Friday 28th November - All 6 seen

The ponies were all good this afternoon.

Full update to follow in a while.

Staff check - all 6 ponies looking well

 Checked all 6 today and they were all looking well and I'm delighted to say mainly concentrating on eating gorse. 

I had a quick look for the bullets to deal with that but couldn't see them, so I assume they have been cleared up and removed by the army, as Steve gave a clear description of location I'd like to think I didn't miss them!

Thanks all!

Tuesday 25th November - All 6 Ponies Seen

The ponies were browsing the gorse on the south side of Brock's Hill at 1215 today, some close to the track and others deep in the gorse.  

The are all well and looking good, apart from all the bits of gorse, burrs and bracken they have managed to accumulate in their manes.

On the top of Brock's Hill, on the cleared patch that looks out to the north, I came across a collection of old blanks, mostly spent but one or two live (with no firing pin marks).  

They may have been collected together by the military or the clearance contractors. I'm not sure what the disposal protocol would be for so many but they are exposed where ponies could step upon them.

Mon 24 Nov, all 6 seen (belated)

The horses were easy to find on Monday.  I walked up Brock Hill and was greeted by 3 at the top.  They then proceeded to go down the hill and the other 3 were waiting at the bottom.  They all grazed on grass and seemed good.

On Sunday from the hill i watched them galloping around the site.  They went past the bottom of Brock Hill, towards the test track gate, must have taken a left somewhere as i could just see them running through the woods where they must have stopped as they didn’ reappear.  They looked great.  I don”t know if something had spooked them or they were just enjoying a run.

Sunday 23rd November - All 6 seen

At 13:40 this afternoon, the ponies were grazing along the eastern side of Brock’s Hill, enjoying the sunshine and plenty of grass and gorse. When they saw me approaching, they took turns coming over to say hello and enjoy some strokes and rubs. Most still had matted coats from yesterday’s rain, but a few gentle back rubs soon smoothed them out. The girls were all happy, relaxed, and looking well.

After a while, they returned to grazing on the slope of the hill, though one always stayed with me to enjoy longer neck, shoulder, and back rubs. They were incredibly affectionate, offering the sweetest cuddles and gentle nuzzles in return. They looked stunning as the sun began to set.

By 14:45, the ponies had moved into the pasture to the east to continue grazing, initially nibbling on the plentiful gorse before heading further east to browse the variety of plants growing in the swampy area. They continued taking turns to come over for more attention, especially loving scratches along the front and sides of their necks. They were an absolute joy to spend some quiet, peaceful time with this afternoon.

I said my goodbyes at 16:00, leaving them grazing in the gorse bushes near the main path, around ///metals.pony.realm. As I walked toward the racecourse, I saw the first couple of ponies emerge and move into the pasture to the south to graze some more.

The ponies were all good today.

Saturday all seen

 Lovely to see ponies again. They were all at the foot of the hill on the east side at 9am. All very friendly and all fine. 

Friday 21st November - All 6 seen

At 12:20 this afternoon, the ponies were grazing contentedly in the pasture by the test track gate. When they saw me approaching, they wandered over to greet me on the path and enjoy the first of many strokes and rubs. All six were happy, relaxed, and looking really well—they seem to have settled in really well to their new home.

The girls were very friendly, taking turns to come over for long neck rubs and back scratches, rewarding me with cuddles and gentle nuzzles. They alternated between grazing, resting in the sunshine, and returning for more attention. They especially enjoyed long shoulder and back rubs, relaxing completely and resting their hind legs as they were made a fuss of. Despite the chilly weather, it was a joy to spend some peaceful time with them.

I said my goodbyes at 14:00, leaving most of them resting in the sunshine by the main path while a couple continued to graze. The stream was flowing well, providing plenty of drinking water, and I broke the ice on several puddles to give them a few extra places to drink.

The ponies were all good today.

Staff Check - all 6 ponies well

 All 6 were grazing together in the SW corner this afternoon - all well

Tuesday 18th November - All 6 Ponies Seen

All six ponies were grazing on the open space between the track and the racecourse just east of Brock's Hill at 0930 this morning.  They looked very much at home and all appeared fit and healthy.  They were quite relaxed and, as Gordon found yesterday, keen to say hello.

Monday 17th November - Pony Update - now 6 ponies on site

There are now six New Forest ponies on site at the Long Valley reserve.

When I arrived at 13:15 this afternoon, the four ponies that arrived yesterday were happily grazing along the path beside the racecourse. They looked relaxed, well, and appeared to have settled comfortably into their new home.

At 13:30, Nicky arrived with two more ponies to join the group. The original four quickly made their way down to the eastern side of Brock’s Hill, curious about the newcomers. Once the new ponies were unloaded, all six began grazing together along the track on the eastern side of the hill, enjoying the sunshine and plenty of grass and gorse. Several large puddles provided water for drinking. They were all perfectly calm and content, first grazing north before turning back and slowly working their way south again. The girls were very friendly, regularly coming over for strokes and rubs.

I said my goodbyes just after 14:30, leaving them resting or grazing peacefully near the foot of the hill.

The ponies were all good today.

Sunday 16th November - Pony Update - now 4 ponies on site

There are now four New Forest ponies on site at the Long Valley reserve.

Shortly after 15:10 this afternoon, Nicky brought the four ponies back to the site. Once unloaded, the girls were eager to explore their new surroundings. They immediately climbed the eastern slope of Brock’s Hill, which is looking great after the recent removal of much of the gorse. After completing a loop and returning down the side of the racecourse, they came over to say hello and happily accepted a few strokes.

After Nicky left, the ponies continued exploring calmly. They spent some time under the trees in the far southwest corner before grazing along the north and east sides of Brock’s Hill. They then crossed the path and enjoyed the plentiful grass in the pasture by the Gelvert stream. They remained very friendly, coming over for more strokes and rubs. I said my goodbyes at 16:50, by which time it was already dark, leaving them peacefully grazing. It’s wonderful to have ponies back at Long Valley.

The ponies were all good today.

Thursday 28th August - Pony Update - No ponies on the Long Valley site

Due to an unusually early and plentiful acorn crop this year, we've made the decision to temporarily relocate the ponies from the Long Valley reserve to a nearby site. Acorns are toxic to ponies, and since the girls have been actively seeking them out, this move is the safest option to protect their health.

Thank you for your continued help in looking after the ponies. We'll keep you informed about when the ponies will be returning to Long Valley.

Wednesday 27th august- none seen

Unfortunately a no show today, though I did get pictures of the water. It rained whilst I was checking; enough for me to get wet but not enough to make a meaningful difference to the ground or water levels

Tuesday 26th August - All 3 seen

The first pony emerged from the gorse to my left as I crossed the cattle grid at around noon today. Turning left on the track I found a second one down toward the chestnut tree. The first one followed me down making two but number three remained in hiding. After a walk back around the main track and over Brock's Hill I returned to the chestnut tree to find number three emerging from the thick gorse north of the gate.  All three were damp from the rain with flies on their faces but well and contentedly grazing.

Monday 25th August - All 3 seen

As I was passing by Long Valley, I stopped off to spend a little extra time with the ponies due to the Bank Holiday.

At 16:00 this afternoon, the ponies were grazing contentedly in the warm sunshine to the east of Brock's Hill. They were very friendly, each coming over in turn to say hello and enjoy long neck and back rubs. The girls were especially affectionate, offering gentle nuzzles, cuddles, and the occasional lick. Encouragingly, the lumps and bumps on the ponies looked less pronounced today. All three appeared happy, relaxed, and in good condition.

After our greetings, they returned to grazing but stayed close by, frequently coming back for more attention. As it got warmer, they gradually moved into the shade, using the gorse bushes for cover. By 16.25, they had crossed the path and made their towards the bushes near ///ripen.frog.secret, where they enjoyed the long grass and various leaves in the cool shade.

A little later, Pandora wandered deeper into the thicket, reaching the racecourse fence line, where she began foraging for acorns. In all the time we've had ponies at Long Valley, this is the first time I've seen them seeking out acorns, which are poisonous due to their high tannin content. Fortunately, it appeared she only found a few before following me back to the others, who were still munching on the long grass among the bushes at the edge of the pasture. Hopefully, she quickly realises there are far better things to eat, but this will need monitoring closely to prevent it from becoming a problem.

I said my goodbyes at 16:45, leaving them all grazing peacefully.

The ponies were all good today.

Mon 25 Aug, all 3 seen at the base of Brock Hill

All looked fine and grazing happily

Sunday 24th August - All 3 seen

At 18:10 this evening, after a long search, I found the ponies grazing in the pasture near ///craft.listening.princes, over in the northeast section of the site. They were very friendly, each taking turns to come over to greet me and enjoy plenty of stokes and rubs. I noticed a few small lumps and bumps on their sides, likely from insect bites, but they didn't appear to be causing any discomfort.

After a while, the ponies returned to grazing, happily munching on long grass and browsing the leaves of nearby bushes. One by one, they came back over to spend time with me, thoroughly enjoying long neck and back rubs, and rewarding me with affectionate cuddles and gentle nuzzles. All three looked happy, relaxed, and in good condition.

I said my goodbyes shortly before 19:30, leaving them peacefully grazing. As I walked away, they began to follow but were soon distracted by a large patch of long grass, where they stopped to eat.

Fresh drinking water was available near the fire hydrant sign and in the surrounding area where it trickles into. The supply has returned to normal levels after being reduced for a few days. The pond still had water too, but the ponies continue to prefer drinking from the hydrant.

The ponies were all good today.