A busy week with a sad beginning. I received a number of calls on Sunday afternoon about a dead pony on Lullington Heath LNR. Upon arriving, I found that Scarpa – Natural England’s last remaining Exmoor pony had upped his hooves; he was well in his twenties. His companion, the Trust’s retired 31 year old mare Camilla, has of late really started to show her age and with the death of her companion, she was really distressed. I reluctantly decided it was best to have her put down and, the two of them were taken away, together, to that place in the heavens where old ponies go. I was quite saddened, as I’ve been responsible for her for almost 15 years and we’d developed quite a bond…
On Tuesday after discussions over the past month, the Trust’s committee agreed to split my position as Grazing Co-ordinator and for me to formally share the increasing work load with my assistant of almost three years, Anna Bogg. We work really well as a team. It also means that I get two days per week without worrying about the phone ringing!
Wednesday. In the afternoon, we erected two lots of electric fencing on two areas of Chailey Common in order to gather 11 ponies at ‘Red House’ and another 4 on ‘Lane End.’ On Thursday afternoon we brought them in for the night and they were treated to lots of food to settle them for the night.
Friday. At first light, I drove over and fed them again and repair one of the electric fences which the youngsters had presumably collided with in the night, they not having come across this hazard in their lives. At a more social hour, with help from a number of our Lookers, we had them corralled and all moved by lunchtime, over to the extensive combined commons at Chailey.