gowerponyexperience

Gower wouldn’t be Gower without ponies. This is also true of other parts of our Welsh landscape and across the British Isles more generally.  Grazing ponies shape the landscape around them, creating habitat for wildlife, increasing species richness and biodiversity, and even creating more grazing for other livestock such as sheep and cattle.

The Gower Pony Experience C.I.C. was formed in July 2020 to promote the best practices in grazing with ponies, for ponies, for people and for the environment.

Grazing ponies on natural landscapes presents challenges to the ease of their management, the management of the ecosystems therein, and to the welfare of the grazing pony. Promoting ponies of hardy type and involving local communities in their management promotes healthy land, healthy ponies and supports the people who are involved with the hill ponies in Wales.

Sustainable provision and management of ponies for grazing supports wildlife and conservation organisations in achieving their environmental objectives; through providing ponies for grazing, providing consultancy, education and training, and through inclusion of the local community through education, volunteering and sensitive ecotourism opportunities, and opening up further community and economic opportunities. This is of particular importance in post Covid-19 pandemic in rural and peri-urban communities in Wales, encouraging social, environmental and economic activity in open spaces.