Introducing the (Yorkshire) Dales

DALES PONY SOCIETY BREED DESCRIPTION

GENERAL: A strong, active pony, full of quality and spirit.

HEAD: Neat and pony-like. Broad between the eyes, which should be brightand alert. Pony ears slightly incurving. Long foretop of straight hairdown the face.

NECK: Strong and of ample length. Stallions should display a bold outlookwith a well-arched crest. Throat and jaws clean-cut. Long flowing mane.

SHOULDERS: Well-laid, long sloping shoulders with well-developed muscles.Withers not too fine.

BODY: Short-coupled and deep through the chest, with well-sprung ribs.

HINDQUARTERS: Hindquarters deep, lengthy and powerful. Second thighswell-developed and very muscular. Tail well set on, not high, with plentyof long, straight hair reaching the ground.

HOCKS: Broad, flat and clean. Well let down with plenty of dense flatbone below.

FOREARMS: Set square. Short and very muscular, with broad, well-developedheels.

FEET, LEGS & JOINTS: Thevery best of feet and legs, with joints,showing quality with no coarseness. The cannons should display 8″ – 9½”of flat flinty bone and well defined tendons. Pasterns should be nicelysloping and of good length. Ample silky feather on the heels. Large, roundfeet, open at the heels, with well developed frogs.

HEIGHT: Up to 14.2 h.h. Overheight ponies will be downgraded in thegrading-up register.

COLOURS: Black, brown, a few grey and bay, and occasionally roan.

MARKINGS: A white star and/or snip on the head. White fetlocks to thehindlegs only. Mismarked ponies will be down-graded in the grading-up register.

ACTION: Clean, high, straight and true. Going forward on “all fours”with tremendous energy. The knee and hock arelifted, the hindlegs flexedwell under the body for powerful drive.

CHARACTER: True pony character. Alter, high-couraged, intelligent andkind.

• See Horse & Hound’s issue date 1 March for an indepth article on showing native ponies including Dales.