Development Programmes
* Inclusion Programmes and Projects

Devon Discovery’s role in the partnership is to:-

* Provide expertise on all aspects of outdoor activity, including health and safety
* Contribute to the development and delivery of the programme with expertise on aspects of outdoor learning.
* Provide accompanying staff for the build up and journey phases of the project
* Provide equipment where available, and/or advice on suitable outdoor equipment for the project.

Dartmoor National Park Authority

Dartmoor was designated as one of the National Parks of England and Wales by statute in 1951. It is 368 square miles (954 sq km) in area, has about 33,000 people living in it, and millions of people visit it each year.

Purposes

The National Park Authority's duties and powers are derived from a number of Acts of Parliament and statements of Government Policy, most recently the Environment Act 1995.

The Statutory purposes of National Parks, which the Authority has the duty to pursue, are:

* to conserve and enhance the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage of the area
* to promote opportunities for the understanding and enjoyment of the area's special qualities by the public

In pursuing these purposes, DNPA also has a duty to seek to foster the economic and social well-being of the communities within the National Park, but without incurring significant expenditure in doing so.

The DNPA’s role in the partnership is to:-

* Provide a forum for the partnership and any other interested parties.
* To advise and facilitate access issues and source camping areas.
* To advise on any other issues relating to the Dartmoor National Park community or environment.