Saturday 30th November - All 11 seen

I received a warm welcome from the ponies as I walked along the main path around 14:00 this afternoon. One of the ponies came to meet me, nickering softly as she approached. She was very friendly and thoroughly enjoyed a long neck rub. Shortly after, the others, who had been grazing nearby, wandered over one by one to say hello. While waiting their turns, they continued munching on grass and gorse. They were all looking absolutely gorgeous. Davinia was especially affectionate, basking in a long neck and shoulder rub. She rewarded me with cuddles and nuzzles, standing totally relaxed with her head bowed and a hind leg rested.

After spending some quiet time with the ponies, I went off to find the yearlings around 14:45. They were grazing in the gorse bushes near ///splints.jubilant.trifle, but soon emerged to greet me. The boys looked happy, relaxed and in excellent condition. Their thick winter coats are doing a fantastic job of keeping them warm during this week's bitterly cold nights. I left them happily enjoying some grass. 

When I returned to the ponies, they had moved further down the path towards the entrance, but were still happily grazing. They frequently came over to spend time with me, eagerly accepting more strokes and rubs. The girls were all happy, calm and very relaxed. I said my goodbyes just after 16:00 as darkness began to fall.

The cows and the ponies were all good today.

Fri 29 Nov 24 (11.15 - 11.40) All 4 Cattle & All 7 Ponies Seen in E8, D8 & D9 Area

 All stock appeared well and enjoying the grazing, (especially young grass exposed in area where the silver birch have be removed) in the sun

Thursday 28th November

Found all 4 cows & 7 ponies today. They too were enjoining the sunshine in G6. They all looked well. Margaret Taylor

Wed 27 Nov 24 (14.10 - 15.40) All 4 cattle seen. May have seen all 7 ponies, but can only verify seeing 6)

I have now reviewed my photos on a large screen and am unable to confirm that I saw seven ponies today.  However, I can confirm that I saw six ponies at around 15.29 on C7 today.  

Entered the enclosure via cattle grid in E9 and quite quickly found the four cattle grazing contentedly in gorse to the south of the track near the pits in D6.  I watched them for about ten minutes from about ten-15 yards away .  The appeared well.

  

 Having already seen observed most of the ground west of the ammo dump, I then toured the main tracks in the centre, east and the perimeter from the J7 gate anti-clockwise round to the C5 gate.  Following reports of pony sightings in the D8/E8 area from one soldier and another from a one dog walker.  I headed to that area dropping down from the ammo dump on the  and found one pony on the track in D8 and another slightly further east of the track, but still in D8

I stood close, (8-15 feet away) to the pony on the track, (dark pony with a white rear, offside hoof), for about 5 mins, but she just stood still, showing no interest in me. She appeared content. 

The other pony, (white mark between eyes) was actively grazing in scrub, but when I came within 15 feet, she came over & stood by me for a minute of so for some strokes and mane clearance of gorse.

I looked again around the area surrounding these two ponies, but saw no others. I then had a tour of the  enclosure's main tracks area again, inc the singletrack just north of the perimeter from the gate at J7 to the E9 gate.  

Upon reaching the ammo dump again, I headed SW on the track coming from NW corner of the ammo dump.  As I dropped down the slope, (at 15.29) I saw one pony on the track in C7 and others crossing the track south to north.  One approached where I was now stood, off my bike on the track and stayed a while for neck rubs.  I then went into the  scrub & trees to the north to photograph the other ponies.  It was difficult to get clear photos and the most I was able to count was six. Some were still on the other side of the track or crossing.  However, It's possible that all seven could have been there.  As I walked back onto the track one pony was checking out my bike & my helmet, gloves and glasses, (that I'd left with the bike).  This pony was also happy to have some neck strokes from me, both with and without me wearing my Bike H G & G.  All of these ponies appeared OK.

Mon 25 Nov 24 (14.15 - 15.20) All 4 Cattle Seen. Only 5 Ponies Seen

Found 5 out of the 7 ponies right next to the fence in F3 at about 14.15, as I was riding the track outside the area.  They appeared OK, happily grazing on the gorse.  I took photos, but there are not great to identify which 5 ponies.  I waited there approx 15 mins to see if the other two would appear, but no joy.  I was also unable to get then to come over to the fence for strokes and better photos/identification. 

I then went looking for the cattle and the tracker indicated that they were in the NE corner of  C5.  Despite the tracker showing my location as somewhere I had not visited today, I did indeed find all four of them that location.  They too were happily grazing a appeared content.   

 I was calling the cattle and they were gradually coming towards me.  However, I lacked the confidence to allow them to approach closer.  Is there another "Looker" or staff who is confident stroking the cattle, who I could visit with?  I live In Pinewood Park so could get there quickly to meet up.

After seeing the cattle, I returned to where I'd spotted the ponies earlier and still could only see 5.  I then circumnavigated the outside perimeter on my bike, rode all of the main tracks and other areas that were not waterlogged.   I was unable to find the other two ponies.  It is possible that they were close to the other five in deep gorse.  I spent several minutes on 3 different occasions listening, (in the hope I'd hear them crashing through the gorse) in the area where the 5 were, but heard nothing.