Dartmoor Pony basic information

Standard of the Dartmoor Pony
Height:
Not exceeding 12.2 hh.

Color:
Bay, brown, gray, chestnut, roan. Piebald and skewbalds are not allowed. Excessive white markings should be discouraged.

Head:
Should be small, well set on and bloodlike, with the nostrils large and expanding and the eyes bright, mild intelligent and prominent. The ears should be small, well-formed, alert and neatly set. The throat and jaws should be fine and showing no signs of coarseness or throatiness.

Neck:
Strong, but not too heavy and of medium length. Stallions have a moderate crest.

Shoulders:
Good shoulders are most important. They should be well laid back and sloping, but not too fine at the withers.

Body:
Of medium length and strong, well-ribbed up and with a good depth of girth giving plenty of heart room.

Loin and Hindquarters:
Strong and well covered with muscle. The hindquarters should be of medium length and neither level or steeply sloping. The tail is well set up.

Hind legs:
The hocks should be well let down with plenty of length from hip to hock, clean cut and with plenty of bone below the joint. They should not be "sickled" or "cow-hocked."

Fore legs:
Should not be tied in, in any way, at the elbows. The forearm should be muscular and the knee fairly large and flat on the front. The cannon should be short from knee to fetlock with ample, good, flat, flinty bone. The pasterns should be sloping but not too long. The feet should be sound, tough and well shaped.

Movement:
Low straight and free flowing, yet without exaggeration.

General:
The mane and tail should be full and flowing. The Dartmoor is a very good-looking riding pony, sturdily built yet with quality.