It was time for the five Exmoor Ponies to leave the reserve today. They have enjoyed a long summer at Broadwater Warren, chomping their way around the reserve and helping us to keep grasses and weeds under control, long enough for the heather to return.
Rounding up the five ponies in a 150 acre area was going to be a challenge. Luckily we had a superb bunch of RSPB volunteers to help out.
The first thing to do was to close the reserve temporarily close the reserve, in case the ponies became panicked and started to run.
Next, the volunteers built a temporary corral and erected 400 metres of temporary fencing to 'funnel' the ponies into the right area.
Then, forming a long line, we herded to ponies towards the corral. Before we knew it, they were in the corral and the gate was closed. Despite all the preparation and planning, we still couldn't believe our luck. It couldn't have gone smoother.
The ponies were loaded onto the trailer and were quickly off to their winter home on the South Downs.
Time for well earned refreshments!
Thank you to our brilliant, hard working volunteers for making the day go so smoothly. A big Thank You also to the Sussex Pony Grazing & Conservation Trust for supplying and caring for these wonderful ponies. We hope to see the Exmoor Ponies back in the Spring.