Author Archives: newforestcommoner

About newforestcommoner

Keeping the history, ecology and cultural traditions of the New Forest alive through practice of 'commoning'. Sharing information about #NewForest & #commoning.

New Forest: some stallion stories

Posted on June 10, 2018 by newforestcommoner

To celebrate the New Forest pony breeding season, which runs from Monday 14th May until Monday 18th June*, and is when licensed stallions are released to run with the free-roaming Forest mares, I thought that I would take a look … Continue reading →

Posted in New Forest, New Forest Stallion | Tagged aggressive, Agister, agricultural show, animal, breeding, Eclipse, foal, Hampshire, horse, horseflesh, horsepower, kicked, Lymington, Lyndhurst, mail coach, mare, Marske, money, pets, pony, prize, Salisbury, Southampton, stage coach, stallion | Comments Off

New Forest: pony mares go boy mad!

Posted on May 13, 2018 by newforestcommoner

Each year pedigree New Forest 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, the … Continue reading →

Posted in New Forest, New Forest pony | Tagged alpha mare, breeding, courtship, flehman, foals, herd leader, mare, New forest, rough wooing, season, stallion | Comments Off

New Forest Stallion Areas 2018

Posted on April 19, 2018 by newforestcommoner

New Forest Stallion Turnout Areas 2018 Each year pedigree New Forest 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 … Continue reading →

Posted in New Forest, New Forest pony, New Forest Stallion | Tagged areas, breeding, foals, generation, mare, New forest, season, stallion, the Commoners’ Defence Association and the New Forest Pony Breeding & Cattle Society, turnout, Verderers of the New Forest | Comments Off

New Forest: swallows – the heralds of summer.

Posted on April 14, 2018 by newforestcommoner

I was very excited this week by the return of the migrant barn swallows that have, for many years, been resident in the stables on my holding. Their journey from Africa to the New Forest each spring is hazardous and … Continue reading →

Posted in New Forest, New Forest flora & fauna | Tagged Africa, barn, barn swallow, birds, herald, hibernation, Hirundo rustica, migration, myth, New forest, pest control, spring, summer, swallow | Comments Off

New Forest: the heritage of the 1960s

Posted on March 10, 2018 by newforestcommoner

In 1966 the Financial Times newspaper published an article about a map of the New Forest that mapping agency – Ordnance Survey – was planning to produce. This map would be different from any previous style of tourist map because … Continue reading →

Posted in New Forest | Tagged 1960s, 1970s, camping, car, caravan, cyclist, Forestry Commission, heath, lilac, map, New forest, Ordnance Survey, purple, riding, tourist, visitor, walker, wildlife | Comments Off

Sparrow starvers and the Great Manure Crisis of 1894

Posted on February 4, 2018 by newforestcommoner

I had to drive to west London recently. The journey was without incident until I found myself in a slow procession of cars queuing alongside Gunnersby Park, on the North Circular Road. I was waiting in stationary traffic when my … Continue reading →

Posted in New Forest, New Forest flora & fauna | Tagged Great Manuare Crisis, Henry Ford, horse-drawn, Karl Benz, licensed cabs, London, manure, motorcar, New forest, nineteeth century, ornithologist, RSPB, sparrow, sparrow starvers, transport, twentieth century | Comments Off

New Forest: when gorse is out of bloom, kissing is out of season

Posted on January 20, 2018 by newforestcommoner

The recent holiday period has given me plenty of opportunity to visit the Forest and walk through the woods and across the heathland. The working week gives me little chance to explore the places my ponies haunt (i,e., their territory), … Continue reading →

Posted in New Forest, New Forest flora & fauna | Tagged alternative medicine, furze, fuzz-toppers, fyrs, gorse, gorst, homeopathy, medicine, New forest, nutrition, optimism, pagan, symbol of hope, Ulex europaeus | Comments Off

New Forest: practical gift for herding cattle

Posted on January 8, 2018 by newforestcommoner

Commoners are practical people. Indeed, one of the most useful gifts I’ve ever been given is a commoner’s staff. I take it with me everywhere, because I never know when I’ll need it. The best ones are made from wood, … Continue reading →

Posted in New Forest, New Forest cattle | Tagged 4X4, cattle, commoners, cows, folklore, gate, gift, Harry Potter, herd, herding, livestock, New forest, ponies, pony, practical, round-up, staff, stick, wand, wood | Comments Off

New Forest: kitchen/office turns into bird-hide

Posted on December 16, 2017 by newforestcommoner

I’ve been spending a lot of time working from home recently. I’ve turned a corner of the kitchen into an impromptu office and the end of the kitchen table has become my desk. This is a perfect spot and, because … Continue reading →

Posted in New Forest, New Forest flora & fauna | Tagged avian, bird watching, birds, blackbird, blue tit, bullfinch, Buzzard, cavity, chaffinch, coal tit, dove, feeder, garden, goldfinch, great tit, greater spotted woodpecker, green woodpecker, greenfinch, jay, long tailed tit, magpie, mistle thrush, nest box, nesting, New forest, nuthatch, owl, peanut, pheasant, pied wagtail, pigeon, robin, siskin, squirrel, starling, sunflower, tawny, trees, wildlife, wren | Comments Off

New Forest: low temperatures and good nourishment

Posted on November 25, 2017 by newforestcommoner

Winter is definitely on the way. As I go out checking my free roaming stock on the New Forest I’m wearing more layers than of late. I’m also in the habit of keeping my gloves on the radiator in the … Continue reading →

Posted in New Forest, New Forest pony | Tagged Dr Green, gorse, grass, holding, New forest, nourishment, pea, ponies, pony, spring, temperatures, winter | Comments Off