View Full Version : Oh, what a beautiful morning! (with photo)
One of the best things about living in this corner of Hampshire is the open forest all around us (in this instance 'forest' has the old meaning of a royal hunting area, not necessarily woodland). Here is one patch of it this morning, on part of our regular weekday dog walking route. Sorry about the quality, I only had my phone with me:
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6022/5983555087_d0a511e815_z.jpg
Wildflower
7-28-11, 4:24am
Lovely!
Yes, New Forest ponies. There are about 5,000 of them roaming freely in 125 square miles of the forest. Cattle too, some donkeys, and a few pigs are allowed out in the autumn to eat acorns, which give the ponies colic. They are a bit of a traffic hazard, but they've been here for at least 1,000 years so they have right of way (so it's more accurate to say that traffic is a pony hazard). The foals are lovely at this time of year too.
Beautiful ... is this what bucolic means?
Could we set an Agatha Christie mystery in the little village nearby?
iris lily
7-28-11, 10:10am
That is indeed lovely.
Who takes care of the ponies? I mean, who do they belong to, if anyone?
I learned that the free ranging swans belong to the Queen when I took a canal boat trip some years ago.
Sounds like a beautiful way of life!
Iris Lily, the ponies and cattle belong to the commoners, who are people who own or rent properties that have common rights attached to them. Those rights were granted back in the 11th century, when the king had the whole area set aside as a royal hunting forest, and they include the right to turn out livestock for grazing, to gather firewood, to cut turf for fuel and one or two others, but the right of pasture is the one that is exercised most often these days.
The ponies live out all year, but are rounded up a couple of times for the collection of grazing fees, worming and so that year's new foals can be branded. The round-ups are organised by the Agisters, who are officials responsible for the welfare of livestock on the forest, so they also deal with animals involved in traffic accidents or that are sick or otherwise injured.
When my wife was a teenager she used to ride in the roundups on a grey New Forest pony called Winky. Most people ride them for the roundups because they can turn fast, gallop at top speed across the rough forest, and can predict what the pastured livestock (who really don't want to be rounded up, thank you) are going to do. She wouldn't do it now, she says.
Foals are born in April and May, and then almost immediately the commoners turn out the stallions for about a month, so the whole process repeats. In recent years they have been trying to reduce the numbers of ponies, so fewer stallions were put out, and for shorter amounts of time. We certainly noticed the difference through the winter, with many fewer pregnant mares, and not so many foals this spring. It's important to take care when we do see a stallion, because they can be a little protective of their hareem...
Kevin
I think that those pics are excellent even from a phone. How peaceful it all looks!
Gardenarian
7-28-11, 1:59pm
So pretty = thanks for sharing! Sure looks different from my morning walk ;)
So picturesque! Just beautiful! I'm with Serendipity Re: an Agatha Christie mystery would be so befitting.
Thank you for your comments everyone; you are very kind.
Just came across this thread, and thought I'd resurrect it to breathe a little inspiration into all those (like myself), who are tired and worn with winter. Somehow, the picture has such a way of calling out to me, causing me to long for the first day of spring. I have the spring bug (fever) in me BIG TIME today!
That is gorgeous. Thanks! Isn't walking the dog such a wonderful opportunity for soaking up the moment?
Beautiful!! And ponies!! Uh, my dream place to live - English countryside and ponies/horses.
Thanks all for re-sharing this thread! Wonderful to comtemplate during the winter in the states!
Thank you Kevin and Mrs-M. Very cooling for the eyes from a hot (if wet!) Australian summer.
Isn't it great you guys! Makes me long for spring even more!!! :)
Looks so peaceful. I'd like to retire someday in a place like that .
dado potato
4-18-12, 11:20pm
Nice! You have your little bit o heaven there.
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