Country of origin | United Kingdom |
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Standard | Dales Pony Society |
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The Dales Pony is a British breed of pony or small horse. It originated in, and is named for, the Dales of Yorkshire in northern England. It is one the nine native mountain and moorland pony breeds of the United Kingdom, and belongs to the broader Celtic group of ponies which extends from Portugal and northern Spain to Scandinavia.
It was originally a working pony, and its history is closely linked to the history of lead mining in the Dales. A stud-book was established in 1916. It was used extensively by the British Army in both world wars, and during the Second World War came close to extinction. Subsequent conservation efforts have had some success in rebuilding the population, but it is still an endangered breed, and is listed as "critical" by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust.
Its qualities include strength, hardiness, stamina, courage, intelligence and good disposition.