The Dartmoor Pony originated in Dartmoor in Devon England. These horses are one of nine breeds native to the British Isles. Due to the rugged and bleak conditions in this area, only the strongest of the Dartmoor Ponies survived. Many of these ponies were used as pack horses for tin mining. Later, they were used on farms and at prisons. The guards used them to escort work parties to and from prison.