The Exmoor Pony Festival brings together a combination of events and activities at various locations around Exmoor National Park, the home of the famous Exmoor Pony. The festival offers you the chance to meet free-roaming moorland ponies and the people who take care of these precious herds. Whether you aim to buy a pony bred on Exmoor, wish to learn more about the breed, or simply feel fascinated by them, the variety of events in this festival has something to offer everyone.
The purpose of the Exmoor Pony Festival is to promote the registered free-living moorland herds of the Exmoor Pony as part of the Exmoor National Park’s landscape and heritage, to educate the public on the welfare and management of the herds and to foster an appreciation of the Exmoor Pony breed. Read more
Come and enjoy it!
The 2022 Festival runs throughout August and has lots of opportunities to see the ponies on the moor and talk to the people who look after them. Please browse the 2022 What’s On page and contact the organisers to tell them you are interested! Booking is essential for most activities.
For event bookings and enquiries, contact the organiser of that event or exmoorponyfestival@gmail.com for all enquiries. Please book early to avoid disappointment. Thank you!
Exmoors are special
Exmoor National Park is the home of the Exmoor Pony, an ancient and hardy breed perfectly adapted to the moorland landscape. Behind the picturesque scenes of Exmoor Ponies on moorland is an army of farmers, volunteers, inspectors and rangers who all work to secure the future of the free-roaming Exmoor Pony. Not only is the Exmoor Pony a tough moorland beast, the breed also boasts success in just about every equestrian skill you can imagine. These ponies deserve to be celebrated!
How the festival began
The idea for the Exmoor Pony Festival emerged from discussions with the people who own and manage the registered free-roaming moorland herds of Exmoor Ponies on Exmoor National Park. The festival was originally developed through the Heart of Exmoor project and is now run by the Exmoor Pony Festival Trust.
Events are run mainly by local moorland herd breeders, local tourism providers, charities, and volunteers. Everybody involved is helping to promote the festival. (Help us spread the word!)
Would you like to donate to the festival? If you would like to support or donate to the Exmoor Pony Festival, please get in touch!