Please can we borrow your ponies?

East Devon council takes horses on loan from bird charity

Where do you go when you want to borrow five ponies? A bird charity at Aylsebeare has a string, so when East Devon District Council needed some to help the heathland near Axminister, to the RSPB it turned.

The RSPB look after Exmoor ponies in the winter. But now summer has arrived, they've sent them out of loan to help improve Trinity Hill's wildlife habitat. They just need to do what comes naturally. Eat the grass, nibble on some hedges, and presumably poo. Nature does the rest.

Fenced compartments will be grazed in rotation away from pathways, but people are being asked to keep dogs under control so as not to frighten the horses. Nesting birds also enjoy the hill at this time of year, giving another reason not to let dog run too wild.

But if you fancy seeing the five new ponies on the hill, East Devon's countryside team is encouraging it. Trinity local nature reserve's lowland heath is two miles south-east of Axminste and, if you enjoy flora and fauna of this part of Devon, it's worth a visit. The ponies are a sustainable way of helping wildlife management.

Cllr Tom Wright, East Devon District Council’s Environment portfolio holder, says: “Grazing animals, such as the ponies, at Trinity Hill helps to restore the rare heathland habitat, which supports a diverse range of species including adders, lizards, butterflies and the elusive nightjar"

East Devon Countryside Ranger, Nathan Robinson adds:  “Livestock grazing at Trinity Hill and has been a vital component of heathland management throughout history. The selective grazing of vegetation helps to create a variety of ecological niches with diverse wildlife. After the success of grazing the site for the past three years, we are hoping to expand into new areas of the reserve. The ponies play a crucial role in protecting the special heathland habitat that is home to a variety of nationally rare wildlife.”