EXMOOR Pony breeders Nick and Dawn Westcott have vowed to fight a move to kick them out of the organisation whose aim is to safeguard the future of the iconic breed. The couple, who farm at Luccombe near Minehead, run the Holtball Exmoor Pony Stud, founded the Exmoor Pony Club and have been at the forefront of an initiative to prevent the slaughter of moorland foals through the newly established Moorland Exmoor Foal Project. But a resolution signed by 15 members of the Exmoor Pony Society to revoke the Westcotts' membership was backed by 135 of the 700 or so members at the organisation's annual meeting last week. And although the majority of members did not vote - around 20 supported the Westcotts - the EPS committee will now consider whether the couple's membership should be revoked. Mrs Westcott, who attended the meeting with her husband, claims the decision was undemocratic and discriminatory. And the Westcotts plan to lobby both Defra - as the EPS is both the official breed society and 'passport' issuing agency - and the Charity Commission. The Westcotts say voting forms were sent out to members without any explanation of the reasons for the membership revocation bid and even at the meeting they were given just five minutes to put their side. "In fact, I was allowed to speak but Nick was not given any chance to say anything," said Mrs Westcott. "The majority of members did not vote on this issue and even now we have had no communication from the EPS to say how the committee will decide whether or not to revoke our membership. "It was a horrible, stressful experience, particularly for Nick, whose great grandfather was one of the founding members of the EPS." Mrs Westcott said the couple's only 'crime' had been to raise concerns on a number of issues ranging from the illegality of multiple hot-branding of foals to delays and difficulties with the inspection system to verify genetic heritage. The result had been a sustained campaign of internet abuse, ostracisation and hostility from people involved with the breed, she said "Our reputation has been compromised and damaged," said Mrs Westcott. "Yet the EPS has not consulted with us over the resolution to revoke our membership and we still don't know if we will be able to defend ourselves properly before the committee makes a final decision - it is just appalling." Mr Westcott said the behaviour of some people involved had been "disgraceful". "Around 500 members didn't vote, with some expressing their shock and annoyance that a resolution could be served without explanation, discussion or mediation," he said. "My family have lived and farmed on Exmoor for over 12 generations in the parish of Luccombe alone and it is seriously worrying to find ourselves having to deal with something that impacts on our reputations as Exmoor pony breeders and my wife's work as a trainer." A spokesman for the EPS said it was not able to comment on what was an internal matter.