'Abusive' cyclists plague the New Forest: Locals' anger at bikers who swear at park rangers carrying out traditional 1,000-year-old round-up of forest's ponies

 Visitors to the New Forest have been slammed for hurling abuse at park rangers carrying out a 1000-year-old tradition of rounding up wild ponies for welfare checks.

Cyclists and other visitors are being accused of putting themselves and others in danger by interfering with the ancient practice by ignoring warning signs and spooking ponies during the annual custom. 

For almost 1,000 years, wild ponies in the historic New Forest are rounded up each autumn for annual health checks in a custom known as 'the drift'.

The practice is an essential part of maintaining the forest, ensuring the welfare of the ponies and dates back to the time of William the Conqueror. 

But organisers have hit out at cyclists this year for their antisocial behaviour, claiming some have sworn at park rangers telling them to stay away as the roundup is carried out by the Agisters, the group responsible for caring for the 6,000 ponies that roam the national park.

The beauty of the New Forest is at risk of being destroyed by visitors who do not respect it, the group says. 

+3

Visitors to the New Forest have been slammed for hurling abuse at park rangers carrying out a 1000-year-old tradition of rounding up wild ponies for welfare checks known as 'the drift'

+3

Cyclists have been accused of hurling abuse at park rangers trying to carry out annual welfare checks on the New Forest's 4,500 ponies as part of an ancient annual tradition (stock image)

Head Agister, Jonathan Gerrelli said that as the forest attracts increased visitors, it is having a big impact on his team's ability to properly look after the horses.

He added: 'During the round up, we are getting more and more issues with people getting in the way and putting themselves in danger and us in danger.

'By ignoring signs telling them the cycle route is closed, some cyclists are getting in the way as you are gathering up herds of galloping ponies.

RELATED ARTICLES

• Previous
• 1
• 2
• Next

• Cowboys of the New Forest: Robert Hardman joins the...Pigeon-keeper, 70, is fined nearly £1,000 after the...
• Pets killed by fireworks: Distressing images show spooked...

SHARE THIS ARTICLE

Share

'It is dangerous and spooks the horses away from the designated route so we cannot catch them.

'The forest is a working forest - people look at it as a bit of playground and it is certainly not that.'

Some cyclists even shouted and swore at rangers for telling them that certain routes were closed and had an attitude of being able to go where they like, Mr Girelli said.

+3

Head Agister, Jonathan Gerrelli said that as the forest attracts increased visitors, it is having a big impact on his team's ability to properly look after the horses during the annual custom

The Drift: An ancient custom which dates back to the days of William the Conqueror 

The​ ​Drift​ ​is​ ​an​ ​annual​ ​tradition​ ​that​ ​is​ ​carried​ ​out​ ​in​ ​many​ ​areas​ ​of​ ​the​ ​country​ ​that have​ ​wild​ ​or​ ​semi-feral​ ​stock. It​ ​is​ ​an​ ​essential​ ​part​ ​of​ ​the​ ​management​ ​of​ ​the​ ​stock​ ​to​ ​maintain the​ ​health​ ​and​ ​welfare​ ​of the​ ​animals.

Every year, at the onset of autumn, the guardians of the New Forest go out into all the different parts of its ancient woodland and round up the 4,500 ponies which live and run wild here.

Since every one of them actually belongs to someone, each must be identified and inspected before it can return to the forest for the winter.

In​ ​the​ ​New​ ​Forest,​ ​the​  ​Agisters,​ ​who between them cover the entire area, ​constantly​ ​monitor​ ​the​ ​animals​ ​to​ ​make​ ​sure​ ​they​ ​are​ ​fit​ ​and​ ​healthy.

Any animal​ ​looking poor​ ​may be taken off the forest at​ ​any​ ​time​ ​throughout​ ​the​ ​year​ ​and it is then the owner's responsibility to take it ​back​ ​to​ ​their​ ​smallholding​. 

More than​ ​30​ ​drifts​ ​happen​ ​in the​ ​Forest​ ​each​ ​year​ ​with​ ​a​ ​small​ ​area​ ​covered​ ​at​ ​a​ ​time.​ 

This helps​ the ​Commoners,​ who are the ​owners​ ​of​ ​the​ ​ponies, ​to​ ​be​ ​able​ ​to​ ​check​ ​the ​animals​​ ​brought​ ​in to their own location and also to help each other.