Wednesday 18th - Fence fix

16.16 

I spent around 40 mins looking for ponies before heading to reported fence issue by stream. It does look like it was cut, one end was stuffed into the mud. 

Have fixed it, but sadly no time left to continue looking for ponies. I know where they'll be as I looked everywhere else! 

Zoe 

Mon 16 Feb, all at the entrance today, eating gorse and seemingly well and friendly

Did notice some missing barb wire at ///briefing.spectacle.squeaking where the stream runs into long valley from Tweseldown racecourse.  The lower tier has been pulled back, possibly for walkers to gain access?  I don’t think the ponies could get under but might be worth checking.

Sunday 15th February - All 8 seen

At 14:00 this afternoon, the ponies were grazing and foraging for acorns just around the bend leading onto the path along the side of the racecourse. I had timed my visit well, arriving during a break in the rain, although the ponies were all soaking wet after yet another rainy day. The girls were very friendly, taking turns to come over to say hello and enjoy plenty of strokes and rubs. After our initial greetings, the ponies alternated between grazing, resting, and returning for more attention. They were especially attentive, with at least one choosing to stay close by my side at all times. They thoroughly enjoyed long neck, shoulder, and back rubs. All were happy, content, and looking well. The chestnut pony still had a small amount of white discharge in the corner of her left eye. After relaxing into a long neck scratch, she allowed me to gently wipe it away. Otherwise, her eye continues to show signs of improvement. The ponies gradually moved up the hill, browsing gorse on both sides of the main path. At around 15:45, it started to rain once more and seven of them suddenly ran at full speed towards the woodland in the far southwest corner, clearly keen to avoid getting wet again. Tilly lingered for a few extra strokes, but after about five minutes, as the rain grew heavier, she too made a dash for shelter. Although I had planned to head off, I walked over to check they had settled. The girls were sheltering under the trees while foraging for acorns. They were happy for me to join them and soon came over one by one for a few extra strokes and rubs. I said my goodbyes shortly after 16:15, during another break in the rain, leaving them either foraging or resting. The ponies were all good today.

Friday 13th February - All 8 seen

At 15:10 this afternoon, five ponies were happily grazing in the pasture near ///slopes.whisk.sting, to the north of the main path by the stream. They were all very friendly, taking turns to come over to say hello and enjoy plenty of strokes and rubs. Tilly was particularly interested in the plants floating on the surface of the large pools of water in the area. The other three ponies were browsing gorse deep in the bushes to the east. When they heard me approaching, they soon poked their heads through the branches, greeting me with soft nickers. Each of them then emerged from the thicket to say hello and enjoy plenty of attention. By 15:50, the ponies had gathered to rest along the edge of the main path, close to where I had first found them. The chestnut pony had a small amount of white discharge in the corner of her left eye, but overall her eye looked much improved, and she appears to be on the mend. The girls were more than happy to be approached and thoroughly enjoyed long neck and back rubs. They quickly relaxed, each resting a hind leg. After a while, a few drifted off to graze in the surrounding area. Tilly, however, was content to remain, enjoying seemingly endless strokes and even dozing off at one point. She was especially affectionate, offering the sweetest nuzzles and cuddles in return. I said my goodbyes just after 17:00, leaving a few ponies still resting by the path, while the others grazed peacefully nearby. The ponies were all good today.

Friday 13th - STAFF VISIT

All 8 found by the stream near the tweaseldown fence. All happily grazing. The chestnut pony's eye looked a bit snotty, but too bad.

Sean

Thursday 12th February - All 8 seen

At 12:40 this afternoon, the ponies were sheltering from heavy rain under the trees in the southwest corner of the site. They had clearly been grazing before I arrived, as they were all soaking wet. The girls were especially friendly, each taking turns to come over to say hello and enjoy plenty of strokes and rubs. Despite the weather, they were all happy, relaxed, and looking well. The chestnut pony was the first to greet me, and I was delighted to see that her eye was looking much better today. The girls were content to stand for long neck rubs before I brushed the rain from their backs and sides and ruffled their coats to help them dry. Around 13:00, Nicky, the ponies’ owner, arrived to visit them and check on the chestnut pony’s eye. About ten minutes later, the rain eased, and the ponies wandered out to graze briefly before making their way to the northern side of Brock’s Hill to continue grazing along the hillside. Tilly paused near the main path for a roll in the soft, muddy grass before carrying on. As a precaution, Nicky applied antibiotic cream to the chestnut pony’s eye. The ponies were all good today.

Tuesday 10th February - All 8 seen

Shortly after 16:30 this afternoon, the ponies were sheltering from heavy rain beneath the trees near ///splints.meant.shatters, to the east of the path along the side of the racecourse. Tilly and Poppy spotted me approaching and kindly poked their heads out through the branches, letting me know I’d found them. The girls were more than happy to share their shelter, with all of them coming over to greet me.

After around ten minutes, the rain eased and the ponies ventured out into the pasture to graze. They took turns coming over for long neck scratches and to have gorse removed from their forelocks and manes. It was clear they had been caught out in the open when the rain first started, as they were all thoroughly soaked.

My main reason for visiting was to check on the chestnut pony. Her eye was definitely worse than yesterday, although it didn’t appear as bad as when Steve saw her earlier in the day. The rain seemed to have helped clean the eye slightly, with some of the earlier discharge having washed away. I was able to take some close-up photos, which I have shared with the owner, who plans to visit in the next couple of days to check on her.

The ponies continued to alternate between grazing, foraging for acorns beneath the fallen leaves along the fence line, and returning for strokes and rubs. I said my goodbyes just after 17:15 as the rain became heavy again, leaving them to finish grazing before moving back under the trees for shelter.

Aside from the chestnut pony’s eye, the ponies were all good today.