Dülmen Pony
Origin
Germany
History
West of the town of Dülmen is the Merfelder Bruch. The only natural breeding ground for wild ponies on the European continent is located in this extensive region of wood, moor, and heath. Wild ponies are mentioned in a document dated 1316. At that time wild horses were being persecuted, and the Lord of Dülmen obtained rights to the wild ponies in the area, providing them a refuge. The Merfelder Bruch originally covered a large area, the ownership and running of which were shared by the lord of the manor and the farmers. At the beginning of the 19th century there were still several natural breeding grounds in Westphalia. With the common lands being divided up and settlements growing, reservations for the wild ponies gradually disappeared. As division of the common land of Merfeld between 1840 and 1850 devoured more and more of the area for the wild ponies, the Dukes of Croy had them rounded up and gave them a place of refuge on their own lands.
The enclosed "wildbahn" (area for wild animals) of the Merfelder Bruch covers an area of about 865 acres. In this area, the wild ponies find all kind of food and the shelter they need in bad weather. The ponies spend the entire year in the open without supplemental food. Only when deep snow covers every blade of grass and every bush are they offered hay at a few feeding places. They are otherwise left completely to themselves and have to cope with sickness and birth without human help.
From a zoological standpoint the Dülmen can no longer be classified as "wild". It shows the marks of domestication and breeding, obvious in the hanging manes and various colors. The existence of animals of mouse-grey or dun gives evidence that there is still blood from the original wild ponies in their veins. Probably the Dülmen is in part a remnant of the wild Tarpan.
Each year on the last Saturday in May the traditional roundup is held. The male yearlings are captured and then auctioned in the presence of thousands of spectators. Mares, however, do not come up for sale. After the roundup of the male yearlings, one or two stallions are introduced for breeding purposes. They stay with the herd until September.
Description
- Average height:
12 to 13 h.h. - Colours:
other than the predominant dun and mouse colouring, the Dülmen may also be brown, black or chestnut - Temperament:
intelligent, good natured and easy to tame - Today:
it is highly esteemed, especially for children, for riding, acrobatics on horseback, and pulling carts, and can in general be harnessed from the age of two or three years.
