Wild beauty
This glorious wild Exmoor pony lives near Bracebridge Pool in Sutton Park - just a short drive away from my home. She looks as if she's expecting a foal soon. I need to get back there and take some more pictures! She came to Little Bracebridge Pool with 14 other ponies, to have a drink. They are entrancing animals - took absolutely no notice of us.
Exmoor ponies were introduced to Sutton Park in July 1999 in an effort to maintain a heath and acid grassland habitat in the Bracebridge area, protecting it from birch and woodland encroachment. In other Exmoor pony trials, not only has the plant species composition been maintained, but birds (such as the nightjar on Skipwith Common, Yorkshire) and butterflies (such as the High Brown fritillary in Silverdale, Cumbria) have also benefitted. 'Before and after' effects have been and continue to be monitored in Sutton Park.
They are doing well and by the look of her, she's in excellent condition.
Low level grazing has been a feature of the park for centuries. It is becoming increasingly difficult to sustain the required 250 head of cattle needed to graze the park. A temporary solution would be to reduce the grazing rent for farmers but this would not be effective in the long-term as farmers simply do not have the beef cattle anymore. Exmoor ponies were chosen after alternatives of sheep, deer, donkeys and horses were ruled out from previous experiences in the park.
Wild beauty
This glorious wild Exmoor pony lives near Bracebridge Pool in Sutton Park - just a short drive away from my home. She looks as if she's expecting a foal soon. I need to get back there and take some more pictures! She came to Little Bracebridge Pool with 14 other ponies, to have a drink. They are entrancing animals - took absolutely no notice of us.
Exmoor ponies were introduced to Sutton Park in July 1999 in an effort to maintain a heath and acid grassland habitat in the Bracebridge area, protecting it from birch and woodland encroachment. In other Exmoor pony trials, not only has the plant species composition been maintained, but birds (such as the nightjar on Skipwith Common, Yorkshire) and butterflies (such as the High Brown fritillary in Silverdale, Cumbria) have also benefitted. 'Before and after' effects have been and continue to be monitored in Sutton Park.
They are doing well and by the look of her, she's in excellent condition.
Low level grazing has been a feature of the park for centuries. It is becoming increasingly difficult to sustain the required 250 head of cattle needed to graze the park. A temporary solution would be to reduce the grazing rent for farmers but this would not be effective in the long-term as farmers simply do not have the beef cattle anymore. Exmoor ponies were chosen after alternatives of sheep, deer, donkeys and horses were ruled out from previous experiences in the park.