There's been a lot of publicity regarding this shocking headline today and our regular supporters will know that we
absolutely disagree with this suggestion...and what's more, we should make very clear that it's not what Dartmoor wants either! We rang in to take part in the BBC Radio 2 programme today. We didn't actually get to speak on the programme...but Dru Butterfield from the Dartmoor Pony Heritage Trust did a good job of putting forward the counter argument.
What still hasn't been explained to the public is that recent published research proved that over 70% of farmers on Dartmoor want the stallions removed to stop breeding. We recently blogged about this research, see our blog post:
( http://www.people4ponies.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/people4ponies-welcomes-research.html )
The claim made in this headline undermines the work of the other equine charities, individuals and breeders who have been working hard to create a sustainable model on the moor - vasectamising, gelding, removing stallions etc. This headline is created by the few people who have refused to take part in this. Horses are legally classified as companion animals and are in the same category as dogs and cats. Overbreeding is a big problem in these areas too but the best solution is to STOP THE BREEDING.
So many of the breeders have removed or vasectomised stallions and this is one of the best ways to stop breeding (by separating mares and stallions) but
there is a small core of people who refuse to remove their stallions...which then go and cover everyone else's mares resulting in hundreds and hundreds of unwanted foals. These people effectively sabotage the efforts of the responsible breeders and have devalued the ponies to the stage where they are worthless. They have quite clearly shown that they are more committed to setting up a permanent slaughterhouse (from which they hope to financially profit) than they are to stopping breeding on Dartmoor...but you will never hear a reporter question any of these issues. Why can we not hear reporters asking more probing questions...Why do you keep your stallions out on the moor, chose a contraception research scheme that is impractical and likely to fail (you know that most breeders are unwilling to pay for the drugs because the ponies aren't worth anything, and it's impractical bringing in the animals at multiple times during the year) and sabotage the responsible breeders causing them to have unwanted foals...surely to legitimise your plans for a slaughterhouse and permanent meat outlet, which you try to force everyone to take part in???? If you really were committed to stopping breeding and ensuring the future of the ponies, wouldn't you take your stallions off the moors too??? Jeremy Vine completely failed to look into this properly. Where's Jeremy Paxman when you need him!
It was good to see David Cameron being quoted as saying "I'm not keen on eating horse. I know it's something that happens in other countries, but I think we should stick to our non-horse eating habits."
As we've said before, having been around these issues for a while now I think the only real answer is for all the ponies on Dartmoor to be owned by a central organisation (such as the national park) who then take responsibility for the welfare and management of the herds. People love coming to Dartmoor to see the ponies but I think they'd love coming even more if they knew the ponies were being ethically managed - living in the park as conservation grazers keeping Dartmoor as it should be and not constantly part of one scandal or another. There are separate commons where the stallions could be kept. There could be a managed policy of responsible breeding only - almost with a "breed to order" type system - for the moor and some to private homes. Then of course, they would argue how would it be funded...but I do think people would donate to a system that ensured the ponies a life on Dartmoor, where they should be - with ensured welfare and ethical management.
The ponies are supposed to be the symbol of the national park and if they are considered special enough to be the symbol of the park then they should have a more central and more ethically managed role.
What's really important is that the recent study confirmed that the vast majority of the farmers want the stallions removed...but the Commoner's Council aren't listening...let's hope that this will now be driven through by the responsible breeders on the moor and we'll see an end to these sorts of headlines.
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