The Exmoor Ponies are back!
Monday 15th May 2017
Exmoor Ponies by Emily McParland
The Exmoor ponies have returned to Tiptree Heath once again, to help sustainably manage the vital heathland by grazing, browsing and trampling on invasive scrub species.
These semi-wild Exmoor ponies have helped to manage the heathland since 2011. Originally there were four, but these have since been joined by four more ponies which needed re-homing from a site in Cornwall. These eight ponies now help maintain several Essex Wildlife Trust sites, rotating between them as part of a grazing scheme.
The ponies are called Petrel, Plover, Gadwell, Peregrine, Shadow, Rufus, Jago and Trystan. Exmoor ponies are generally a calm breed but because these ponies are semi-wild, they can be unpredictable so please do not approach them and make sure dogs are kept under control.
The Exmoor ponies are managed by both Essex Wildlife Trust and the Friends of Tiptree Heath, ensuring they are maintaining the heathland correctly and that the ponies are in good health.