Breed Standard


General:   A strong, active pony, full of quality and spirit.
Height:   The preferred height range is 14 hands. (142.2 cms) to 14.2 hands (146.2 cms).†
Head:   Neat and ponylike. Broad between the eyes, which should be bright and alert. Pony ears slightly incurving. Long foretop of straight hair down the face.
Neck:   Strong and of ample length. Stallions should display a bold outlook with 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:   Deep, lengthy and powerful. Second thighs well-developed and very muscular. Tail well set on, not high, with plenty of long, straight hair reaching the ground.
Hocks:   Broad, Flat and clean. Well let down with plenty of dense flat bone below.
Forearms:   Set square. Short and very muscular, with broad, well-developed knees.
Feet, Legs and Joints:   The very best of feet and legs, with flexible joints, showing quality with no coarseness. The cannons should display 8"- 9" (20.3cms - 22.9cms) of flat flinty bone and well defined tendons. Pasterns should be nicely sloping and of good length. Ample silky feather on the heels. Large, round feet open at the heels, with well developed frogs.
Colours:   Black, Brown, Grey, Bay and Roan
Markings:   A white star and/or snip on the head. White fetlocks to the hind legs only. Mismarked ponies will be down-graded to the grading-up register.
Action:   Clean, high, straight and true. Going forward on “all fours” with tremendous energy. The knee and hock are lifted, the hind legs flexed well under the body for powerful drive.
Character:   True pony character. Alert, high-couraged, intelligent and kind.

More about the Dales Pony Breed Standard Bone Measurement.
† Ponies above and below this range to be placed at the discretion of the judges.