Saturday 1st November - All 11 seen

Shortly before 15:30 this afternoon, Polly emerged from the gorse bushes near ///winds.seaside.cans, greeting me with soft nickers. She was completely soaked, but after I removed the larger bits of gorse from her back and mane, she enjoyed a long, relaxing neck rub despite the heavy rain. I was in that part of the site trying to find a route to the yearlings, who were deep in the woodland behind.

After about ten minutes, the other ponies appeared through the thicket, taking turns to come over for greetings and strokes. They were all just as wet as Polly. As the rain eased, they began grazing in the surrounding area but stayed close, frequently returning for more attention. They particularly enjoyed having their coats ruffled to remove the standing water and their necks and shoulders rubbed, thanking me with gentle nuzzles. The wound on the bay pony’s neck looked clean and continues to heal well. All the ponies were happy, relaxed, and in good condition.

Despite frequent heavy showers, they carried on grazing, gradually moving southeast toward the duck pond. In the distance, I could see the boys had emerged from the woodland and were also in that area. By 16:15, yearlings 278 and 283 were sheltering from the rain beneath the trees near ///drives.split.soaps, southwest of the now very swampy duck pond. Both were very friendly, coming over for strokes when I approached — though they, too, were drenched. Yearling 282 was further away near the perimeter fence, resting and chewing his cud under partial cover, while yearling 276 was grazing in the mud. He soon wandered over to join me on a grassy island, where he thoroughly enjoyed a long neck and back scratch. After a while, yearling 282 also came over to join us. The boys were all happy, relaxed, and looking well.

By 16:45, the rain had intensified again, and the ponies — who had been grazing behind me — moved into the trees north of the entrance gate by the car park. I followed and spent some more time with them, offering plenty of strokes and rubs. The yearlings also took shelter beneath the trees but kept their distance at first. By 17:10, the ponies had started nibbling gorse from the bushes beside the path, and the yearlings wandered over again for more attention. Yearling 278 was especially friendly, enjoying a long back and shoulder rub.

I said my goodbyes at 17:30 — by which time it had already been dark for a while — leaving the boys resting and drying off, and the ponies grazing peacefully among the gorse bushes.

The cows and the ponies were all good today.