Beth is Walking to Feed Wild & Abandoned Ponies this Winter

Hello, I’m Beth and I live in Yorkshire on the 26th July I be will heading to South Wales where I will walking as many miles as I can from Sunrise to Sunset across Gelligaer and Merthyr Common. An expanse of bleak upland moorland in South East Wales and the home to around 150 feral ponies unowned and wild or abandoned. The ponies are not managed and their environment is bleak. Most of these ponies are no longer the native Welsh mountain ponies.

Some mares have two foals feeding from them in the winter months and as breeding is not controlled foals are being born in harsh conditions. The ponies are suffering with worms and some injured.

An amazing local none profit charity run by volunteers “Hungry Herds” aims to give the ponies one decent meal a day of haylage during the harsh winter months to help make their life a little easier. This does not stop them forging for food as wild ponies do.

In the past ponies have been removed off the common by the RSPCA after being found “in a terrible condition with no sign of anyone caring for them there had not been enough grazing to sustain the animals.”

Although World Horse Welfare and the RSPCA are working on a project to improve the welfare of these ponies there is currently no neutering or castration programme. Although 30 ponies were removed this winter many more foals are now being born. Sadly the 30 ponies removed were the ones needing the most care.

After taking on rescue ponies this year it is something very close to my heart. My pony George was missing on these moors with his mother for the first 18 months of life and possibly fed by these amazing volunteers. Our newest addition a foal of one of the ponies taken off the moors as part of a welfare project, her mother was pregnant when she arrived at the rescue centre.

I am aiming to raise £1, 000 which will help feed the ponies for one month during the winter, all money will be used to purchase haylage. If I manage to hit my target and to pay for one month of feeding, additional money will be used to keep feeding through the winter which would be fantastic. Any donation would be really appreciated.

Thank you for your kindness. ☮️

Beth.x