Wed 31st Jul - staff check

All 3 seen looking well at the bottom of the hill 

Tuesday 30th July 7.00 - 7.45am

 First trip out this morning after a couple weeks away 

Great weather and lovely morning with good visibility. Sadly no sign of the ponies and made more difficult to find them with the undergrowth and bush now dense and I could have easily missed them!

Thanks,

Ronnie 

Mon 29 Jul, belated, but they were hiding from me again! None seen.

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Sunday 28 July - All 3 seen

The ponies were all grazing in the southwest corner near the corral at 14:30 this afternoon. They were very friendly and came straight over to see me. Pandora allowed me to stroke her, and when done, she gently licked my arm numerous times. The foal enjoyed a long neck and head rub and was giving me lots of cuddles in return. The ponies were happy, relaxed and looking well. The ponies got out of the warm sunshine fifteen minutes later and went to relax under some trees. The title one wanted more attention and soon came over to see me. He was very affectionate today and there wasn't a single attempted bite. After about twenty minutes, they got back to grazing. The ponies wandered down to just beyond the corner by the racecourse at 15:15 where they ate lots of fresh grass in the shade. There were a couple of horses doing jumps on Tweseldown which sparked their interest for a short time. The ponies then had a rest under the trees by the fence line, with Pandora coming up and standing right beside me, before giving me some gentle nuzzles. The little one took the opportunity to nurse from his mum. At around 15:35, the ponies followed the track through the trees that ran parallel to the racecourse all the way to the far southwest corner. They started to relax among the trees. It was actually quite cool in there, and they didn't seem to be getting bothered by the flies so much. The little one came over for a final back rub before I said my goodbyes just before 16:00.

The ponies were all good today.

Saturday

 Couldn’t find them today despite looking all over 9.30-10.30. 

Friday 26th July (evening) - All 3 seen

I've been volunteering with the Canal Authority this week "stopping the boats" entering the stretch of canal at the end of the runway so was unable to make my usual Tuesday visit and was pleased to read that the ponies were being taken off.  We thought we'd go and see the remaining three this evening and caught them on the track in F6 at 1920 just before they slipped through a little door in the undergrowth close to the pond. All seemed well but not interested in us, not even Gordon's friend!

Friday 26th July - All 3 seen

I spent a very nice afternoon pony-sitting at Long Valley during the final day of the air show. The ponies were all in the far southwest corner at 11:45 and pretty much stayed in that part of the site for the whole afternoon. They rarely left my side today, and only on a couple of occasions when they got a little spooked by a loud fighter jet and ran into the trees. During quieter times, they would all happily graze in my vicinity. I lost track of the amount of time I spent stroking the little one, who was super friendly and very well-behaved. Even Megan and Pandora were happy to be stroked for extended periods at various points today. By mid-afternoon, the ponies had nearly made it to the main path, munching on lots of fresh grass. I persuaded them to turn around as there were too many people watching in the area opposite and along the track on the north side of Brock's Hill. The ponies were extremely well-behaved this afternoon, and at no point were they panicked or attempted to escape. They were rewarded with some treats that Nicky left for special occasions.

As soon as the final plane had finished its display at around 16:10, there was a heavy rain shower, and we all went and sheltered in the trees. After the rain had stopped, the ponies followed me as I checked the areas where many aviation enthusiasts had been sitting, looking for litter. I said goodbye to the ponies with them all standing near the entrance gate just after 16:45.

The ponies were all good today.

Thursday 25th July - All 3 seen

The ponies were all happily grazing near the corral at 18:05 this evening.  They were enjoying lots of fresh grass, despite the drizzle.  The foal quickly came over to say hello and was happy to receive the first of many neck scratches.  He thanked me by giving me gentle head rubs.  The girls also came over to say hello and were nice and friendly.

The little one soon gave up on grazing and just wanted to be stroked.  He enjoyed lots of ear, head, neck and back rubs.  He got a little bitey at one stage but was firmly told to stop.  He calmed down and was happy to receive some more strokes.

The girls seemed very settled and were happy just to eat in the area around the corral.  The little one nursed from his mum at around 18:35 and then joined her to graze.  They looked lovely together.  The ponies were all happy, relaxed and looking really well.  There wasn't much of a flying display this afternoon due to the low cloud base, so I'm sure they were relieved.  I said my goodbyes just after 18:45.

The ponies were all good today.

Wednesday 24th July - All 3 seen

The ponies were all happily grazing near the path just along from the main entrance at 17:00 this afternoon.  They were all enjoying lots of fresh grass.  The girls took a break and came and said hello.  The little one enjoyed his usual neck rub before getting back to some grazing.  

It was short-lived though, and after nursing from his mum, he came over for a long head and back rub.  After giving me lots of cuddles, he decided he'd give the tongue of my boot a few tugs, before very skilfully undoing my lace with his teeth.  Soon after, he went back to grazing.

The ponies continued to graze, crossing over the path to the grassy area at the bottom of the path up Brock's Hill.  After grazing there for a while, they started to move up the hill, grazing at its sides.  They were all happy, relaxed and very settled.  I said goodbye to them at 18:00.

The ponies were all good today.

Tuesday 23rd July - All 3 seen

Pandora, Megan and the foal weren't particularly happy about leaving Long Valley this morning and ran to the far northeast corner in a bid to stay. They eventually won 😄. The little one was very friendly when he saw me, giving me lovely head rubs and making gentle nickering sounds. He enjoyed a shorter than usual neck rub before I had to say cheerio at 11:40. I caught up with the ponies again in the southwest corner, where they were happily grazing in the sunshine at 17:55 this afternoon. All three were happy and relaxed and weren't showing any signs of being on heightened alert following today's flying display. They all came and said hello, with the little one enjoying a proper neck and shoulder rub. About fifteen minutes later, the ponies crossed over the main path and started to graze along the track on the north side of Brock's Hill. I left them for a short time to check the fence the ponies had escaped from yesterday. It was fine. By the time I returned, they were heading through the thicket to the pools of water down by the fire hydrant. I soon caught up with them and watched them having a drink. The little one even drank some water today, which is the first time I've seen him drink. The ponies cut through the woods and started to graze in the long grass in the pasture around ///gangs.comply.tried at 18:20. The little one alternated between eating and wanting to be stroked. The ponies were all looking very well and were enjoying plenty of grass. They were still grazing when I said goodbye at 18:45. The ponies were all good today.

pony's moved off site

Some pony's moved site. We have reduced numbers to 2 and the foal for the next few days until the airshow is over. The others will be moved back over some time next week.

Thanks

Grazing team

Monday 22nd July - All 8 seen - The Great Escape!

We were informed that some ponies had escaped onto the Tweseldown Racecourse after being spooked by the fighter jets displaying at the Farnborough air show at around 16:00 this afternoon.  Five ponies had run away and were happily munching on fresh grass about 300 yards from the far southwest corner, where they had gone through some perimeter fencing.  It took a fair bit of effort, and patience, but we got them all back onto Long Valley at 18.40.  Victoria and Pandora were particularly challenging, with them both ending up outside the site, in the area where they had laid the pipeline.  They eventually came back in through the corral gate.

A big thank you to Alice, Sean and Tom from the Reserves Team for their help in getting the ponies back onto the site and for repairing the fencing.

The ponies were all in the area around ///fault.sapping.alas at 19:00.  Most were happily eating, with three of the escapees resting in the shade following their earlier antics.  I got to spend some proper time with the little one, who I'd only briefly said hello to earlier.  He was very affectionate, giving me lots of gentle nuzzles and licks.  He enjoyed a long neck and head rub.  After twenty minutes, he'd had enough and went and nursed from his mum.  I gave all the ponies a good check, just to ensure they had no cuts or scrapes from going through the barbed wire fence, and they were all fine.  They were all happy, relaxed and had all fully settled down when I left them at 19:30.

Please be aware that there are plans to move the ponies to another site in the morning, before tomorrow's flying display.  They will remain there until next week.  

The ponies were all good today.

10am, Mon 22 July, none seen today

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Sunday 21st July - All 8 seen

The ponies were happily grazing along the side of the path near the racecourse fenceline around ///idea.pupils.notch at 11:20 this morning.  The foal immediately came and said hello and enjoyed a long neck rub.  Once he'd had enough, the girls all came and said hello, with several of them happy to stand and be stroked.  They were all relaxed and looking well.

Nicky arrived about twenty minutes later, and the ponies all followed me up the hill to meet her.  After saying hello, they got back to grazing, and wandered off to the trees at the southwest corner of the site just after noon.  They soon started to relax.

Nicky has treated the patches on the darker ponies face and also given her an injection.  This will hopefully clear up what is suspected to be a harvest mite infestation.  She was absolutely fine both during and after the treatment, and soon returned to the trees to join the others.  After an initial bit of hesitation, the little one has also been wormed.  He was enjoying a relaxing neck rub, which distracted him long enough to let Nicky give him the wormer.  He was absolutely fine afterwards.

After Nicky left, I gave the ponies a final check at 13:40.  Megan, Pandora and the foal were back grazing at the racecourse fence line.  The little one wanted more neck, head and back rubs while the girls ate.  I had said my goodbyes twenty minutes later and started to walk off up the hill, only for them all to follow me.  After a few more strokes, they started to graze on the grass at the side of the path near the main entrance.  The other five ponies were still resting in the trees in the far southwest of the site at 14:15.

The ponies were all good today.