Fri 31st staff check

Ponies all along the top of thr site for most of the day. We saw them several times whilst watering our new hedge.  Great excitement at 4 buckets with garlic licks in them being placed near the top hedgeline and about halfway along the site.  I chose to leave the licks out for them as they seemed happy to have a lick session and then go and carry on grazing.  Hoping the licks last a little while and help reduce the number of flies.  They are all looking really well though despite the flies.  Can lookers over the weekend check the lick buckets please as they are likely to tip over.  I have proper lick holders on order and arriving early next week.  We filled the top water tank and will do the bottom ones on Monday.  They are really getting through the water this summer! 

Thursday 30th July

 All 4 ponies were conveniently by the corral:

They were a bit troubled by flies, but looked fine - intrigued by my arrival, but then we haven't seen each other for a while.  Trough near main entrance was OK - but I didn't check the top trough.

Wednesday 29th

 4 ponies were very frisky around 8.o'clock this morning. Hoopy, Flam and Kat came charging down towards us, then after a few minutes wondering where she was Doune galloped down to join them. Our daughter was with us and understood why we'd said you need to be careful around them. Didn't get too close, but they all seemed fit and healthy. Trough full.

By the corral, after their run.

Tuesday 28th July

Warm day on the Hill, with sun and cloudy phases, but quite muggy. All ponies in the corral again. Lots of flies on their faces, so the ponies were using all parts of the corral and nearby posts for scratching and chasing the flies off. Kat's face has a few patches, presumably caused by scratching and rubbing. All seemed okay other than that. 

Sunday 26th July

 Another pleasant day on the hill with a welcoming breeze. But plenty of flies about! Ponies were making their way to the lower trough this morning.

Saturday 25th July

The ponies were in the corral again today, and the flies are now a big problem. Poor Hoopy's face was covered in them, she'd shake her head and they'd fly off a couple of centimetres then spring back on, as if they were attached my elastic. It was pretty upsetting to see, poor ponies. 

Other than the flies, they all seem well.

Wed - Kitty and Stephen

Ponies were all fine and for some reason the blog wasn't working. Please let Fiona (me) know if the blog continues to play up, it seems to work for me!

Tuesday 21st July

Lovely day on the Hill, sunny but with a nice breeze. Found Kat by main trough, and the others were down by the corral. There were a few flies, and they looked a little sorry for themselves, but other than that, all looked good. As I left Kat had moved to the main path and was grazing the bushes. 

Monday 20 th July

​All ponies together just off the main path. Flies being a bit of a pain but no worse than usual . No issues to report , trough full ! 

Saturday 18th July

Despite it being a bit cooler the ponies were still gathered by the corral. Again they were in the initial top-tail formation, with Hoopy still excluded. You'd think after all this time they'd have fully integrated her (or maybe she doesn't want to be absorbed). But flies not too bad (apart from on Hoopy's face). Kat came for a sniff, and let me tickle her chin (she doesn't like her face being touched). All looking well.

No caption required! 

Staff check Weds 15th

All 3 water tanks filled. Troughs all working, but a naughty pony has filled the corral trough with horse apples. I will clean it on the Friday work party. 

All 4 ponies under corral beech. The sensible ones were arranged nose to tail, swishing off each other's flies. The other was off to the side with a fly-y face.

Wednesday 15th

 8.45, 4 ponies were in the corral, huddled together. Some flies, lots of tail swishing. They all looked well. Trough full.

Tuesday 14th July

Warm, but pretty breezy on the Hill today, helping to keep it bearable. As such the ponies had abandoned the corral and were towards the top of the site grazing through the long grasses. Still a few flies but they didn't appear to be bothered and were quite happy eating away. 

I noticed the gate into the attached field and thought it had been painted white, but on further inspection, I'm thinking its just got coated in chalk dust due to recent winds?! Freaky. 

Monday 13th July

​The flies much less of an issue today. All ponies happily up at their favourite spot at the top . No issues, a lot cooler today too . 

Sunday 12th July

 A very welcome breeze on the hill this morning. Ponies were up at the top gate today perhaps using the breeze to keep the flies away? Plenty of ragwort falling victim to the hungry caterpillar!

Saturday 11th July

Early start but already very warm on the Hill. Very sensibly the ponies were in the corral area, looking a bit sorry for themselves. Flies were buzzing around still, Flam was probably worse, and Hoopy was irritable. Doune however, had no flies and looked very stately. I left her in charge. All okay otherwise. 

Friday staff check

Came to find ponies, they were seeking shade, very sensible. Applied some cream to keep flies away and have garlic licks on order...will top up water supply again on wednesday

Thursday 9th July 2026

 Another warm morning.  All 4 were conveniently by the corral in the shade.  They were not impressed by my attempt to provide some entertainment, but then neither was I.  They just looked rather bored, but otherwise fine. Some flies bothering them but not too many.  

Trough by main entrance full if rather green.  I didn't slog up to the top of the site.

Tuesday 7th July

Toasty day again on the Hill and sensibly the ponies had taken shelter by the corral. All looked okay, but a little subdued, and poor Flam and Hoopy were being pestered by flies. In particular Hoopy's face was covered. Flam also has a few healed scratches/grazes on her chest, they don't seem to be open, but I did notice some flies on then. Other than that all seemed okay. 

Monday 6th July

​​Rubbish left at the top of the site by the top gate , where the ponies all were . Flies a real issue today, I think something needs to be done about it because it was really bad today. Other than that ponies all ok no issues I could see other than the flies . 

Sunday 5th July

 Another pleasant day on the hill. Plenty of caterpillars on the ragwort. Ponies were difficult to find this morning, one mid way up from the bottom track hidden amongst the bushes, another eventually found on the bottom track and they slowly made their way to the corral where the other two were waiting.

Thursday 2nd July

 An early report today, as I have to be elsewhere soon.  All 4 were conveniently about 150m from the main entrance, and grazing not far from the top path.  The grass is high and, as if in the African savannah, they can soon become almost invisible:

All looked well - a brief hello, but breakfast was important.  Water level in trough near entrance was fine - it's a bit murky - and I didn't check the far trough.

Ragwort has its place, for caterpillars at least, even if a bit fuzzy!

Wednesday 1st July

10.30, 4 ponies were quite near the bottom trough, through the line of bushes. All looked well in the long grass, not too many flies. Trough a summer green.

We chatted to the marshals, sitting by the m.way bridge with water and snacks for 500 St. Swithuns pupils who were doing a walk/run for a charity, (something to do with education) They were all glad it wasn't last week.

Jolly, polite and friendly bunch, we saw lots of the girls and teachers on the way home.

We cut back some of the encroaching brambles and buddleia on the path to the tennis courts.