Meeting the New Forest ponies

We’re always talking about going to the New Forest although it’s only recently we’ve paid the area a visit. In doing so we discovered we’re only an hour away so we’re kind of kicking ourselves now. What fools! One of the things I love about the New Forest are the ponies that roam freely amid this stunning landscape. It’s quite a sight especially if you’re in the car and spot them sitting under a tree having a rest as we did. There was nowhere to stop at that point but we hoped to find more elsewhere.

As luck would have it, we found a string on a quiet road after we’d been for a walk. They’re such magnificent creatures and one in particular was keen on coming over to say hello. While the horses here are wild in that they’re free to roam, they’re actually owned by New Forest Commoners. A commoner is someone who occupies the land to which the rights of common are assigned. They brand each depastured animal with the Verderers register the owner’s marks.

The Verderers are a body of ten people appointed as representatives of the Crown, the Forestry Commission, the Countryside Agency, Hampshire County Council and Defra. They hold the register of brands and have administrative control of all the stallions in the forest. The ponies are looked after by Agisters that watch over the forest. When they collect marking fees from the Commoners, they clip each pony’s tail to show proof of payment.

POD was keen to say hello to the friendly pony. While we were cautious, the white one was keen on getting a little stroke at least, it almost encouraged it. Unsurprisingly POD then wanted to stroke them all but they didn’t look especially willing so we gave that a miss! What an absolute treat though, standing amid such superb creatures. No-one else around, just us and the ponies.

Joining Running in Lavender for #MyCapturedMoment