Grant from Norman Family Trust helps  secure future of Dartmoor pony handling service

The Dartmoor Pony Heritage Trust (DPHT) has been awarded a grant from the Norman Family Trust to support its specialist pony handling service, ensuring the continued welfare and safe management of Dartmoor’s semi-wild ponies.

The funding, announced this week, will support the Trust’s specialist pony handler in delivering essential care to keepers and farmers across Dartmoor.

Chairman of the DPHT, Michael Lithgow CBE, said: This is excellent news for a vital service that we provide for our Dartmoor Heritage keepers and breeders. Handling is key to the welfare of the ponies and to the safety of everyone who works with them.

Pony handling is critical for the management of Dartmoor’s semi-wild herds. While the ponies play an important role in grazing and shaping the moor, they must also be calm and approachable when brought in for health checks, veterinary treatment, or movement between sites. Without regular handling, ponies can become difficult or dangerous to manage.

The Norman Family Trust, based in Budleigh Salterton, was set up in 1979 by W. K. (Ken) Norman after selling his Norman’s Cash & Carry grocery business, which had stores across the South West. The Trust continues his legacy of supporting Westcountry charities and community organisations.

Handling also enables ponies to take part in community events and educational outreach, helping people to connect with Dartmoor’s heritage and the vital role of ponies in conservation.

The DPHT said the grant will help secure the future of this service, supporting not only the ponies themselves but the farmers, keepers, and local communities who rely on them to keep Dartmoor’s landscape thriving.

For further information visit: www.dpht.co.uk.