It took a while to discover that there no was no longer any land in production and as a result we seem to be free of harmful chemicals being applied on the grass and any hedges connected with this project. I had not expected to see wire fencing around the land and I am not sure of the purpose. It reminded me of a wildlife park and plenty of surface area for repairing the soil. It has been necessary to stay overnight offsite until a base and meeting space can be arranged which is taking time. Although prominent in their day, the villages of Ashby Oby (Owby) and Thurne like the river based island abbey ruin are distant etchings on the grassland and landscape so what exists today merges with the eerie wetland mists which can descend for hours and days.

Ponies would need shelter in the winter and from heat in summer and are quite well adapted. They use plenty of water but this supplements theirself sufficiency from marsh dykes. Ponies are natural to some parts of the British Isles and the ponies alongside the farm areas are the Welsh Mountain Pony breed. They tend to be adapted to mountainous areas less than the boggy marshes which do not always suit them so well and we will continue to use stables and group shelters and consider this an area for review and some improvement and change.

Any improvements to soil, habitat and growing methods including tree planting are likely to integrate pony welfare as an added benefit.