Positive Horsemanship

To brand or not to brand?

Due to the time of year I've been having a few interesting conversations with people about the branding of registered Exmoor ponies. Some people are against it and some are for it and there are a variety of arguments to support their opposing views.
All foals now have to be micro chipped by EU law so to me there seems little point in branding any ponies that are going to be domesticated and easily recognised by the owners. Due to the introduction of chipping the Exmoor Pony Society passed an amendment which has allowed Exmoor ponies to be registered but not branded (previously all registered ponies had to be branded) it is now the choice of the breeder/owner. (please check with the EPS for further clarification).
However the ponies that run 'wild' on the moor are never in close enough proximity to people to be able to scan them to read the chip so the moorland breeders are still branding their stock so that they can be identified at a distance. The anti-branders argue that the brand is unreadable for most of the year due to the long coats that Exmoor ponies produce and are therefore useless.
Branding a wild pony is not a pleasant experience and the moorland farmers who I have talked to don't like doing it but can find no alternative that creates a permanent identification mark on the ponies for example: eartags and collars, so hot branding continues to be done. People who handle traumatised feral ponies argue that those ponies that have been branded are far more frightened of people and the difference in behaviour between the branded and unbranded ponies is very noticable and therefore the branding process is unacceptable.
So where do I stand on this?
I have bred two Exmoor foals and on registration they were branded in hand - this was some years ago when there was not a choice - they stood quietly held by me on a head collar with one person doing the branding it was quiet and calm. The ponies were immediately returned to their mothers and never showed any fear of people thereafter. So what do I think is the secret?
HANDLE THE FOALS FIRST - if they have to be branded at all.
I have have developed a method of handling young feral ponies to a level called semi-wild wariness. When these ponies are out on open ground it is impossible to get near them but when drifted into a smaller space they are easily headcollared for worming, foot trimming and to be administered to by a vet. It is a quiet simple method that I have taught to many wardens who handle conservation grazing ponies.
However it is so easy and simple people don't believe it!
As to my stand on branding - I wouldn't brand my ponies as I think it's un-necessary to brand a domestic pony but I do not condemn anyone who feels they need to - it's still a matter of personal choice.
Vanessa Bee