Quad bikes on Dartmoor are a threat to the ponies

ANOTHER year, another Dartmoor Pony drift, another trip back to the dark ages.

I took my dogs out early on Sunday morning for a peaceful walk along the moor.

On approaching Long Ash, at Yelverton, I saw horse boxes parked to the side of the road.

Opposite the garden centre there was a group of people on quad bikes and off road motor bikes. I began to get concerned.

As I approached, they started up their machines and with loud shouts, they roared onto the moor at such a speed (and associated noise), causing one quad bike rider to fly into the air and the quad bike overturning.

Poor Dartmoor and its unsuspecting animals. It was truly terrible and so wrong that it is allowed.

Later that morning I went to Yelverton and stopped on the moor for a while to enjoy the peace and beauty.

A mistake! I then witnessed the result of the idiots on quad bikes that roared across the moor.

The drift! Terrified ponies with their young trying to keep up. Many of the females were pregnant, with a yearling by their side.

“We have to do this” I am told by a participant. Why? This is supposed to be a civilised country and surely we have progressed enough to leave the Dartmoor ponies to live their lives in peace. If some are concerned about numbers, then geld the males.

Across the world, the many fans of the native ponies would donate to a charity set up for this purpose.

The Dartmoor ponies belong on the moor, having more right to it than us.

How I loathe the word “tradition”. It is an excuse for outdated and unnecessary cruelty, like hunting.

And please don’t tell me some ponies don’t end up in a tin of dog food – I simply won’t believe you.

Perhaps someone involved could list the total number of animals taken off the moor.

Break the list down to males, females and the very young. Then inform us all what fate awaited them.

Then we will all know exactly what the word “drift” means.

Janice Webb Buckland Monachorum another level of rugby with their demolition of Northampton Saints in the recent European Champions Cup, securing a home tie with French club, Toulouse, who were equally impressive in their demolition of Ulster by 36 points to 8 over the same weekend, the squad will have a fresh chance to test themselves when they meet the French club soon in their semi-final at Sandy Park.

From what has become apparent, the spirit of comradeship and healthy competition for inclusion in match day squad might well be enough to see the Chiefs into the European Champions Cup final. It will be a very good game to win – but we all hope not one ‘Toulouse’!

Paul Wakeling Redruth, Cornwall