 The new regulations take effect from 1 January 2004 |
The annual round up of ponies on Dartmoor, known as the drift, got under way on Wednesday with a warning it could become far less of a spectacle in future. Farmers say the cost of new European regulations requiring each pony to have its own individual paperwork identification will mean fewer are kept on the moor.
The so-called passports will cost up to �30 pounds per animal.
But many ponies are worth only a few pounds and farmers say they will not be able to afford the losses and many will stop keeping ponies.
Pony register
"We will always have ponies on Dartmoor, how many remains to be seen," said Peter Tarling from Roborough Commoners.
"From the farmers' point of view are they still a viable commodity, of course it's not, but we all love our ponies."
The government has offered to exempt Dartmoor ponies from the passports on condition they do not leave the moor and as long as a pony register is set up by the Dartmoor Commoners' Council.
"The Dartmoor National Park Authority is working closely with the Dartmoor Commoners' Council to look at ways of implementing various legislation to retain herds of Dartmoor ponies," said Rob Steemson of Dartmoor National Park Authority.
The council will meet next month to discuss the issue.
The new regulations take effect from 1 January 2004.
Pony passports are designed to protect human health in those countries where eating horse meat is common.
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