The practice involved young boys who were attending a drift for the first time. Some quarters used a hollow stone known as a ‘blowing stone‘ to amplify the sound of the horns. I suppose a cowboy would describe a drift as a ’round-up’ for it was an occasion when cattle and ponies were gathered off the moor in order to ascertain if there were any illegally pastured animals grazing the Forest of Dartmoor. An excellent account of the Pony Drift of 1923 at Shaugh Prior can be read – HERE. If any animal is not claimed it is then taken to the relevant, There is an old custom related to the drifts which thankfully is no longer carried out today, it was known as ‘Footing’ and was first mentioned in the 1830s and then elucidated on in 1961 by Theo Brown. Ponies are microchipped by the veterinary surgeon in attendance, and paperwork for Passports completed before they are taken back to the owners farms for winter. Login / Register. Each year, in the autumn, the ponies on Dartmoor are rounded up (drifted) and taken to their owner’s farms. Something went wrong, please try again later. The ponies then get a health check, the sick, old or those to be sold are separated and the rest are returned to the moor. After the closure of the Tavistock sale, Chagford is the last remaining drift. If not claimed the cow or pony then becomes the property of the Duchy who will sell the beasts and keep the proceeds. However the economics of keeping ponies means that there is a real concern that we will lose the Dartmoor pony on the moor and the skills and knowledge that pony keepers have, particularly those required to manage the annual pony drift; when ponies are brought off … Dartmoor Pony Drift at Widecombe including round-up, collecting, separating, off to market and the sale. 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At this time all the Dartmoor farmers come together to herd the ponies off the moor and into a number of corrals. 1. Sort by . Search. For the first time it was required that a semi-wild pony auctioned at the traditional Drift Sale and leaving Dartmoor must be given a full paper passport before it can leave the Sale field. The Dartmoor Hill ponies have been on the moorlands for 3,500 ... every year between September and October in an age-old ritual known as a “drift”, sweeps the moor for ponies … The Dartmoor hill pony sale traditionally takes place after the annual drift, when herds are rounded up and brought down off the moor. Posts about pony drifts written by cherrygilchrist. The Dartmoor Hill Pony Association (DHPA) is a membership organisation for hill-farmers using their ancient right to graze ponies on the commons of Dartmoor all year round. Why Dartmoor Ponies Need You Dartmoor needs its ponies to graze the moor effectively and traditional herds, running with a stallion will breed – it’s nature! However in days gone by there were a couple of vast differences, firstly the numbers of ponies rounded up were much larger and secondly the whole operation relied entirely on horse power. Hundreds of Dartmoor ponies being rounded up yesterday in the annual “drift” may have to be shot because of a “Catch 22” in new regulations. NewsNow Classifieds. If the animal is reclaimed the owner has to pay a poundage and water fee, which in latter years was 5 shillings a head. The Dartmoor pony drift. Category. Though stallions are controlled and quality inspected there is a surplus of foals every year and part of our aim is … – https://www.legendarydartmoor.co.uk/blowing_stone.htm, Your email address will not be published. https://www.legendarydartmoor.co.uk/blowing_stone.htm. At the Devon Quarter Assizes in the April of 1881 and interesting appeal was heard …. The practice involved young boys who were attending a drift for the first time. There is a very real confusion in the minds of the public as to the different types of pony on the Commons, and this project seeks to … This basically was the fee for grazing the animal for that year. If you happen across a Dartmoor pony drift today you will see that in the main it’s an operation that consists of a combination of horsepower and mechanised vehicles such as quad bikes and trail bikes. 2 Comments At the modern drifts there are newer modes of transport used to round up the animals in the form of quad and trail bikes which tend to add a lot more noise to the proceedings. Dartmoor's annual pony round-up and sale, the drift, is taking place on Saturday instead of in the autumn for the first time. There is an old custom related to the drifts which thankfully is no longer carried out today, it was known as ‘Footing’ and was first mentioned in the 1830s and then elucidated on in 1961 by Theo Brown. If you would like to make a donation to help support our work please click on the donation page… it’s quick & easy and with Paypal it’s a secure online payment system: THE CONSERVATION MEAT PROJECT IS NOT FUNDED BY ANY MONIES DONATED TO THE FRIENDS OF THE DARTMOOR HILL PONY. ‘A Dartmoor Hill Pony is one bred on the commons of Dartmoor by a registered commoner, whose sire and dam run on the said commons. The auctioneers also thank Devon Trading Standards and the Animal and Plant Health Agency for their guidance. At a Court of Survey held at Lydford in 1608 it was decided that there should be three summer drifts and one winter drift to which the Venville tenants were expected to attend. The poor unfortunate would be taken to a ‘. He would then summon the Venville tenants by blowing horns on the nearby tors. Hence a very pretty bay filly, came in off the moor in March having missed the drift. The owners of the animals then claim their stock, those belonging to the Venville tenants are allowed to ‘go free’ whilst every other owner has to pay a ‘fine’ for each beast. By wallers2 Oct 11, 2017. Your email address will not be published. 3 days ago. In relation to the four quarters of the moor? The ‘official’ Duchy drifts were discontinued after 1940 although the commoners still hold their own drifts today. Here he was left to dangle with his feet barely toughing the ground, how long he was suspended there would depend on the kindness of his fellow riders but it was not unheard of for boys to be left there for about 24 hours. Demand for the ponies has gradually increased, Politics, environment, farming and more in your new free Western Morning News newsletter - direct to your inbox every day. Chinkwell Osprey - Filly with small drop of Arab blood, unregistered yearling, whose dam is a Dartmoor part bred (x Anglo Arab). The success of these sales is vital to the future of the Dartmoor hill pony … Background - Dartmoor Hill Pony Drift Sales The Dartmoor livestock markets at Chagford hold sales in the autumn for the young ponies born on the moor in the spring of that year, who have been brought in (drifted) and weaned. The procedure of a drift was that the forest reeve would decide on which day the drift was to occur. Dartmoor ponies for sale. If any animal is not claimed it is then taken to the relevant pound, normally Dunnabridge Pound which was the ‘Duchy Pound’ serving the southern, western, and eastern quarters. As part of their tenancy agreement the venville men were duty bound to attend the annual drifts in order to round up all cattle and ponies within each quarter, there would be separate drifts for ponies and cattle. The owners round up their ponies every year in the autumn at the annual pony 'drifts'. This year’s drift sale of Dartmoor Hill Ponies has gone ahead despite being under threat from new DEFRA legislation. Learn how your comment data is processed. 1 - 24 of 36 ads. Shows the Widecombe-in-the-Moor Dartmoor Pony Drift including the round-up, sorting, separating, off to market and the sale. Today the pony drifts take place in late September to early October and once the animals are gathered at the collection point they are separated into owner groups. Everyone attending the sale was required to purchase a buyers’ number for £10, which was refunded on the purchase of one pony by that buyer. The purpose of a pony drift on Dartmoor is to round them up so their health can be checked, the foals among them can be weaned, and those who’ve strayed can be … At around 2.00am of the appointed day the reeve would send a messenger to the moorman of the quarter in which the drift was to take place. – Tales of a Dartmoor Village, Transactions of the Devonshire Association – Vol. Many were expecting that to be the end of the historic event, but Rendells auctioneers, campaigner Charlotte Faulkner and the Dartmoor Hill Pony Association agreed to continue and gradually the demand has increased - resulting this year in a 100% sale rate at an average of £173, compared with £18 in 2013. At the modern drifts there are newer modes of transport used to round up the animals in the form of quad and trail bikes which tend to add a lot more noise to the proceedings. Although the Dartmoor breed is limited to ponies of around 12.2hh (each ‘hand’ measures four inches, in old money), another, larger type is recognised as the ‘Dartmoor Hill Pony‘. A pedigree Dartmoor Pony will be no bigger than 12.2 hands high (which is 124cm to the shoulders for all the non-horsey people like me). Foals are separated out and branded then some are kept to replace stock whilst others are sent to market. The very last pony in the ring was a black and white colt, donated by Mrs A Cole to Cancer Research UK, which sold for £68.25. Dartmoor ponies for sale. Every gully and tor would be searched and the cattle or ponies herded off the moor to a collection point, in the western quarter this is at Merrivale Bridge. A spokesperson for Rendells, who conducted the sale on Thursday, October 8, said afterwards: “The sale’s slogan is ‘wild to wonderful’ and what a wonderful day for all involved. The ponies have to … Ponies are then taken to their home farms and those that are surplus (each farm has an allocated number of ponies it can graze on the moor) get taken to the annual drift sale. Due to the coronavirus restrictions, Rendells had stressed ahead of the sale that it was a “business event” and not a “social occasion”, with people who were wanting to just look at the ponies asked to stay away. The Dartmoor Pony Heritage Trust’s mission is to secure the long-term future of the native Dartmoor Pony, while inspiring and connecting people with Dartmoor’s wildlife, landscape and heritage. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Other notable prices were £714 for grey geldings from Mrs A Williams, £550 and £520 for spotted fillies and colts respectively from Mr J Shears, £504 for Shetland fillies from Mary Alford, £430.50 for grey mares from Mrs E Irish and £430.50 for spotted colts from Mrs H Pearse. Tim Sandles is the founder of Legendary Dartmoor, © Copyright Legendary Dartmoor 2021, All Rights Reserved, I suppose a cowboy would describe a drift as a ’round-up’ for it was an occasion when cattle and ponies were gathered off the moor in order to ascertain if there were any illegally pastured animals grazing the, As part of their tenancy agreement the venville men were duty bound to attend the annual drifts in order to round up all, The procedure of a drift was that the forest reeve would decide on which day the drift was to occur. “We look forward to seeing everyone at next year’s pony sale which will be on Thursday, October 14, 2021.”, Spotted fillies and colts made some of the highest prices at the Dartmoor hill pony drift sale on Thursday, October 8, selling for £550 and £520 respectively. Any idea where the blowing stones are? The breed is a suitable size and temperament for a children’s mount, but it is also quite capable of carrying an adult. The ponies are very hardy and actually thrive on Dartmoor … Dwayne Huggins has been charged with two offences of violence. The Drift from the mouth of a Dartmoor Pony. They would occur on different days in each of the four quarters, the pony drifts were usually held between the 23rd of June and the 6th of August. Not even a global pandemic was enough to stop Dartmoor’s last surviving hill pony auction from taking place, with coronavirus also failing to put a damper on trade as bidding soared into four figures. An official from the Duchy would then stand on a large stone and read a document to the assembled crowd. Some quarters used a hollow stone known as a ‘, An official from the Duchy would then stand on a large stone and read a document to the assembled crowd. Glebe Farm Partnership: Several Ponies Available Generational Dartmoor Ponies, from the heart of the moor. Check it out! Denise Lewis takes part in the ancient Dartmoor pony drift. If passed as suitable they move up a grade. Chris Chapman, photographer has been living and filming on Dartmoor for about forty years, and his film ‘Wild River, Cold Stone’ pays homage to this unique landscape and way of life. That would be the ideal time to apply the paint in future. The first written record of a drift came from a document of 1012 where the ‘wild … They are used for hunting, trail riding, showing, jumping, dressage, and driving, as well as everyday riding. Pets & Animals. ‘September is “drift” time on Dartmoor, when all the ponies are brought down off the moors for worming and health checks or for sale. Pony Sale, Chagford. When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. The ‘official’ Duchy drifts were discontinued after 1940 although the commoners still hold their own drifts today. Dartmoor ponies are usually going to be a single dark colour, and have a thick coat and long manes and tails which all helps them to survive the harsh conditions of the moors. In a week or two, the annual pony drift will take place. Only as recently as 2013, the sum total of the whole sale - traditionally held at Chagford Market following the annual drift gathering - was a mere £918, with just 32% of the ponies on offer finding new homes. You can watch the trailer in the clip below. Denise learns about its value to the moor and how it is being preserved for future generations. Charlotte Faulkner from Friends of the Dartmoor Hill Pony … March 21, 2016 At around 2.00am of the appointed day the reeve would send a messenger to the moorman of the quarter in which the drift was to take place. This basically was the fee for grazing the animal for that year. As children's ponies they are used in dressage, show jumping, cross country, one day events and make great family ponies. Tweet; I was basking in the warm sun with my mother standing guard. A new challenge at the Pony Drift sale on Dartmoor In 2018 DEFRA change the legislation outlining the passporting of equines. They are often used as foundation breeding stock for the Riding Pony. The Forest of Dartmoor was divided into four quarters and in each of these quarters is a animal pound. The process is much the same and in the case of the ponies many of them are sent to the Tavistock or Chagford pony sales. The Dartmoor pony is an excellent child's pony although it can also carry a small adult quite easily. 6,814 Views. The Dartmoor Hill Pony Association and Friends of the Dartmoor Hill Pony charity are working with scientists at Aberystwyth University to develop and pilot a … Tim Sandles The progeny is inspected the following year, again by two Dartmoor Pony Society judges, when ponies are collected at Drift time, and if passed as suitable they move up a grade. Your information will be used in accordance with our, Everyone attending the sale had to follow strict coronavirus restrictions, The Dartmoor hill pony sale traditionally takes place after the annual drift, when herds are rounded up and brought down off the moor. Any animals that were not claimed by the 16th of August were then sold at the Princetown Fair in September. The ponies then get a health check, the sick, old or those to be sold are separated and the rest are returned to the moor. XCIII, p.201. Life was fun on the Moor with other foals to frolick with. Aspects Of Dartmoor Despite the pandemic and lack of bustling crowd, the top price of the day was an impressive £1,491 for a coloured filly from Mr A Steed, whose consignment of ponies averaged £909. The date was normally kept a secret so as not to forewarn any grazier who might be illegally pasturing animals in the Forest, thus giving him chance to remove them. 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