Get closer to nature, but watch out though, you will find many animals wondering wild across and down the roads!

When you visit The New Forest there are a group of about 5,000 locals that you can't but help noticing. They have been hanging around for about 2,000 years and what they don't know about the forest is not worth knowing. We are talking about the wonderful New Forest Ponies of course!

All of the ponies found in the forest are wild in the sense they can roam freely but in fact they are owned by New Forest Commoners.

The commoners have the right to graze their ponies and cattle on the open forest throughout the year. It is the animals’ grazing which helps to keep the New Forest’s landscape and rare species which you can enjoy today. The ancient tradition of commoning dates back from before the days when William the Conqueror made this area his private hunting reserve and imposed strict laws on the locals. In return for this, the locals were given the rights to graze their animals on the ‘common’ (this being the land which is now known as the New Forest). Think of the New Forest as one large farm!.

thenewforest.co.uk/explore/wildlife-and-nature/ponies

In the know? Log-in to add a tip for other adventurers!

Details

Informations

Distance 4.22 km

Uphill 10 m

Downhill 10 m

Weather

Today

Saturday 25 October

12°C

5°C

0 %

If you start your activity now...

Max wind speed: 13.0 km/h

Most visited during

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

See rides here

Take Me There

Location: Ellingham, Harbridge And Ibsley, New Forest, Hampshire, South East England, England, United Kingdom

Other Popular Places to Check Out

Hampton Ridge Gravel Track

Winding Road Through New Forest National Park

Wooden Bridge Over Dockens Water

Ashley Heath Halt

Blissford Hill

The Alice Lisle

Castleman’s Corkscrew Railway Path

Hale Purlieu Road and Common

Moyles Court Manor House

Hockey's Farm Shop & Café

Holmsley Passage

Gravel Trail Through New Forest National Park

The Royal Oak and New Forest Wildlife

1. Standing Hat – Rhinefield Ornamental Drive loop from Beaulieu Road

2. Ford Through Dockens Water – Ocknell Plain loop from Ashford

3. Highwood Ford – Ocknell Plain loop from Poulner

Other Popular Places to Check Out

We value your privacy ⛰️

We value your privacy ⛰️