As a keen equestrian, I felt a little odd to be pulling on hiking shoes, rather than riding boots, as I prepared for a day out with horses. This wasn't going to be an ordinary hike.
Jacko snorted and threw his head to the side to watch as I carefully packed my camera gear into his back. He turned back to his hay net, which was tied to a fence that framed an expansive vista of the quintessential Welsh landscape: endless fields of lush green grass, bordered by thick hedgerows and dense woodland, and leading through the valley toward the distant hills.
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The second highest peak of the Carmarthen Fans is called the Picws Du.
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On the top of a hill overlooking the River Tywi valley in Carmarthenshire, Wales, you can see the inside of Paxton's Tower.
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The Welsh word for "snow waterfall" is Sgwd yr Eira.
In Wales, there are herds of wild Welsh mountain ponies that have been roaming freely among the hills for centuries.
The ponies are referred to as semi-feral since the herds require some degree of management. The basic infrastructure of roads, fences and urban areas restricts the natural movement of the ponies, which can lead to overpopulation and health issues. Farmers help manage the herds by conducting roundups, checking their general health and removing some of the ponies to prevent inbreeding.
The Welsh farmers who manage the herds have a deep affection for the animals. The sturdy, trusted ponies were used for a wide range of farm work. Pit ponies were used underground in the once ubiquitous coal mines that have since disappeared from the Welsh landscape.
The management of wild herds in the Welsh countryside is under threat because they are no longer required for these traditional roles.
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A group of people sit down to eat a picnic lunch while a pony is tied to a tree.
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A hiker loads her belongings into a pack carried by her pony during a hike.
Hooftrek was founded by Graham Williams in order to give the ponies a renewed purpose and restored commercial value in order to ensure their survival. The company employs a herd of semi-feral ponies trained to carry packs and accompany hikers in the hills and mountains of Wales, while also continuing the tradition of breeding wild mares to help maintain the wild herds.
In September 2020, I joined three friends from London, along with Louise, or Lou, a pony trainer and trekking guide, andRegina, a Hooftrek helpers, for a walk alongside four semi-feral ponies in the Radnor Hills of Central Wales.
The ponies were roaming around the property when we arrived. Lou told us how to groom the animals and prepare them for the trek after we chose our companion.
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Hikers lead their pack ponies back to the farm.
As we started hiking, it became clear that the strong- willed animals would be setting their own unhurried pace, stopping frequently for an irresistible mouthful of grass, and sometimes needing determined encouragement to overcome natural obstacles encountered along the way. The ponies had a mix of stubbornness and eagerness, like the horses I grew up riding.
The ponies brought with them a sense of achievement and entertainment. All of us had to learn how to communicate with our ponies, and many of us developed a bond over the course of the day.
The idea for Hooftrek was inspired by the success of French initiatives that overcame a similar problem with local donkeys, a working animal that was once central to farm and agricultural work there. The founder of Hooftrek said that the donkeys were turned into part of the leisure industry. There are dozens of farms in the hills of France where you can hire donkeys to carry packs.
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There are ponies on Black Mountain.
He wants to raise the profile of the Welsh herds and encourage others to buy semi-feral ponies, which are taken away each year to prevent inbreeding. Mr. Williams said that there used to be thousands of breeding mares in Wales. The breed became very desirable around the world because they used to be useful.
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Horses are popular pets in Wales.
For many years the ponies were protected and their offspring sold, generating an income for the farmers who managed them. Nowadays, domestic-bred Welsh ponies are popular as pets and riding ponies around the world, while their wild counterparts in Wales face an uncertain future.
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A hiker and Hooftrek helpers, she shares a moment of affection with her pony.
Lou said that training ponies is a time-Consuming task. It takes more time to build up their confidence and trust in humans than with domestic bred foals, which is why it is not so popular to breed on the hill anymore.
Ponies born on the hill have an innate instinct. Over the centuries, they have developed the skills and knowledge of the land that enable them to survive in different environments and seasons that domestic-bred horses don't necessarily have.
She said it was an honor to work with the Indigenous creatures. They are as old as the hills.
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A British photographer and photographer who focuses on conflict, humanitarian and environmental crises and social issues is named Claire Thomas. You can follow her on social media.
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