Pony charity makes a plea for horse rug-less Dartmoors out in the cold

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Without the benefit of a horse rug or horse blanket to keep them warm, wild Dartmoor ponies are struggling with the cold weather experienced in the UK recently.

A pony charity in the South West is mainly concerned with the ponies' access to food and water which has been compromised by the heavy snowfall and icy temperatures.

The South West Equine Protection is especially concerned for ponies in the Roborough Downs area as there is no natural source of water and grazing is limited. Dog walkers and locals are being asked to check troughs and break any ice that may be covering them.

As the pipes to the troughs have all frozen, the SWEP is having to make regular trips to each of the water sources to fill up the troughs.

Because the ponies are completely wild, they rely on the vast amounts of grass they eat to keep them sustained. However with the snow affecting their search for food and no horse rug to retain their heat, many ponies will be living off their body weight to keep them warm.