THE Exmoor pony remains officially ’endangered’ and on the new watch-list published by the Rare Breed Survival Trust (RBST).

Every year, the Exmoor Pony Society, a registered charity and guardians of the breed for more than 99 years, provides data to enable the RBST to produce its annual watch-list.

Exmoor Pony Society trustee Nigel Hill said it shows the rarity of the UK’s native mammal breeds, and the Exmoor pony remains officially ’endangered’ on the watch-list, falling into the category of between 300 and 500 breeding mares.

“But to put this in perspective, after the Second World War, just 50 Exmoor ponies were left on the moor. Today the breed is in a better position, with more than 500 registered ponies running on Exmoor and more than 3,500 elsewhere across the UK and overseas."

An RBST announcement around the new watch-list cited Exmoor pony numbers as "down from last year’s tally". This is partly to do with registrations from breeders that are outstanding at the year-end.

In 2019 there were 143 foals which could be registered in Section 1 of the EPS studbook - an increase on previous years. The number of foals reared overseas increased by 45 per cent in 2019, with some registrations also pending DNA parentage verification when the figures were generated for the report.

Nigel said: "Having the ’endangered’ classification does create profile and helps people focus on the needs of the breed, but in reality a breed’s success is down to market forces.

“While we have Exmoors involved in some exciting conservation and re-wilding schemes in the UK and Europe and they are growing in popularity as all-round family ponies, the market for native breeds is not huge.

“The society has maintained a policy, in line with many welfare organisations, of breeding responsibly and for the market we have.”

Former Exmoor Pony Society trustee Michael Dewhurst, who owns the Darshill Stud, wrote in his annual report for members: "The current breeding population of Exmoor ponies is healthy and, although still endangered, it appears the breed’s future is secure.

“The onus is on all breeders not to breed foals that they are unable to find suitable homes for and to make sure all our bloodlines are represented going forwards."

The underlying strength in the Exmoor breed is the age of the breeding mares, which are typically young when compared to most other rare breed ponies. Some 78 per cent of the Exmoor broodmares are aged between four and 15 years, with only seven per cent aged 20 or over.

An ageing broodmare population can put the breed at higher risk, with fewer breeding mares available and a shortage of breeding females to replace them, as well as reducing genetic diversity in the breed.

While Exmoor pony registrations are expected to hold for 2020, there could be a decline in ponies bred off the moor due to the current pandemic making it difficult to take mares to stallions. And breeders are conscious that the market is likely to dip next year if the country enters a recession.