Horses : DALES PONY

Origin: North Yorkshire, Durham and Northumberland, England.

Australian Status: 

International Status: the Dales Pony is listed as CRITICAL both in its home country (<300) and globally by EST

Arrived in Australia: 2019.

Australian Population: 2 mares, 1 filly, 1 colt and 1 gelding. - 2020

History: In the eighteenth century the now extinct Scottish Galloway was brought to the Dales area to be put to the local native mares, for the purpose of improving their speed and agility for the lead mines. Only the strongest, most active and healthiest were keep as breeding stock, eventually the Black Galloways of the mixed herds superseded the Scottish Gallows and became known as the Dales Ponies. Since then over the year the breed has been influenced by the Norfolk Cobs and the Yorkshire Trotters. In the twentieth century Vanners and Clydesdales were becoming popular to cross the Dales with and with the worry the breed be threaten the Dales pony Improvers Society was formed in 1916 becoming an official studbook. The Dales Ponies were heavily used during both World Wars by the British Army. During the WWII saw the British army taking Dales mares and breeding them to Vanners to produce ponies for town and city transportation. Few mares returned and causing the breed to nearly become extinct. 1964 saw the reorganisation of the Society along with the name change to Dales Pony Society. The breed was resurrected from the remaining purebreds, with a careful breeding program and a grading-up register. Due to the success of the program the studbook was closed in 1971 forming the purebred Dales Ponies of today.

Breed traits: Ideal height 14-14.2 hh. Colours : Black, brown, bay, grey and roan. No broken colours. A white star and/or snip on the head and white fetlocks to the hind legs only. Mismatched ponies are downgraded to a grading-up register. Head neat and pony like. A strong active pony, with a strong short back, deep through the chest and well-sprung ribs. Powerful hind quarters, second thighs well developed, well laid strong sloping shoulder. The very best of feet and legs with plenty of bone and a well set tail.

Breed Organisation: None in Australia. Only one breeder in Australia Raycroft Dales https://raycroftstud.com.au/

In their home country, the UK they are registered with the Dales Pony Society www.dalespony.org

Additional Notes:

Photo : Imported Dales Pony mare and Australian born foal at foot from Raycroft Stud in NSW. Photo kindly supplied by Raylene Steptoe, owner of Raycroft Stud.

(new breed profile added 14/09/2020 by A.Y.)

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