Latest news with #ShetlandPonies
Telegraph
5 days ago
- Telegraph
‘A travellers camp appeared by my farm. Days later six of my Shetland ponies were gone'
Perched in his sparse kitchen, beef farmer James Penny seems edgy. But once he's outside in the fields he visibly relaxes, approaching his animals softly and with unexpected tenderness. The farmer is clearly heartbroken. Three weeks ago, six of his 25 Shetland ponies – many bred by him on his land near the village of Cadnam in the New Forest, nine miles from Southampton – disappeared, presumed stolen. On Saturday, following a two-week nationwide social media campaign, two mares – a mother and her three-year-old foal, just 28 inches high – were recovered 75 miles away in London, roaming along a roadside. They were starving, he believes, and had lost some 15kg each. The youngster was red raw on her flank where, Penny alleges, someone had tried to razor off the branding of his initials. When Penny and his neighbours rushed to collect them, it was the first time in the 70-something's life that he had ventured onto the M25. 'You can't do anything, you're sort of helpless,' he explains quietly of the sense of loss that tormented him, and still does. The fact he is a man of few words makes his restrained emotion even more devastating to witness. These animals are 'pets' and he could tell immediately that they were traumatised – the distressed mother, who had still been feeding a year-old foal back at the farm, galloped away from it around a field for three hours. 'It's just the way they looked at you, they were off – wild eyes. And something we call 'tucked up',' he adds, explaining how he knew they were starving. 'They draw their stomach in like a greyhound – with no food you can see that stress.' A few days on and the recovered ponies still warily stand back from the herd. The youngster, named Snippy for the 'snip of white' on her nose, is furthest away, her little brown face stock still, her big eyes watchful, her body taut. She has a visible brown patch from the deep shaving. Penny wafts hay towards her gently, his angular shoulders slumped with concern. Of the missing four he says: 'You're just thinking about them, waiting…' His neighbours are nervous. While Penny's are the only ponies known to have disappeared from the forest this summer, numerous Commoners (the name for those who live here who have certain legal rights to graze livestock on the ancient land) have been living in dread of losing their own ponies, fearing thieves at large. Three admit they have been sleeping in their yards in barns, caravans and even horseboxes to guard them. Only this week have they started to ease off. While no suspect has been confirmed in relation to the theft of Penny's Shetlands, the Commoners admit they have reluctantly pointed their suspicions towards a large group of travellers who arrived in the forest shortly before the animals went missing. A few, including Penny, describe encounters in their yards, fields and liveries with members of the community which has now moved on. Penny claims that on July 17 he came across a group of traveller men and children handling one of his mares a few evenings before he realised his ponies were missing. 'There was a man who had hold of one by the mane,' he claims. 'They had a truck and a car there and a bowl of food. They had gripped hold of her and she was pulling a bit. 'I said 'what do you think you're doing?' and they said they were showing the kids [the pony]. He released her then. I said they were all branded and microchipped.' With a 'bad feeling', the next morning Penny gathered the Shetlands and moved them from the common to his field. He discovered his six ponies missing between July 20 and 22. So does Penny believe the travellers came back and took the Shetlands? 'Yes, it's no good beating about the bush, you might as well say it,' he says frankly, adding: 'The ponies were there before they arrived and disappeared when they arrived.' George Hunt, 44, who keeps three riding ponies including a forest pony and a coloured one – so-called for its brown and white markings – in a livery three miles up the road, called police around the same dates when on three occasions, she claims, members of the traveller community attempted to enter her yard. 'We were all tending to our horses, and (three young lads) jumped over the back gate,' she says, perched on bags of horse feed in the store where she works. She says they made three attempts at different times so she, along with five others, spent nine nights sleeping there in cars. 'I had around 10 hours' sleep [the whole time].' At another local farm the owner, who asks to remain anonymous because she fears reprisals, sounds extremely tired. She also stayed up shifts with her husband in their store barn for seven nights. They have 25 New Forest ponies and a livery. They contacted police about numerous concerns, including travellers entering their land with flashlights late at night, and chasing the ponies on quad bikes, she claims. 'It was a very stressful time. Everybody was tired from lack of sleep. It was just really unsettling,' she says. Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary confirms that between July 17 and 19 it received 'a number of reports of incidents in that location including suspicious individuals trespassing on farmland, quad bikes being driven over land and distress being caused to horses'. It also confirms the travellers' camp was unauthorised and officers used their powers to move them on. On the theft of Penny's ponies, a spokesman says: 'We understand this incident is causing great concern in the local community, and urge anyone with information about the incident, who may be involved, or any suspicious people or vehicles in the area to please report this to police immediately.' Neighbour Leesa Merritt, 58, a training manager, and her daughter Anna, 22, also slept in their yard, in their horse box, up to a couple of nights ago. They have had their ponies since 'they were babies', Anna explains. She started the social media search for Penny's ponies and Leesa was part of the 'rescue squad' on Saturday. The appeal was shared 'over a couple of thousand times very early on', Anna says. The breakthrough report came last Friday that a notice had been placed on a lost-and-found site in Hillingdon, west London, of two Shetlands loose on a lane near Harefield village. One had been caught and stabled, the other was still loose in a maize field. They both had Penny's branding. When they arrived in London, usually friendly Snippy backed away. 'I couldn't get near her,' Penny says. They spent three hours in a 20-acre maize field trying to entice the mother. 'She was frightened to death,' says Penny. 'She looked pretty empty, starved. She knew my voice but we couldn't get within 100 yards.' Only now can he get within a few metres. It is not only the Commoners who fear pony theft. On July 11 a Shetland foal called Lucy, just two months old, went missing near Truro, Cornwall. Her owner Jean Curd, 73, who has a herd of 14 Shetlands, told The Telegraph the foal's mother had been 'distraught'; Lucy had not been weaned. She was taken from a field during the night and has not been found. Curd fears she may not have survived. 'It was really distressing, her mother kept going back to the gap in the fence, calling,' she says. 'It was awful. At that age it is so difficult to keep them alive she would be of no value, but she was valuable to me.' Furthermore, in May a six-year-old miniature pony, 30in-high Mini Mouse, was taken from her stable in Soham, Cambridgeshire. Police say enquiries are ongoing. David Collings, coordinator at Hampshire Horsewatch, states that horse theft is nowhere near as prevalent as it once was, but 'there may be a trend in the offing', although he reiterates that 'given the spacing of the thefts there is no way of making a positive connection to any of them.' 'This number of thefts is not large in the greater scheme of things but obviously a worry for owners,' Collings adds. He encourages people to review their security, comply with legislation to microchip their horses and keep clear photographs of them in their winter and summer coats. 'The recent thefts are of concern and the equine community can assist one another and the police by reporting suspicious behaviour on or near equine properties.' While riding ponies are valued in their thousands, the Shetlands are worth just £500-800 each, says Penny. Collings believes they are attractive to thieves because of their size. 'They are easy to transport away in a van or large car. These ponies can easily be sold on. It could be that they were stolen with a view to breeding them.' Penny won't turn his herd loose on the forest for a while. They will remain in his field, which is unusual, even in winter. The other ponies are struggling to accept Snippy and her mum, and he wants to see their trauma ease. He softly rattles the handle of his bucket again, but the pair just turn and walk away.
Telegraph
04-08-2025
- Telegraph
Stolen New Forest ponies found 75 miles away in London
Two Shetland ponies, stolen from the New Forest, have been found in London – 75 miles away from their farm. James Penny, a breeder of Shetland ponies, claimed that 'travellers' were behind the theft, and said the ponies had been 'shaved' in an attempt to remove his ownership brand. The farmer had six of his ponies stolen last month, and recovered two of the animals after a nationwide social media search led to a tip-off that they were wandering near the M25, in Hillingdon, London. A 14-year-old mare and her three-year-old filly were found almost 75 miles away from the farm in the north-west London borough. Mr Penny said he witnessed travellers handling his Shetlands at his farm in the New Forest two weeks ago. He said he spoke with them, and that 24 hours later, when rounding the ponies up, he realised six were missing. Mr Penny said that the ponies were 'traumatised' when he was reunited with them, claiming that the thieves had ' not been very nice to them '. Mr Penny said: 'The two were found on the roads, they weren't far from the M25, I dread to think what could have happened.' He added that the ponies looked 'starved' and the thieves had shaved one of them, he alleges, to get rid of the 'brand' that marks the ponies as belonging to him. Mr Penny's neighbours, Leesa Merritt and her daughter, Anna, led the search for the ponies through social media. Speaking at the time of the rescue, Mr Penny said: 'One of them was in a stable by the time we got up there; people had caught her. 'But the other went running away, she went through a garden and into a maize field. 'There was half a dozen of us, and it took us two and a half hours or more.' He said the two ponies are 'happy now' back at home, but that the rescue mission is not over, as there are still four ponies missing. Mr Penny is a New Forest Commoner, which means he has certain legal rights to graze livestock on the ancient forest land. Ponies, cattle and donkeys can be put to pasture under the rights, and pigs can be turned out to feed during the pannage season, which takes place in autumn. Over the centuries, numerous acts of parliament have been passed, alongside royal statutes, to affirm the rights of the community to graze their livestock on the land. Residents are now pushing for formal recognition as a cultural minority, with some lobbying the government for the legal status of national minority, which would grant them the same protections as the Welsh, Scottish, Northern Irish and Cornish. Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary have been contacted by the Telegraph.
Daily Mail
04-08-2025
- Daily Mail
Pair of Shetland ponies stolen from national park 'found starved and traumatised near traveller camp 75 miles away' - as hunt continues for four others taken by crooks
A farmer has revealed how two Shetland ponies that were stolen from him were found 'traumatised and starved' 75 miles away - as he said he believes travellers are behind the theft. James Penny said he was 'so angry' when he discovered six of his miniature ponies had been swiped as they roamed free in the fields of the New Forest National Park. The theft sent shockwaves through the local community, with residents rallying to help track down the missing animals during a two-week search. Then following a tip off, the 14-year-old mare and her three-year-old daughter were found 75 miles away in Hilllingdon, west London, wandering roads near the M25. Mr Penny, from Cadnam in Hampshire's New Forest, said the Shetland ponies were 'traumatised' and 'starved' when was reunited with them. He added the younger one had been shaved in an attempt to remove his ownership brand. Mr Penny explained that two weeks ago he had to speak with travellers at a field near his New Forest home because he witnessed them handling some of his Shetlands. He said it was 24 hours later, when he was rounding them up, that he realised six of the ponies were missing. Mr Penny explained there is also a traveller site near to the location where two of them were found in Hillingdon. He said: 'I was looking through the bunch and realised this one was missing, that one is missing. 'They are all females, the mare is about 14 years old and the others are all two or three. I bred them all. 'I was so angry, so annoyed. In the last two weeks, I looked around everywhere.' Mr Penny said his neighbours have been invaluable, with Leesa Merritt and her daughter Anna launching an appeal on social media to find the ponies. He said: 'My neighbours have been brilliant doing the social media and responding to the calls they get. 'They have had over 2,600 calls. They have all been from people all over the UK.' Anna was contacted and told that two of the ponies had been found wandering a road in Hillingdon. Mr Penny said: 'One of them was in a stable by the time we got up there, people had caught her. 'But the other went running away, she went through a garden and into a maize field. 'There was half a dozen of us and it took us two and a half hours or more. 'She was so traumatised, she knew my voice but they [the thieves] had not been very nice to them. 'There is a traveller camp nearby to where they were found, police told us not to go looking there for the others. 'The two were found on the roads, they weren't far from the M25, I dread to think what could have happened. 'They look like they have been starved. They shaved the younger one trying to shave the brand off.' Mr Penny said the two ponies are 'happy now' back at home and have been 'turned out to relax' in his field. Mr Penny believes all six ponies were swiped by travellers. He said: 'They keep ponies, that's what they do. they keep them and trade them for money.' 'Everyone needs to keep alert and keep looking for the other ponies', he added. Mr Penny's ponies bear the brand 'TP' on them, which was his father's brand. He also farms cattle and donkeys. In the New Forest, 'commoners' are allowed to turn their livestock out onto the open forest so they can roam freely. The Daily Mail has contacted the Metropolitan Police and Hampshire Police for comment.
Daily Mail
03-08-2025
- Daily Mail
Hunt for crooks who stole six free-roaming Shetland ponies from national park
A desperate search is under way for six beloved Shetland ponies snatched from a beauty spot in the New Forest. The miniature ponies, which are all under 34 inches tall when fully grown, were stolen from common grazing land around the idyllic villages of Bramshaw and Cadnam between July 20 and 22. Their theft has sent shockwaves through the close-knit local community, with residents now rallying to help track down the animals which are hugely popular with walkers and visitors to the area. The picturesque New Forest National Park, famed for its free-roaming animals, is home to donkeys, pigs, cattle, and ponies - all owned by local commoners who graze their animals across the ancient woodlands and open heaths. Anna Merritt, a neighbour of the ponies' owner, has launched a heartfelt social media campaign to bring them home. She said: 'The locals really do look out for the ponies when they are out walking or riding. People love coming to see them, they'll be hugely missed, especially as such a large number of them were stolen.' Each of the ponies is branded with the initials 'TP' - a mark approved by the historic Verderers' Court, which oversees the welfare of animals in the New Forest. No females bearing this brand are ever sold, making any suspicious sightings or sales easier to spot. Police fear the pint-sized ponies, which are especially easy to transport due to their small stature, may already have been moved out of the county. A spokesperson for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Police said: 'We received a report that five Shetland ponies were believed to have been stolen from an address on Cadnam Lane between July 20 and 22. Another has since been reported missing.' David Collings, of Hampshire Horse Watch, told the BBC: 'Horse theft is very rare. Where it does happen it does have a great impact on the owners and other members of the community.' The crime follows a stark warning from rural crime officers just weeks earlier, after a spate of break-ins at local stables and farms. Police had received reports of balaclava-clad gangs using drones to scope out rural properties at night, often with a view to stealing machinery, trailers or valuable animals. An alert shared by Hampshire Horse Watch said: 'Over the last week we have seen horse studs and liveries being targeted. 'The reports suggest three people in balaclavas with cutting machinery are targeting outbuildings … We think they are looking for gardening machinery, quad bikes or other high-value items like trailers.' It added: 'Another thing to be thinking about is the criminal use of drones. We have had a report recently when a drone was flying over a farm at 1am and we think this was being used to see what was on the farm.' Anyone with information about the missing ponies, or who spots miniature Shetlands with the TP brand being offered for sale, is urged to contact Hampshire Police immediately.
Yahoo
02-08-2025
- Yahoo
Two missing Shetland ponies found after UK-wide search
Two of six Shetland ponies that went missing from a national park have been reunited with their owner after being found by a member of the public. The free-roaming animals disappeared from land around Bramshaw and Cadnam in the New Forest, Hampshire, in July, sparking a UK-wide search. Owner James Penny went to collect the pair on Saturday, after they were spotted running down a narrow country lane in a rural area of a London borough. He said he was "happy" to have them back, adding: "We've just got to find the others." Hampshire police previously said the six animals were believed to have been stolen from an address on Cadnam Lane between 20 and 22 July. Mr Penny's neighbour Anna Merritt mounted a social media campaign after their disappearance. On Saturday, her mother, Lisa Merritt, and another neighbour went with Mr Penny to collect the two ponies, who are a mother and daughter. The other four are still missing. Lisa said the retrieval of the two "terrified" ponies had been "fraught and emotional", with one taking about three hours to catch. "We just want to get her back and get her comfortable again," she said. Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary has been contacted by the BBC. You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram. More on this story National search for six stolen Shetland ponies
