Why are Dartmoor ponies grazing on Wembury's cliffs?

Walking along the cliffs of Wembury, the last thing you’d expect to see is a Dartmoor Pony. Yet, at Wembury Point, located roughly 13 miles from their usual home on Dartmoor, these ponies are a common sight, grazing the coastal landscape.

The National Trust, which manages the area, has chosen to use these ponies for several reasons. 

Wembury Point is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), a status that requires specific management to preserve its conservation value. 

One of the management strategies employed is the use of Dartmoor ponies to graze the site.

The ponies play a crucial role in maintaining the grassland, encouraging a diverse range of flowers, and controlling the growth of coarse scrub. 

Since 2008, the ponies have helped improve the nature conservation of the area.

“The National Trust use the area to graze a group of Dartmoor ponies who have helped to improve the nature conservation of the area since 2008,” said a spokesperson for the Trust. “This traditional breed is used to manage scrub encroachment. They do this by trampling the bracken and nibbling the tops of emergent trees.”

These pure-bred Dartmoor ponies are now an endangered species, known for their strength, short legs, kindly eyes, and alert ears. 

Originally bred as working animals in the tin industry, they continue to serve an important role in conservation today.