Wednesday 31st

 3 ponies were in the breeze at the top. Looked well, troughs full.

Tuesday 30th July

Scorchio on the Hill but fortunately a slight breeze. The ponies were slowly moving up the main path, eating as they went, like a trio of vacuum cleaners or lawn mowers. Looking good though and not really interested in me in the slightest. Bumped into a really red Karen just about to complete her butterfly transect, although think I might have been annoyingly distracting!

Sunday 28th July

 Having read blogs from earlier this week and noted the hide and seek going on I was very surprised to find the three down by the corral!! They weren’t terrible active spending more time swatting flies from themselves and each other.

Saturday 27th July

I was a bit late to visit today, and unfortunately my luck with finding the girls has abandoned me totally, as once again they eluded me. We had, however seen them yesterday and they looked really well and in good form. If no-one visits tomorrow, I'll pop along and check on them. 

Thursday 25th July

 A damp morning, but I managed to complete the round before the midday rain arrived.  The ponies were playing hard to find, having proved invisible from the top track.  I finally found them, about 300 or so metres along from the motorway gate, and maybe 50m or so down the hill.  Flam and Doune were grazing, looking far less bedraggled than I did by this stage, and keen to come and say hallo in a huffy way.  Kat was lying down looking a bit morose (being very anthropomorphic), and troubled by flies.  I couldn't see anything untoward, and she seemed very alert.  Troughs were fine.

Wednesday 24

They weren't by the corral, so we went to the top, Stephen on the main path, I branched off to the path by the road. Got to the top, trough ok but still no sign of them. Walked back down the main path and found them by the corral. Lots of flies bothering them, they were in a huddle under the tree and looked fine. That trough was full too.

Tuesday 23rd July

Muggy and humid day on the Hill, but lots of butterflies in flight (well after I disturbed then by crashing through the grass). No sign of the ponies in their places again, but after a bit of walking around and calling them, found them on the top path not too far from the top gate. They were strolling through the long grasses, nibbling, strolling some more, nibbling, well you get the idea. Flam's eye still clear, so that's good. All looking very well. 

The salt lick close to the end of section 5 has fallen out, so have left it on top of the post for now, not sure how it's to be attached?

Sunday 21st July

 Found the ponies half way up the main track this morning. They were completely preoccupied with nibbling the fresh moist short grasses on the path. A lot of flies around!

Looker required

 I am away next Monday is there anyone who can looker on Monday 29 July? Thanks in advance.

Monday 22 July

 The ponies were grazing half way up the hill and seemed fine. The troughs were full and gates secure. 

Saturday 20th July

Overcast but warm and muggy on the Hill, and the ponies giving me the run around today. Looked everywhere and completed a full circuit, and just as I was going to give up spotted a swish of a tail in the grass just below the main path (but hidden from both main and lower paths). They were nibbling at the short grass, new sweet growth I guess, and weren't in the slightest bit interested in me. Doune gave me a little warning huff, but other than that they didn't stop eating. They looked well, but had lots of flies on their lower halves. I checked Flam's eye yesterday, and the gunk had cleared up and didn't spot any redness, so hopefully it was a temporary thing. 

Loads of butterflies around despite the lack of sun. 

Wednesday 17th

 The three ponies were in the shade by the corral. All looked well. That trough was full.

Tuesday 16th July

Overcast and muggy day on the Hill, but still loads of Ringlets, Meadow Browns and Marbled Whites flitting around. The ponies were at the top of the site, getting stuck in amongst the long grass with Doune practicing the old adage of 'grass is always greener' by nibbling at the grasses in the neighbouring field. They were loving eating all the purple flowers from the top of the thistles. Must be extra tasty? They all looked in great condition, but checked Flam's eye and it's still a little gunky (but no obvious signs of discharge) and the eye itself is slightly red towards the inside. That might be due to us poking it though. Left them to it and had a lovely stroll back down to the main gate. 

Monday 15 July

 The ponies were a little elusive today, but after checking both troughs I find them half way down the path.

Friday 12th

Ponies were a bit elusive at first but eventually turned up to the beech clump to investigate the new fences.  They are looking great, a good weight and their hooves are looking tidy too.  Flam friendly as ever and they had some hay as a treat!

Sunday 14th July

 A lovely sunny morning and surprised to find the ponies sheltering in the corral.  I had expected my usual game of hide and seek! 

Kat and Flam came to say hello and I noticed a build up of gunge around Flams’ eyes which I managed to wipe clear. Perhaps something for us to keep an eye on??

Saturday 13th July

Dull but muggy on the hill this morning, with surprisingly large amount of butterflies around, despite the conditions. The ponies were in and around the corral, looking a little sluggish, but soon jumped into life and started up the track via the long grass. They all looked well, Flam has a straight mark on her chest, but doesn't seem to be anything. She was also having a really bad hair day (apologies I'm obsessed with hair, for obvious reasons 😀).

A quick brush wouldn't go amiss....

Thursday 11th July

 All 3 were conveniently by the corral.  Flam and Kat came to say a brief Hello while Doune held back.  Some troublesome flies, but otherwise they looked fine.  Level in trough OK,.  I didn't venture to the far east - of the site.

Wednesday 10th

 Going up the main path I spotted movement down among the long grass and there they were. About 200 meters from the trough, which was full. Couldn't see their hooves but they looked well if rather muddy. 

Tuesday 9th July

Dreadful day, rain hammering down, and ponies nowhere to be seen. Not in the corral, so trampled up to the top and not there either, also not on the path by the fence. Nor along the bottom path, or the middle path. At this point ran out of time so had to abandon my search. I suspect they found a bolt hole out of the rain, but not sure where. Sorry.

Monday 8 July

 The air was heavy but no rain yet. The ponies were at the corral expecting the rain. The troughs were full. All looked good. The new fencing looks good . The misty rain was hanging over Winchester but not the hill. Just as I got back to the car the heavens opened and it tipped down. Just made it, phew. 

Sunday 7th July

 A bit of a miserable morning on the hill today…after the recent spell of good weather.

Found the ponies up by the beech copse, checking out the new fencing!

They soon got bored and went back on the main track. I didn’t notice any new areas being nibbled for bark on the unfenced trees.

Thursday 4th July

 Chilly breeze but sunny this morning.  The 3 ponies were at the eastern end of the top track, with Kat and Flam near the trough.  They were grazing, and far more interested in that than my arrival.  They all looked fine.  Troughs were OK, but the water looked definitely soupy and green.

Quite a few Meadow Browns and Marbled Whites about, even though the start of the morning was not particularly warm.  I heard and then managed to spot a singing yellowhammer - quite a long way away, hence the poor photo, but recognisable.  It was about 200m from the M-way gate.

Wednesday 3rd

 Ponies were by the top gate. All well. bottom trough full, Top, 8" of water missing. 

Tuesday 2nd July

A bit of a late visit today, due to other Trust work in Southsea, but the ponies were up the top of the site by the east gate. They were huddled together and scratching each other with their teeth, I'm assuming to help keep the flies away. Flam has a small raw looking graze on her right ear, not sure if its from a nip from one of the others (tried to get a photo, but she wasn't having it). Doesn't look too bad, but worth keeping an eye on. Other than that and the irritation of the flies they seemed very well, albeit a little smelly 😅.

Monday 1 July

 A lovely warm morning and the ponies were at the corral. The water troughs were full and the gates secure. All good.