THE DALES PONY
HISTORY
The history of the modern Dales Pony starts in the seventeenth century as a native pony in the United Kingdom.
In the eighteenth century, they were heavily used in the lead mining industry in the Dales area of England, from the Derbyshire peaks to the Scottish borders. The industry required a strong, fit and agile pony to transport lead from the mines in the high moors, to the wash grounds on the low lands and then on to the hills for smelting. Ponies could cover up to one hundred miles per week in harsh climates and over difficult terrain, carrying as much as one tonne in weight. The pony was required to have good feet for crossing mixed terrain, a strong and muscular body for drafting, and a gentle nature to work in groups, often by a single rider.
The Scottish Galloway pony was considered to have superior qualities for fast cart work and surefootedness over the mountainous country. It was, therefore, run with native mares to improve the speed and agility of the ponies used in the lead industry. Only the strongest, most active and healthiest of animals were retained for breeding and so eventually the Black Galloways of the mixed herds superseded the Scottish Galloway and became the Dales Pony.
In the late eighteenth century, the country saw a great improvement to the roads and the bred was influenced by Norfolk Cobs who were being worked for mail and stagecoaches. In the nineteenth century, stylish Yorkshire Trotters became fashionable and influenced the breed lines further. In the twentieth century, Vanners became the pony of choice for town transport and as gunners for the army. Clydesdales were travelling the district at this time and farmers could make a good return on breeding the Clydesdale stallions with Dales Pony mares. It was thought that this would adversely threaten the Dales Pony breeding, so the ‘Dales Pony Improvers Society’ was formed in 1916, and the official studbook was opened.
Photo credit: David Snowdon, Kit Houghton, Marie Hartley and DPS Archive.
Due to their sound feet, strength, and temperament, the Dales Ponies were heavily used in both world wars by the British army. The war was cruel to man and beast and like many native horses of the time, this critically reduced its population. During the second world war, the British army took Dales Pony mares and bred them to vanners to produce ponies for town and city transportation uses. Few mares ever returned and the Dales Pony was on the brink of extinction.
In 1964 a dedicated group of breeders reorganised the society and renamed it The Dales Pony Society (DPS) They went on to resurrect the breed with the remaining purebred ponies. A careful breeding program which included a ‘grading-up’ register steadily increased numbers and defined the breed standard. The success of this program then resulted in the studbook being closed to unregistered ponies in 1971, forming the purebred Dales Pony of today.
Although the Dales Pony is currently listed as category one endangered, the breed is being successfully maintained by its dedicated breeders and owners. Dales Ponies are active in all equine disciplines and have a dedicated following, including that of the British Royal Family. They can be seen performing to high levels in National and International competition. The breed is carefully monitored by the Dales Pony Society, which is solely operated by volunteers. The Rare Breeds Survival Trust (UK) also records annual statistics and hold DNA of the breed for safeguarding. At the time of writing the largest population of Dales Ponies remains in its homeland of the United Kingdom, but they can also be found in Germany, France, Spain, Holland, Czech Republic, America, and now Australia.
Photo credit: The F Parkin Raine collection, David Snowdon, and the Beamish Collection.
Breed Standard
General: A strong, active pony with high spirit.
Height: The preferred height range is 14-14.2hh.
Head: Neat and pony like, broad between the eyes, which should be bright and alert. Pony ears slightly incurving. Long foretop of straight hair down the face.
Neck: Strong and of ample length. Stallions should display a bold outlook with a well-arched crest. Throat and jaws are clean-cut. Long, flowing mane.
Shoulders: Well-laid, long, sloping shoulders with well-developed muscles.
Body: Short-coupled and deep through the chest, with well-sprung ribs, withers not too fine.
Hindquarters: Deep, lengthy and powerful. Second thighs well-developed and very muscular. Tail: well set on, not high, with plenty of long, straight hair reaching the ground.
Hocks: Broad, Flat and clean. Well, let down with plenty of dense flat bone below.
Forearms: Set square. Short and very muscular, with broad, well-developed knees.
Feet, Legs, and Joints: The very best of feet and legs, with flexible joints, showing quality with no coarseness. The cannons should display 8"-9" (20.3cms - 22.9cms) of flat flinty bone and well-defined tendons. Pasterns should be nicely sloping and of good length. Ample silky feather on the heels. Large, round feet open at the heels, with well-developed frogs.
Colours: Black, Brown, Grey, Bay, and Roan. Markings: A white star and/or snip on the head. White up to the fetlocks to the hind legs only.
Action: Clean, high, straight and true. Going forward on “all fours” with tremendous energy. The knee and hock are lifted, the hind legs flexed well under the body for powerful drive. Character: True pony character. Alert, high-courage, intelligent and kind.
Photo credit: DPS Archive, the F Parkin Raine Collection, the Beamish Collection and Marie Hartley.
REGISTER
Ponies will be accepted for registration by the DPS from any country including Australia, provided they have proper documentation and DNA records, up until two full years of age. All purebred Dales Ponies registered with the DPS are DNA verified (sire, dam, and foal) and must be micro-chipped prior to registration. Colts eligible for stallion status must be sired by a licensed stallion out of a registered mare and must display correct markings. All stallions must be licensed from three years of age and all are re-entered in the Stud Book when licensed. Colts out of Section B mares or mismatched colts from Section A mares are not eligible for stallion status. These colts will be issued a registration with a gelding number and must be castrated. Mare, filly and gelding registrations are divided into three sections. Section ‘A’: by a licensed stallion, out of either a Section A or Section B mare, and displaying correct markings. Section ‘B’: by a licensed stallion and out of a Section A or Section B mare, but displaying incorrect markings. Part-bred registrations: The DPS maintains a part-bred registry to encourage the production of horses and ponies of good quality with substance, courage, and agility from Dales stallions. The crossbreeding of Dales mares is discouraged. The Part-bred registry will register crossbred foals that are the offspring of a Licensed Dales stallion as one-half, three-quarters, or seven-eighths Dales. It is not possible to achieve a purebred Dales by means of grading-up. DNA testing is not required for part-bred foals or for the dams.
Information credit to the Dales Pony Society, Photos shared from Dales Pony History Page, credit to all original owners and publishers of images. Written by Raylene Stranger.