THE Friends of the Dartmoor Hill Pony have expressed their thanks to the Dartmoor Pony Training Centre and a band of hard-working helpers for its efforts in rehoming ponies.

The training centre was set up by Natalie Tor, who along with a dedicated group of people, has worked tirelessly to support and promote pony keepers by finding homes for the ponies that have to leave Dartmoor as Natural England only allows for a certain number to stay on the moor.

Charlotte Faulkner, from the Friends of the Dartmoor Pony, said: 'We owe this organisation a debt of gratitude for making it possible for these ponies to live.

'Their efforts have made people aware that these ponies need help but will repay their new owners for the kindness of believing in them many times over.'

Charlotte said the staff at the centre have given many hours of their time to find people interested in adopting one or two ponies, and then microchipping, passporting and transporting the ponies to new homes all over the country, giving the ponies a chance of a future.

The Dartmoor Pony Centre still has some 30 ponies urgently needing homes.

'These are wonderful ponies from the commons of Dartmoor.

'If you choose to have one of these ponies, I hope you will be repaid many times over by the experience of taking a pony from wild — having been told by its elders that humans are not good news and even a bucket is downright dangerous and you don't take food from strangers, to being wonderful.

'I still get a lump in my throat when I think how these ponies decide you are ok and give you so much.

'These ponies are wild and completely unhandled — just so people know what they are taking on. I can send advice on how to head collar train ponies and pick up feet and any other snippets I have learned over time training these wonderful ponies.

'In the days when pony numbers had not been reduced, you could navigate across Dartmoor by identifying the various herds of ponies.

'Because of Dartmoor's vast size and range in altitudes, there is a wide variety of habitats.

'Individual breeders' tastes and environment, and of course market forces, have given us this wonderful variation of pony. The 3,000 year old gene pool has made these animals into hardy, adaptable ponies with excellent potential, charisma and character.

'It is a chance for people who don't know Dartmoor to discover something very special.

'We must warn you that once you have come to know about these wonderful characters of the moor, you will be addicted.'

For more information about rehoming a Dartmoor pony email [email protected]">[email protected] or visit the Facebook page by searching for 'DPTC pony rehoming' where you will find details of all ponies needing homes.