DARTMOOR'S pony keepers last week gave an overwhelming thumbs up to a new identification scheme which could ensure the future of their animals on the commons.

At a packed meeting at the Two Bridges Hotel near Princetown last Wednesday, called by Dartmoor Commoners' Council, pony owners were told that under new EC rules, all equines in Britain would have to be issued with a passport by December 31 this year.

The scheme has been introduced to ensure traceability and record medication administered during a pony's life — particularly important when animals go into the food chain.

There have been concerns the price of passports would exceed the value of ponies, discouraging farmers from keeping them and hastening their eventual decline.

But following consultation this summer, DEFRA agreed wild ponies like those on Dartmoor and the New Forest should be treated as special cases. They offered a derogation, which meant pony owners would only need to apply for a passport if they were to be taken off the moor — but they would be required to be entered on a properly maintained register of stock.

Nick Atkinson, chief executive of Dartmoor National Park Authority, said it was 'hugely important' that ponies, the emblem of the authority, remained on the moors.

He said the authority, subject to approval by members, would be prepared to meet the administrative costs of setting up a register of ponies on the moor, provided it was fully backed by the commoners' council and properly maintained.

It would also support a mare improvement scheme, which would provide incentive to boost stock quality and subsequently pony keepers' income, offsetting to some degree the additional cost of passports.

Caroline Bullock, of DEFRA, told the meeting the costs of new legislation could compromise pony numbers, but although changes were also due to take place in ESA schemes, pony owners could still expect help.

'I think the general message is that there will be funding available for conservation management and towards maintenance of a healthy environment on Dartmoor — we'd like to see everyone join us in keeping Dartmoor as it is at the moment,' she said.

John Jordan, of Gidleigh, vice-chairman of the commoners' council, who backed the passport scheme, said it was a 'common sense' way forward.

Mary Alford favoured the derogation as a short-term solution and welcomed a mare improvement scheme.

Rick Manley, New Forest joint secretary, said New Foresters had adopted the derogation, so that ponies were included in a listing. Individual owners could convert to a full passport for a £6.50 fee, said Mr Manley.

'The reason we have done this is purely for choice and at the end of the day it may well be that the vast majority of people could go straight to passports, but they do have the choice,' he said.

Some delegates at the meeting felt Dartmoor Commoners' Council had 'procrastinated' and not moved quickly enough to come up with a solution to the problems posed by the new rules.

But Rendells auctioneer Timothy Garrett backed the council and paid tribute to its efforts to come up with a reasonable compromise.

Peter Palmer, of Mary Tavy, said: 'I have kept ponies all my life. I think the New Forest has the right idea and Dartmoor should go the same way. Any mare you sell off the moor you have to have a passport — but it's the owner's choice.'

John Hodge, chairman of the commoners' council, said the register of ponies will be set up by January 1.

'The feeling now is to see how it all turns out,' he said. 'We want to be as secure as we can that the registration is done properly.'