Ponies and Diggers

An introduction to our ponies, including our two new arrivals. They have settled in nicely as a herd, and are enjoying exploring their new home. 

Taurus and Lark are our year-round residents and are on loan from the Yorkshire Exmoor Pony Trust (YEPT); they have been with us for just over a year.

Taurus, a 14 year old Gelding is smaller and more ginger than Lark with quite a fringe on him. He has quite the appetite and never says no to a carrot or apple. 

Lark, officially Northcroft Skylark, is a 15 year old Gelding that has been sharing his home with Taurus for a number of years. With just the two of them, Lark is quite the boss, and makes sure Taurus is aware of that, however, that has all changed now with the arrival of our two new residents. 

Fawn, officially Anchor Fawn, is one of our new residents who we are slowly getting to know. She is very calm and sweet natured and is the youngest of the pack at 8 years old. She looks quite similar to Taurus, however she is taller and has a darker mane.  Finally, there is the old man Corvus, 23 years old and the new boss of the pack. He is probably the easiest to recognise, a dark mousey brown, small and stocky, usually the first one to food!

From left to right: Taurus, Lark, Fawn and Corvus. 

Meanwhile Willie has begun work on rebuilding the dams in the Cascading Ponds. The old dams were leaking, so they are being completely rebuilt to waterproof them. 

The first job is to drain all three ponds and dig out the current dams, to then install new wooden sleepers supported up with clay.

It's been a foggy day on the reserve, which makes for quite magical woodlands.