“Small herds still roam free in the eastern Pennines, in 2007 there were estimated to be around 30 mares of breeding age in feral herds.”

A hundred years after the stud book was opened, the Dales ponies for the third time, face extinction. They are listed as ‘critical’ by Britain’s Rare Breeds Survival Trust. This means that currently, there are less than 300 mares in existence.

“The Fell and Dales breeds both carry the fatal genetic disease known as Foal Immunodeficiency Syndrome (FIS). This recessive disease is inherited by a foal when the gene is carried by both its parents. A foal born with FIS will appear normal at birth, but will develop infections that are untreatable within the first 90 days. Their compromised immune system, combined with anemia, then leads to death. Genetic testing in 2010 found that about 1 in 10 Dales ponies are carriers for FIS. Because FIS can be avoided by not mating two carriers together, genetic testing before breeding can help to avoid having foals born with this condition.”