DARTMOOR pony numbers look set to be boosted, thanks to a move to use the rare breed to graze at Kit Hill. There are five ponies on the hill at the moment with more due in a few weeks? time. The ponies are from the Dartmoor Heritage Trust and will be used for conservation grazing as part of Kit Hill?s countryside stewardship. It will be the first time that ponies have grazed the hill since Cornwall County Council took over management in 1985 and it is planned that they will remain at Kit Hill until next spring. Cornwall County Council?s executive member for environment and heritage, Adam Paynter, said: ?It?s exciting for us to see ponies graze the heathland for the first time since the council acquired Kit Hill. ?I would urge people to visit the park and see these interesting animals.? Kit Hill heathland is a man-made habitat and the ponies will be grazing the heath to keep it in good condition. Previously cattle have been used to graze the hill in summer, but due to the movement restrictions of cattle, the hill has not been grazed this summer. The ponies will also help with bracken control on the hill by trampling the stems and breaking up the litter allowing other plants to grow. The ponies will be cared for by the Kit Hill wardens, with the help of volunteers and visits from the Dartmoor Pony Trust. Members of the public are being encouraged to visit the ponies who will be on the north side of Kit Hill, but are warned not to approach them or try to feed them, as they are wild and not used to being handled.
