Sunday 25th January - All 8 seen

At 13:50 this afternoon, the ponies were browsing gorse and foraging for acorns on both sides of the path by the racecourse. I received a warm welcome, with several nickering as I approached. The girls took turns coming over to say hello and enjoy plenty of strokes and rubs. Although there had been rain earlier, they were all dry, though their coats remained a little matted. All eight were happy, relaxed, and looking well.

After our initial greetings, the ponies returned to grazing, though I was rarely without company. They thoroughly enjoyed long neck and back rubs, relaxing completely and returning the affection with gentle cuddles and nuzzles. Tilly and Poppy loved having the sides of their necks and chins scratched, stretching their necks right out to make sure no spot was missed. A little later, Tilly came back for more attention, leaning into another long neck rub and relaxing fully, even resting a hind leg and closing her eyes for a while.

The ponies alternated between grazing, resting, and coming back to be fussed over. They were all very friendly and a real joy to spend some quiet time with. Gradually, they drifted east, staying close to the main path while enjoying gorse, holly, and the long, straw-like grass.

By 16:00, all eight had reached the ditch leading onto the grassy island by the Gelvert Stream. I said my goodbyes shortly afterwards, leaving them grazing contentedly. As I walked away, they began jumping across to continue grazing.

The ponies were all good today.