Horses and ponies are central to the cultural heritage of the New Forest. There is no better way to enjoy this special place and really to be part of it.
Can you horse ride in the New Forest?
Horse riders have always enjoyed open access on the Crown Lands of the New Forest, which is well furnished with lots of suitable tracks. Seeing this ancient landscape from the back of a horse is an excellent way to see the forest’s mature woods, shady streams, dappled glades and beautiful open heathland.
Can you ride New Forest ponies?
The New Forest ponies are semi-feral and therefore generally don’t like to be handled. However, as a breed, ‘New Foresters’ have gentle temperaments and make excellent family riding ponies.
Where can I ride in New Forest?
Brockenhurst Riding Stables New Forest. A wonderful horse riding experience in the New Forest National Park.
Can you touch the horses in the New Forest?
Horses in the New Forest – image by Echo Camera Club Dorset member Claire Sheppard. They are best treated as wild animals so you should not touch them or feed them; they are put out to graze on the land by the commoners so should be left to eat their own natural food which is in abundance within the park.
Where is the best place to see horses in the New Forest?
Beaulieu. One of the best villages to see the ponies is Beaulieu. This gorgeous little village seems to be a magnet for ponies, and they almost appear to be happy to pose for a photo! In the village, the ponies like to hang around Hatchets Pond and Culverley Green.
How many New Forest ponies are killed each year?
It encourages them to car parks and the roadside where they become involved in traffic accidents – each year around 100 animals killed or injured. It should always be remembered that ponies have the right of way on all Forest roads that are unfenced and speed is invariably a factor in accidents involving them.
Why are there so many horses in New Forest?
All the ponies, donkeys, cows and pigs that you will see roaming in the New Forest belong to local people called ‘commoners’ who have the right to graze their animals on the open Forest throughout the year (or part of the year in the case of pigs). The New Forest is really one big farm, and these are ‘farm animals’.
How many wild horses are in the New Forest?
The New Forest is visited by millions of people from all over the world each year and one of its great attractions are the 3,000 or more New Forest ponies which freely roam the heathland and woods.
Where are the wild horses in the New Forest?
Park highlights
You can’t miss the New Forest ponies: don’t feed or touch them, but they’re beautiful to watch – especially the foals. A good place to see them is at Beachern Wood near Brockenhurst, the start of a lovely off-road cycle ride to the pretty hamlet of Bank.
How do you spend a day in the New Forest?
13 things to do in the New Forest
- Beaulieu cycle route.
- The Ashurst Stroll.
- Horse riding.
- The beach in Lepe Country Park.
- New Forest Wildlife Park.
- Exbury Gardens and Steam Railway.
- Paulton’s Family Theme Park.
- Buckler’s Hard Museum.
Do you have to pay to get into the New Forest?
It is free to enter the New Forest. There are lots of visitor attraction and activity businesses within the New Forest where you will need to pay, but to explore our woodland, heathland and coast is free of charge.
What happens to the New Forest ponies?
The cattle and ponies living on the New Forest are not completely feral, but are owned by commoners, who pay an annual fee for each animal turned out. The animals are looked after by their owners and by the Agisters employed by the Verderers of the New Forest.
Where are the wild donkeys in the New Forest?
You can usually find some donkeys in the New Forest villages. Head into the forest, near to Fordingbridge and you will often find a cluster of donkeys at Hyde Common. They are also often spotted near the pubs of The Royal Oak at North Gorley and The Foresters Arms, Frogham.
Are there snakes in the New Forest?
Smooth snakes live throughout the heathy areas of the New Forest, but are very seldom seen. In the UK they are extremely rare and are restricted to the heathlands of Dorset, Hampshire, Sussex and Surrey.
Where is the best place to see animals in the New Forest?
To be in with the best chance, start with New Forest Wildlife Park at Ashurst. Here, you can get up close to the sika, fallow and roe deer that roam freely within the park. See if you can spot the resident adders, water voles and owls, as well as the non-native animals, including the popular wallabies and lynx.
Where do New Forest ponies sleep at night?
The ponies that roam freely on the New Forest have every opportunity to protect themselves from these airborne pests, unlike many of their domestic counterparts. The wild ponies can seek shelter in the gorse or under trees and act cooperatively to relieve themselves from the worse of the swarm.
What happens to New Forest ponies in winter?
Exact location often depends on the time of year and weather conditions – winter, for example, will often find New Forest ponies deep in the woods, sheltering from the wind and cold, whilst at other times of year, they are more likely to be out in the open.
Is Feeding New Forest ponies illegal?
Feeding ponies causes serious issues in the New Forest and is against byelaws.
Why do they let pigs out in the New Forest?
Commoners let their pigs loose on the Forest to hoover up fallen acorns which are poisonous to ponies and cattle and can cause internal bleeding and death. The pigs also eat beech mast, crab apples and anything else they can find.
Why are there no sheep in the New Forest?
Sheep are not generally seen roaming on the open Forest because the right to turn them out (known as common of pasture for sheep) is attached to only a few properties and is rarely exercised.