Exmoor ponies in Exmoor National Park are to benefit from a new collaboration between the Moorland Exmoor Pony Breeders Group (MEPBG) and USA-based Equus Survival Trust (EST).
The Heritage Exmoor Pony & EST DNA Project will enable DNA profiling and lineage tracking of MEPBG Exmoor ponies - particularly semi-feral Exmoor ponies who are excluded from the closed Exmoor pony stud book.
The Equus Survival Trust (EST)
will provide funding and establish a DNA parentage baseline, where the new database of DNA markers and parentage relationships will provide pedigree and DNA test information to breeders, owners and potential owners. Ponies will be DNA profiled so that lineage can be established and, if necessary, foundation base lines created. Updating with future progeny will be ongoing and the EST and MEPBG will allow accredited genetic studies of the gene pool data.
“We’ve started by collecting DNA samples and field data from the long-standing Moorland Herd 99 on Molland Moor,” said Dawn Westcott, MEPBG project coordinator. “Almost all the Exmoor ponies in the herd are categorised as ‘non pedigree’ due to the fact that when DNA parentage verification was brought in for moorbred Exmoors as a pedigree registration requirement in the early 2000’s, a DNA baseline was not established. This caused confusion and ultimately, rendered the ponies and their progeny outside of the Exmoor pony stud book. As the stud book has no upgrading system, Exmoor ponies like these have no status or recognition. There are populations on Exmoor, in the UK and overseas in a similar situation."
"The new Heritage Exmoor Pony & EST DNA Project presents an enormous opportunity to authenticate lineage and recognise their moorland heritage.”
“Exmoor ponies are one of Great Britain’s most ancient native pony breeds and they are endangered. So maintaining the widest possible diversity in their tiny gene pool is vital. The free-living Exmoor moorland herds are particularly important in that the ponies retain the learned and genetic behaviours and characteristics of extensively grazing, free living animals. In other words - they remain true to type, hardy and resilient.”
Despite the previous DNA problems, the Dart family and Molland Estate have continued to safeguard their long-standing Exmoor pony herd. With increasing interest in rewilding and conservation grazing projects, for which these moorland Exmoors are suitable and desirable - as well as for riding ponies - they need status and recognition. Now there is hope.
Christina Williams, of the Molland Estate, comments, “When we gathered the Herd 99 Exmoor Ponies off Molland Moor last week, everyone was impressed with their quality. It is heartening to think that, with thanks to the EST, DNA profiling will enable these ponies to be lineage tracked and hopefully eventually included in the Exmoor pony stud book. These ponies are true to the Exmoor moorland type, move well and have the resilience to thrive in tough moorland conditions, making their genetics important in this critically endangered breed. If anyone who knows about pony breeds had been there, their heart would have been won over - now we can start to prove the science."
“The new DNA project will also help pedigree Exmoor ponies,” says Dawn Westcott. “More MEPBG herds are committing to the project and it is hoped that by establishing new and correct DNA baselines, it will also help to resolve anomalies affecting pedigree registrations. We are very grateful to the Equus Survival Trust for giving Exmoor ponies this opportunity.”
More information at www.mepbg.co.uk
Photography by Jamie Waters at
Shelduck Photography and Sarah Hailstone
This article appeared in the Western Morning News on Friday 27 November 2021.
