UK

New Forest rangers bridle at ‘abusive’ cyclists scaring off ponies during annual count

Telegraph reporters
Sat, November 20, 2021

Cyclists are putting themselves and others in danger by ignoring signs warning them off and getting in the way of the round-up, say agisters - Stuart Martin/Alamy Stock Photo

It is an ancient tradition dating back to the time of William the Conqueror.

For almost 1,000 years, the wild ponies of the New Forest have been rounded up for annual health checks in a countryside custom known as “the drift”.

However, this year’s drift has been disturbed by “abusive” cyclists who have been accused of treating the historic woodland as a “playground”, putting themselves and others in danger by ignoring signs warning them off and getting in the way of the round-up.

Some have even sworn at park rangers telling them to stay away as the round-up is carried out by agisters, the group responsible for caring for the 6,000 ponies that roam the national park.

The beauty of the New Forest is at risk of being destroyed by visitors who do not respect it, the group said.

It has warned that visitors who disobey signs asking them not to use certain areas and paths in the park are startling the ponies and frightening them off.

About 6,000 ponies roam the national park in Hampshire - RichardALock/E+

The group has said taking care of the ponies is important as the grazing animals are what makes the park’s landscape so unique which is the very reason visitors flock to the area in the first place.

Jonathan Gerrelli, the head agister, explained the importance of the round-ups: “The drift is very much an ancient tradition. The act of the animals going out grazing is what has made the New Forest what it is today. They have very much shaped the forest.

“You would not have the lovely grassy lawns or the open heathland without the grazing animals. You would just have woodland and scrubland.

“There is hardly anywhere else in the country where you have large numbers of grazing animals turned out all year round onto thousands of acres of open land, so it is a unique area.”

Mr Gerrelli explained that as the forest attracts increased visitors, it is having a big impact on his team’s ability to properly look after the horses.

He said: “During the round-up, we are getting more issues with people getting in the way and putting themselves in danger and us in danger. By ignoring signs telling them the cycle route is close, some cyclists are getting in the way as you are gathering up herds of galloping ponies.

“It is dangerous and spooks the horses away from the designated route, so we cannot catch them. The forest is a working forest. People look at it as a bit of playground and it is certainly not that.”

Mountain bikers were the biggest problem as they do not stick to cycle routes, according to Jonathan Gerrelli, the head agister - Jordan Pettitt/Solent News & Photo Agency

Mountain bikers were the biggest problem, according to Mr Gerrelli, as they do not even stick to cycle routes and they cannot put signs warning people of the horse round-up all over the forest.

“Although it is great for visitors to come down and enjoy it, they have got to respect it, so we would ask people to take great care and obey instructions. The signs aren’t put up for nothing. They are there for a reason,” he said.

“They don’t mean to do it. It is just ignorance of country ways and the countryside. People need to be more respectful and think a bit more of their actions.

“Everybody thinks ‘it is only just me’, but you have got to think there is 1,000 more only ‘just yous’ coming behind you and doing the same thing.

“It is a constant pressure with the volume of people coming into the forest, which is threatening the very thing they are coming to see.”

The issue first emerged in a report to the Verderers’ Court, an elected group responsible for the protection and conservation of the national park, which noted problems with cyclists and walkers.

In a meeting in September, the court was told: “Unfortunately, a small number of cyclists have caused problems at some drifts by refusing to follow advice. On occasion they have been abusive.

“On the Hilltop drift, some members of the public out walking had seen the notices warning of the drift, but still thought it was OK for them to proceed.”

Throughout the autumn, there are about 40 round-ups in which often more than 200 horses are gathered up for health checks - Solent News & Photo Agency

Damage to fencing in the forest was also raised as a problem, with agisters complaining they had lost half the ponies they had intended to catch on a recent drift due to a lack of fencing.

The court was told: “On the recent Fawley drift, only about 50 per cent of the ponies the agisters aspired to catch were driven in. The remainder got away due to a lack of fencing that has been removed.”

The people of the New Forest have been rounding up their horses since before it was officially created in 1079 by King William I. The drift is seen as an essential part of managing the herd of ponies in the forest.

Throughout the autumn, there are about 40 round-ups in which often more than 200 horses are gathered up for health checks.

They are also fitted with reflective collars in order to decrease the amount of road accidents.