Hot Branding on Dartmoor

These pictures were taken on Dartmoor on 10th April 2011. Some of our volunteers came across these young "Hill" ponies on the moor and thankfully had a camera with them to capture a few shots of this horrendous brand mark.

After making some enquiries, it seems that the "R" mark is supposed to indicate that these ponies belong to a breeder called Mary Alford. Whilst hot branding is still legal, wild ponies are having to endure a procedure that is considered unacceptable by all the major welfare organisations in this country, including the British Veterinary Association and the British Equine Veterinary Association. Banned in Scotland, Holland, Denmark, and perhaps soon in Germany, the UK is waiting for the RSPCA to decide whether branding is cruel or not before things can move forward.

Not far from where the pony above was found, the volunteers found another group of recently branded young ponies. Unbelievably, these had also been illegally ear notched...so a nice trip in the sunshine over Dartmoor turned into rather a shocking display of mutilated ponies...somewhat disappointing for a day trip to the moor.

Visiting tourists seemed to agree - being so horrified at seeing injured ponies, particularly the one with 3rd degree burns, they got back into their cars and drove off.

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Ponies dying on Bodmin Moor

A shocking press release from South West Equine Protection -

http://www.swep.org.uk/press-release-east-moor-bodmin/

The Daily Mail have picked it up -

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1357329/Wild-ponies-Bodmin-Moor-dye-neglect-5-rotting-carcasses-3-weeks.html

and it was shown on BBC Spotlight news -

http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/cornwall/hi/people_and_places/nature/newsid_9398000/9398134.stm
The Daily Mail article has now received many comments from members of the public. Some offer help, or want to know what they can do; some are critical of the observation and apparent inaction of welfare organisations; some don't believe that the ponies are owned (because they are described as 'wild') and many people are asking questions about the situation.

It's 99.9% sympathetic; I think I saw only one negative commment that said 'they're wild. It's a non-story.'

Here are some facts in answer to those questions.

The ponies are ALL OWNED. They are called 'wild' because that is how they live; their owners use grazing rights on the moor. Some people may call them 'free-living' or 'semi-feral'. The idea is that new foals are born in the spring and early summer, the ponies get rounded up in the autumn, sorted out and either sold or put back on the moor. Since 2009, new foals are legally required to be microchipped. If animals are microchipped, owners can be identified. Older animals might have been ear notched or branded. It's possible that ponies may have been dumped on the moor by people who don't have grazing rights and just want to get rid of ponies. You have to realise that the market is non-existent; ponies sell for next to nothing or are shot for zoo meat or may be transported to the Continent. The whole over-breeding problem is another issue.

Some farmers have a responsible attitude to their animals. The ones that don't would not bother to microchip, would not check on the ponies, would not provide extra feed and would deny ownership if there was a problem because if they admit ownership they are liable to prosecution for neglect. Ponies that look as if they are poorly would most likely be shot, because it's cheaper and much easier than helping them.

Horse welfare organisations are ALL full, including us. Even so, for such an extreme case, room would be found somehow.

This particular problem was flagged up late in January 2011. SWEP responded, despite being many miles away from Bodmin Moor. Faye Stacey, their Pony Welfare Officer, has to make a three hour round trip to get there. Of course all the proper authorities were contacted. DEFRA and Trading Standards have been to see for themselves. They decided that there is not a problem, thereby leaving SWEP no option but to go to the Press. There is plenty of legislation in place to prevent this kind of cruelty but no-one is enforcing it!

Yes, the ponies are priority. Yes, even though it is their owners' job, hay could be given. If there is a group of ponies, the strongest will get the most. Anyway, they are not going to be standing conveniently by the roadside, waiting for it. Sometimes it takes an hour or longer to search for them, sometimes in vain, walking over the roughest terrain; there are hills, bogs and sometimes thick fog to contend with. But for the emaciated ones, hay is not enough. They need to come off the moor and receive veterinary attention. They may not be handleable. In which case they need to be drifted and transported by people with the sympathetic handling skills necessary. Even when seriously ill a wild pony can and will summon every ounce of its remaining energy to avoid capture especially if its previous experience of humans has been to be ear notched or hot branded. A mobile handling unit needs to be sourced, funded and transported. A horsebox is required. A vet would be useful. Many experienced people are needed to drift the ponies to a suitable collection point. So the logistics of such an operation are complicated. For these smaller charities all this organisation does not necessarily coincide with office hours - it is a round the clock job; they are used to that. Bigger organisations work 9 to 5 Monday to Friday!

What can people do to help?
Keep up the pressure for the law to be enforced - write to
- Kevin Lavery, Chief Executive of Cornwall Council - klavery@cornwall.gov.uk
- Your local MP, to raise support on a Parliamentary level.
- James Paice, Defra Minister - james.paice.mp@parliament.uk (it is Defra who will have the authority to seize the ponies in poor condition).

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700 ponies killed on Dartmoor

Since we discovered that ear mutilations have been illegal for equines since 2007 we have become increasingly aware of the desperate situation facing ponies on Dartmoor. Thanks to our efforts the relevant authorities are now aware of the problem regarding ear mutilations and it is being dealt with at last. However, there are many other problems which are yet to be overcome.
Dartmoor ponies in particular are having a torrid time of it. This emotive article was published recently. (there were similar articles in other dailies )

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/dec/11/dartmoor-ponies-slaughter-zoo-feeding-lions

There are many unanswered questions. If there are organisations that have been selectively breeding and promoting the ponies for years, how has the situation got so bad? There is clearly no demand for the ponies. We were once told that children in Ireland want the coloured ones for riding ponies! What rubbish - more likely that they end up as handbags on the continent.

As the welfare problem gains momentum more individuals and organisations are speaking out.

http://www.wildponies.info/ is a new website with some astonishing and shocking pictures and information particularly about ponies on the moors. It has links to other sites, articles and publications including http://www.equinerescuefrance.org/2010/11/and-the-ugly-2
This organisation has photographed live Dartmoor ponies in a sale at Maurs in the South of France. How did they end up there? It's not supposed to be possible.

people4ponies believes that it is unethical and immoral to use culling as a method of breeding control.

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Coping with the snow

Woke up to find a heavy fall of snow today and it has been snowing on and off all day, but thawing at the same time so the level has been maintained.
I took a couple of pictures - our ducks are coping quite well with coming off the pond and over the snow for food. Here, they are dabbling corn out of the bowl. The black one is Mrs. Tucker, an Indian runner and the other one is Tufty Duck, a Saxony cross. They are both young females. You can see Mousey behind, and Ginger with her blue rug on.

Then I watched Mousey for a bit. She was using her nose as a snowplough, pushing and grazing alternately. I think she has had many years on Dartmoor to perfect this technique!

Late Night Shopping tomorrow at South Molton - a big event these days with lots of live music, a craft fair and other attractions including people4ponies. We will be in the Pannier Market with our fundraising stall. And probably our hot water bottles!

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Snow in November

Yesterday was sunny and calm but then in the early afternoon it became very dark and suddenly it was snowing hard - a real blizzard - and it settled fast. It slowed down after about half an hour and by then we were preparing to bring in Mousey and Ginger (2 hours earlier than usual).
The boys watched as we headcollared the two girls, but Frodo took matters into his own hands, popping straight out under the tape and making it very obvious that he wanted to come out too. Paul started to put a headcollar on him but we'd only brought two so he let him go past without one - our lane is very quiet and he would usually only stop and graze. However he rushed out and hurried after me as I was leading Ginger up the drive! "I've no time for grazing let me get IN!" So we made him comfortable in his little workshop stable and he has been in for the night. I think we've got the water situation under control now - the pink container is outside and he has to put his head through the bars to drink. No matter what we put it in, if it's reachable with a hoof he will pull it over and then we have a flood.

I went back down and took the snowy picture after Paul had put some hay out for the boys - Muddy, Bobby, Rocky and Dan. It was such a gloomy afternoon but they were happy once they had the hay. We are into the 2010 hay now - it is VERY good hay, from a June cut. Thank you, Ted and Jenny, what would we do without this amazing donation! Frodo had the 2009 hay, damped, and had to put up with it. It's perfectly fine but he knows there is superior stuff!

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Mousey's still with us and doing well

A couple of nice pictures of Mousey with Gill and Margaret taken over the last two weeks. She copes well with our volunteers doing a bit of gentle and rhythmical grooming, so we are pushing the boundaries a bit in this respect.

I am really chuffed to have headcollared her whilst wearing strange clothing (yes, I know, all my clothes are strange!)

The first time was in the morning, so she was in her stable. It was cold and wet so I had on a rustle-y waterproof jacket on and, feeling a bit under the weather with a cold, I was reluctant to take it off. So I
thought, well, if I can't do it I'll get Paul to headcollar her. There was no hurry anyway. (Which, of course, there should never be). I just kept on, doing advance and retreat to her face and neck, until she allowed my hand, with the unfamiliar sleeve, to rest on her forehead. Then smoothly down and under her chin to maintain the contact while I slipped the noseband over her muzzle.

Then this afternoon getting her in from the field with a strong wind blowing, I had a different coat on with larger cuffs - I was quite prepared to take it off but thought I would try the same technique first, and it worked really well. I had to push the cuffs up a bit as she would have spooked if they had touched her face.

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A good old pony

Here's Ginger, who has been with us since last January. On board is Celeste, who spent a few days with us in October. She usually rides Frodo but this time she took Ginger out as well. It is the first time this old pony has been ridden here apart from a couple of trips down the drive with toddlers on her. Celeste didn't go far but was very pleased at how responsive Ginger still is - she must have been ridden by many children in the past. I think they both really enjoyed it!

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The Brooke Rescue Show (in August !)

(A very belated blog, which I actually wrote way back in August.)

Last Sunday we went to The Brooke Rescue Horse and Dog Show at Tiverton. This charity does such a lot to help equines in the poorest parts of the world, and the Show is a fund raiser for them and to highlight those issues, but also brings together many animal welfare charities like us. Have a look at their website -
http://www.thebrooke.org/

Young Millie took Frodo in some of the classes; they came third in the Turnout class and then did really well in the Child Handler class - they won it! Faye has been coaching Millie with her Frodo handling and she (Millie) was complemented by the judge on her comfortably loose leading and also for the fact that even though she was not riding she still wore her hat for safety.

We sold lots of horsy stuff that had been donated for this purpose and we were also selling the wonderful 'pony' marmalade and jams made by our Wednesday ladies. There was a steady stream of gamblers trying their luck on our Tombola and we also sold cards and T shirts.

In the afternoon we watched the Horse Agility Club's demonstration and then Millie took Frodo in the simplified competition version. Frodo was required to stand still with his front feet in a hoop laid on the ground (He's not good at standing still and wanted to play with the hoop), be led in and out of cones (OK with that), walk through a tunnel (good), go past Scary Corner, (good) jump through a blue tube hoop! (very good) and be led through a strip curtain (excellent) and they won!!

The top picture shows a very happy Millie with her handful of rosettes, and (bottom) walking a very calm Frodo through the strip curtain.

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Wilma

I wrote the first part of this blog weeks ago, and will now finish it off so that I can get on with some more blogging, which I am sadly behind with. This is the first part.

Wilma is an Exmoor mare from a semi-feral herd. She probably experienced traditional handling methods as a foal - indeed, she displayed great fear and suspicion when she arrived in July to be a course demo pony. She has lived all her life so far (don't know how old she is, 10 maybe) as a wild pony, and she has a fear of humans. Her previous handling may have caused some trauma. We suspect she may have high status within her herd. She is a big pony - a real walloper.

Paul started to interact with the long cane over the door - she would not look at it, but stood resolutely at the back of the stable waiting until it had gone again. So assuming that she knew very well that it was there Paul touched her with it and she was ok. He quickly progressed to the hand stick; also ok. He goes in to do 'stable servicing'; but is very careful; especially about bending to pick up manure.

(Wilma was judged too unpredictable to be able to progress over the two day course so Paul continued to work with her in the following days. I think it was Tuesday when he came in to tell me -)

'Touched her!' (I had left him 10 mins before giving her longish slivers of carrot wedged between his fingers, palm uppermost, and she was ok with brushing his hand as she took them. He had gone in again with the handstick and made an approach to her shoulder showing her what a stroke looks like as he got there (it's quite important to do air stroking as you approach and not to touch first and then change to a stroking movement)

'I've made a point of moving her around in the stable just to show that I'm the one who does the moving and not her; I just put my hand out towards a point just behind her, no noise, just the visual pressure, and she moves round.'

'Judging by the way she has become accustomed to my presence going in and out of the stable she is not as worried as some have been and may come round quite quickly.'

Famous last words.

This is the rest of the story -

It was the day after that, Wednesday. Our volunteer ladies were here having a coffee break from their mucking out. Paul was down at the stables working with Wilma. Suddenly
there was a tremendous bang which seemed to continue into a crashing noise of moving metal - we rushed out; Wilma was standing in the pen, which was detached from the stables and partially collapsed; Paul was just standing there to prevent her getting out. The stable was open. The stable door was in two halves.

We drifted Wilma back into the stable and Paul fastened the round pen gate as a door to secure her there.

He said he had been working quietly with her in the stable; Wilma facing the door, Paul alongside her neck, making hand contact. She had moved back a step (he wondered whether her rump touched the back wall and there was a combination of circumstances that produced a trigger) but then she exploded forwards, straight through the door and her momentum continuing into the pen and across and into the far side of it, when it came apart from the stables and partially collapsed.

We talked a lot about what had happened and the dangers associated with rehabilitating a big mature pony who has such fear of humans. If Wilma had been sympathetically handled as a youngster she would now be a 'wild but handleable' conservation pony. Although we are sure progress could be achieved we decided that our facilities are not good enough to cope with this sort of situation, and Wilma was returned to her herd. Of course she is happy there, living life as a wild pony. It has again highlighted the problem of welfare issues in unhandleable wild ponies.

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Connor

Connor has been here for two days for handling practice. His new owners brought him to the 'Handling the Wild, Untouched and Traumatised Pony' course which Vanessa Bee runs here.

Connor is a 2 year old Welsh gelding, very pretty, but with big 'people problems' - probably stemming from his experience of forced handling when first headcollared, and when gelded.

His new owner Clare had managed to change his headcollar, which was tight, for another one - across the back of a tame pony! But Connor needed to overcome his fear, and Paul began work with him on Saturday morning using familiarisation techniques and remote pressure. We all watched as the short sessions continued through the day, resuming on Sunday and culminating in Connor being led out for the first time and walking into his trailer for the homeward journey.

He now lives with understanding and caring people who will not hurt him. Now that we've been able to show them some of our techniques we're sure that they will be able to continue to work with him in a positive way.

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