Monthly Archives: October 2014

The New Forest: the future of commoning

The New Forest is an ancient landscape that has survived into modern times. It is a place of exquisite natural beauty, which is internationally recognised for its importance to wildlife. Because of its distinctive geography it has never been cultivated … Continue reading

Posted in New Forest, New Forest Commoner | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The New Forest: the future of commoning

Bringing the ponies home.

When the clocks go back each autumn the daylight hours become fewer and the weather is generally more inclement. It’s a testing time for the commoners and can make searching for stock on the Open Forest quite an undertaking. I … Continue reading

Posted in New Forest, New Forest Commoner, New Forest pony | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Bringing the ponies home.

New Forest pony: wild or tame but always clever.

The free-roaming ponies of the New Forest are often described as ‘wild’ but it would be more accurate to define them as ‘semi-feral’. The only truly wild horse still in existence is the Przewalski’s horse (Equus caballus przewalskii), a breed … Continue reading

Posted in New Forest, New Forest pony | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on New Forest pony: wild or tame but always clever.

Commoning: cooperation and coordination

The practice of commoning on the New Forest is generally a very sociable enterprise. The support and cooperation of other commoners is essential for maintaining the welfare of the free-roaming stock. When I go out on the Forest I always … Continue reading

Posted in New Forest, New Forest Commoner, New Forest pony, New Forest Pony Drift | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Commoning: cooperation and coordination

Unusual tails from the New Forest

Attending the annual pony-round ups, known as drifts, is an important part of a New Forest commoner’s calendar. The drifts were ordered to take place each year fifteen days after Michaelmas, by Henry VIII in 1540, and continue more or … Continue reading

Posted in New Forest, New Forest Commoner, New Forest pony, New Forest Pony Drift | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Unusual tails from the New Forest