Exmoor Pony Branding

[JS]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/8469150.stm

"The British Veterinary Association has also described hot branding as "unacceptable" on welfare grounds.

However, the Exmoor Pony Society said that such a ban was "not good for the breed".

Micro-chipping of the ponies was made compulsory in 2009 under EU law, but the society said that form of identification was suitable only for handled animals.

A spokeswoman or the society said: "They're semi-feral and they need identification that can be read at a distance." "

Why oh why!?

[mabli]

I cant see why you need to see a pony’s id from a distance doesn’t make sense to me.

We pass loads of Welsh Mountain Ponies when we go walking and Pinkle has become friends with one. I tried to take a photo yesterday of them rubbing noses through the fence but my camera didn’t work so I had to make do with a phone photo of Pink looking forlorn as the pony walked away.



ps there are no sheep on these hills so Pink is not on a lead

[Johnstuff]

It's odd to me that people care about a bloodline/breed but don't really care about the welfare of individuals.

[Hiking Fox]

I cant see why you need to see a pony’s id from a distance doesn’t make sense to me.

In this age of litigation, it is possibly to ensure that if a pony causes damage or an accident (e.g. by straying onto a road), the owner can be traced quickly and notified/held accountable. My understanding is that there are no wild ponies in Britain; they are all owned by somebody.

[mabli]

Removed this I was talking rubbish!

[Konstantin]

I cant see why you need to see a pony’s id from a distance doesn’t make sense to me.

No, me neither. There's similar population on Dartmoor.


I always thought they were unidentified and not owned by anyone, but don't know.

[JS]

I always thought they were unidentified and not owned by anyone, but don't know.

According to Wiki the exmoor pony's on the moor are privately owned - rounded up once a year and branded with a star on their shoulder. Seems they could be a nicer way to brand them if it is indeed as Hiking Fox suggests liability/ownership if an accident.

[mabli]

Its to do with cost as always. The Carneddau ponies are exempt from being chipped because it would be too costly.

I imagine branding is a little cheaper than chipping so Exmoor owners are pretending you need to identify a horse from 100 yards, which is probably twaddle and as HF says then leads them to a litigation risk if a passer buy gets kicked in the head and can more easily sue the owner.

[moggy]

Why cant they freezemark?

http://www.farmkey.co.uk/farmkey/index. ... &Itemid=41

My horse and pony got done over 20 years ago - the only theft deterrent at a time when a lot of horses were being stolen and mainly ending yp for meat.