The Gallery
Learning about and practising commoning on the New Forest.
In medieval times a forest meant an area preserved for royal hunting, and not a wooded area as it does today.
The Agisiter ensures welfare standards of the free-roaming animals are maintained.
The ‘architects’ of the New Forest.
The New Forest landscape supports many species of plants, insects, birds and mammals. It should be valued as a reserve for nature.
One of many gatherings where Commoners can exchange news, information and knowledge.
Pannage season is part of the ancient commoning rights and a popular tradition.
Traditional management practices, particularly commoning, have conserved the ecological diversity of the Forest.
Category Archives: New Forest pony
Colt hunting on the New Forest
On the New Forest ponies are always referred to as ‘colts’ irrespective of whether they are mares or geldings, young or old. Every now and then it becomes necessary for a commoner to catch-up an individual pony or mare with … Continue reading
Posted in New Forest, New Forest Commoner, New Forest pony
Tagged Agister, colt-hunting, Commoner, corral, cow boy, drift, foal, lasso, Latin America, mare, New forest, North America, Open Forest, pen, pony, pound, round-up, tailing, Wild horses
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Drifting on the New Forest
Being a commoner on the New Forest involves continuing a pastoral system that is steeped in history. In the 16th century Henry VIII, who is better known for marrying six wives and establishing the Church of England, created laws that … Continue reading
Posted in New Forest, New Forest Commoner, New Forest pony, New Forest Pony Drift
Tagged Commoner, cull, drift, foal, Henry VIII, horse, Horses Act 1540, knight, mare, New forest, pony, pound, round-up, sense, stallion
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Abandoned horses and ponies
Owning a pony is a dream for many. For those of us lucky enough to have our own pony (or ponies) it is a hugely enjoyable, if a somewhat expensive and time consuming, activity. I feel that some months it … Continue reading
Posted in New Forest, New Forest pony
Tagged abandoned, Agister, Animal Welfare Act, Commoner, commoning, depasture, horses, New forest, Open Forest, ponies, pony, Verderers, welfare
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Smugglers in the New Forest.
The more I learn about the ancient system of commoning the more I realise that it has always been a very pragmatic way of life. The commoner’s intimate knowledge of the Forest and their canny resourcefulness enabled many, who often … Continue reading
Posted in New Forest, New Forest Commoner, New Forest pony
Tagged black economy, booty, Commoner, commoning, contraband, Customs, Excise, free trading, Gentlemen of the Night, legend, New forest, pack pony, packhorse, pony, smuggler, smuggling, tax
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Commonable animals and road traffic accidents
Recently I was talking to someone who had heard about a particularly nasty hit and run fatality in the New Forest that had involved a pregnant donkey. The details were utterly horrific and the witness who discovered the dead animal … Continue reading
Posted in New Forest, New Forest Commoner, New Forest pony
Tagged Agister, cattle, Cow, don't feed the animals, donkey, hit and run, killing with kindness, New forest, pig, pony, road traffic accident, sheep, Verderer
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Shades, sleeping ponies and the dreaded New Forest fly
The warm weather of late has driven the ponies to find relief from the sun and the heat of the day. They gather together in places known as ‘shades’ that, unlike the name would suggest, aren’t always under the cover … Continue reading
Posted in New Forest, New Forest pony
Tagged bloodsucker, crab fly, Forest fly, Hippobosca equina, insects, New forest, pony, swarm
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New Forest: mining and pit ponies
I was interested in a recent news item (June 2014) that reported the potential re-opening of mines in Cornwall. The demand for metal in China and the developing world has inflated the price of tin making its recovery more profitable. … Continue reading
Stallions on the New Forest
There has been a lot of excitement on the New Forest recently due to the stallions being released onto the Open Forest. This is an annual event and, this year (2014), ten male ponies have been turned out to run … Continue reading
Posted in New Forest, New Forest pony, New Forest Pony Drift
Tagged Arabian, Commoner, cull, Eclipse, Elizabeth I, foals, Henry VIII, mares, Marske, Michaelmas, nature, New forest, New Forest Pony Breeding & Cattle Society, slaughter, stallions, Thoroughbred, Tudor, Verderers, Victorian, wild
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New Forest Stallion Areas 2014
Each year stallions are released onto the Open Forest to run with the free-roaming mares and sire the next generation of New Forest pony. The stallions are carefully selected by the Verderer’s of the New Forest and the New Forest Pony Breeding … Continue reading
New Forest: picnics and ponies
The late spring and early summer is a much favoured time of the year for many Forest dwellers and visitor alike. It is the time when the lushness of nature returns to the Forest, our migratory birds have again taken … Continue reading
Posted in New Forest, New Forest pony
Tagged bacchanalian, British, feast, foals, Forest Byelaws, King, May, merry, New forest, nobles, picnic blanket, picnics, ponies, sandwiches, titbit
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