Below is a copy of the press release which gives details about this year's open day. We are looking forward to it and hope to see you there!!
Following the wonderful success of last years Information Day the Dartmoor Pony Training Centre will be hosting another on 28th September this year.
Dartmoor Hill Ponies are calm, kind and great with children – but, like everyone, they all have their little quirks so this event has been set up to help people train their ponies the right way and get the most from these wonderful characters.
Dartmoor Hill Ponies are very trusting and respond well to non-confrontational training methods, which build up a bond of trust over time, leading to great understanding between pony and handler. If a pony can trust its handler due to the initial training methods used it will mean in the future a pony who is following its handler around is doing so because it wants to and likes the handler’s company, not because they feel they have to! They also respond well to positive reinforcement (just like children really!) and are very quick to learn and catch on to what a handler asks of them if the basic initial training is done correctly. The ponies are a wonderful, calm and versatile breed with lots of character and make ideal children’s ponies, therapy ponies, driving ponies and companions.
The Dartmoor Pony Training Centre will be working alongside The Friends of the Dartmoor Hill Pony at the Information Day where people can find out more about these “wild to wonderful” ponies. It is an event for anyone who has a love for Dartmoor Hill Ponies and is interested in learning more about buying or training them..
There will again be workshops by Sarah Weston of Intelligent Horsemanship on working with un-handled ponies and this year she will also be working with ponies who have been slightly handled to show how training can be progressed.
The Dartmoor Pony Training Centre’s sponsorship ponies Merry and Trixie will be in attendance for all their fans to say hello to.
Bringing a new aspect to the day will be Gail Booker a feeding advisor for HorseHage and Mollichaff who will be on hand throughout the afternoon to offer advice on feeding native ponies and offering free samples.
We will be selling raffle tickets throughout the day and this will be drawn at around 3.30pm, we have various prizes kindly donated to us by local businesses including Mole Avon in Okehampton, Plymouth Aquarium, Plymouth Pavilions, Trago Mills and Pennywell Farm.
The Friends of the Dartmoor Hill Pony will be in there with fun pony demonstrations and talking about the ponies on Dartmoor and the pony Drift sales in October. Entry will be free and there will be a donation box on the door and any money donated will go to the Dartmoor Pony Training Centre. Any money raised goes directly towards helping the ponies and they are also currently trying to raise funds to purchase a trailer to enable them to attend more shows to promote the ponies.
Foals rounded up from this year's drift will be at the event and will be for sale on the day. There will also be other older ponies for sale on the day owned by various breeders. There will be contacts if you wish to purchase a pony direct from farmers after the event.
Pony keepers and trainers will be on hand throughout the day to give advice on training, feeding, worming etc. and we hope to have a number of stalls at the event.
It will be held at Higher Northway Farm, Widdecombe, TQ13 7TE
Please get in touch with the Dartmoor Pony Training Centre if you would like further information about the organisation, the event, would like to discuss having a stall at the event or to be put on the mailing list Tel: 01364 654609 or email dartmoorponytrainingcentre@yahoo.co.uk (www.dptc.org.uk)
