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New Forest ponies trampling your pitch and scrounging for food

40 replies

PaisleyLeaf · 28/06/2011 21:36

On behalf of my 6 year old DD..... which site is good for this?
Ponies wandering around your pitch and maybe some deer.

OP posts:
dreamingofsun · 28/06/2011 22:36

be careful of new forest ponies, especially feeding them - they are wild animals and can bite. there's a place called bolderswood where they feed the deer once a day.

fruitshootsandheaves · 28/06/2011 22:39

The ponies feed the deer?..now that would be worth seeing

Saggyoldclothcatpuss · 28/06/2011 22:42

Please, it's a lovely idea, and by all means camp in the forest, but don't try and get near the ponies. They are mainly wild, are bound to be unpredictable, and possibly dangerous. If you encourage them with food, you will make life hell for future campers. And could get bitten or kicked. I have ponies, please take my advice in the spirit it's offered.

thisisyesterday · 28/06/2011 22:45

hahahhhaahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahaha @ "don't try and get near the ponies"

sorry. no offence. having camped in the new forest as a child i can assure you that the ponies will be there. right there. breaking into your tent for food.

there is no escape! lol

actually, lots of the ones wandering around the campsites are not wild, they're owned by people who put shoes on them.
i know this because I got kicked by one of them and have been scared of horses ever since!

we used to go tooooo.... um.... B... B... will have to go and look it up

thisisyesterday · 28/06/2011 22:45

Brockenhurst.

PaisleyLeaf · 28/06/2011 22:46

I know Saggy. You're quite right and I do understand that. (we have seagulls).
I just mean it'd be nice to have the ponies around. Just incidently.
I won't be luring them.

OP posts:
MavisCruetTheFairy · 28/06/2011 22:49

We walked through one of the big New Forest campsites a coule of years back and encountered the classic "pony inside tent (tent not much bigger than pony) -- faintly hysterical campers" scenario. I'll try to remember which one it was if you really want to recreate the experience for your DD, but it didn't look much fun.

Grockle · 28/06/2011 22:50

We camp at brockenhurst and never have ponies breaking in. The do gather right by the pitch but so far have never been braver than that. Squirrels are another matter Angry

The deer sanctuary is at Bolderwood and there's some waymarked walks there too

BluddyMoFo · 28/06/2011 22:52

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BluddyMoFo · 28/06/2011 22:53

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

thisisyesterday · 28/06/2011 22:54

ahh maybe they are not so brave as they were back in my day lol

BoysAreLikeDogs · 28/06/2011 22:54

a pony (not a NF one but a welsh one) kicked my (adult) sister over a cliff; brambles caught her so a happy ending but I would be v wary with a child

[gloomy]

andiem · 28/06/2011 22:55

When we were at Hollands wood we saw a donkey go up the steps and into someones caravan. The ponies are very crafty they can step over the guy ropes around the tent so you don't know they are coming.

socialhandgrenade · 28/06/2011 22:59

I've been to Hollands Wood. Stupidly left DS birthday cake in tent as I thought it impossible for ponies to undo tent zip. WRONG!
Lucky DS ended up with substitute cake from Asda (my baking is crap, so probably just as well for everyone) Grin

Hullygully · 28/06/2011 23:00

bastard bastard ponies

PaisleyLeaf · 28/06/2011 23:02

That sounds lovely MoFo. Just what I mean.
We've camped in another forest for the last couple of years, where there are deer (apparently). We walked miles, all on our own (no dog or anything) binoculars etc. Several times, both years - and not a footprint.
Plenty of deer teddies in the gift shop, deer postcards etc.
I just think it'd be nice for DD to get her fill of wildlife this year.

OP posts:
thisisyesterday · 28/06/2011 23:02

BALD... horses/ponies are evil. I keep telling people this but they won't listen to me

i can't believe one kicked your sister off a cliff! and that the "happy" ending is that she fell in brambles. evil bloody animals

thisisyesterday · 28/06/2011 23:02

and yes, they can undo zips! clever things. when they're not kicking people to death

Popbiscuit · 28/06/2011 23:05

Oh bliss! Camping with Ponies? Sign me up!

BoysAreLikeDogs · 28/06/2011 23:08

yy the unhappy ending would have been her splatted on Manorbier beach (I think it was Manorbier)

nasty creatures with bitey teef and hurty hoofs

Moodykat · 28/06/2011 23:13

Having grown up round there I would recommend roundhills in brockenhurst. I used to ride through it and it's right on the edge of a huge area of open forest. May I add though that new forest ponies don't wear shoes but they are all owned by people but essentially wild animals and some can get nasty, especially if they have foals around.

MrsFriskers · 28/06/2011 23:14

Roundhill is sister site to Hollands Wood (forestry commission campsite). Their warden does an onsite talk/walk as dusk falls, so you may see and hear all sorts of wildlife. Ponies are incidental, but bold and bitey, so you are encouraged not to feed them, and keep all food in your car.

Moodykat · 28/06/2011 23:16

Sorry for the crap grammar! It's late! Blush

MrsFriskers · 28/06/2011 23:18

Sorry moodykat xposted with you - slow typing

rightsaidfred · 28/06/2011 23:18

We had a load of hassle from the ponies at Brockenhurst a couple of weeks ago scrounging food from our picnic rug (damn baby led weaning)
They had foals and were quite agressive. One kicked our dog.
There was also a cow mooing at close range and nudging the tent in the early hours of the morning!

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