New Milton Equestrian Supplement Autumn-Winter 2019

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EQUESTRIAN ∙ Autumn/Winter 2019

THE AGISTERS

The agisters are called out to deal with all sorts of problems. These include animals stuck in bogs, ditches or cattle grids; those which have strayed into people’s gardens or onto fenced roads; ponies with colic after eating fly-tipped garden waste, or ponies with choke after binging on apples someone has disposed of on the Forest. Sadly, one of the more common call- outs is to road traffic accidents. Despite speed limits and much publicity, there are still a large number of animals hit and killed on the Forest’s roads each year.

The agisters are employees of the verderers. They are commoners in their own right and depasture stock themselves, giving them an intimate knowledge of the area and workings of the Forest. The agisters’ work is to assist in the management

of commoners’ stock. Much of their time is spent on the Forest - often on horseback - observing the conditions of both land and stock. They are on-call 24 hours a day, seven days a week to respond to any problem involving the stock on the Forest, including road traffic accidents.

In the spring they collect marking fees - a payment a commoner has to make for each animal he or she wishes to turn out onto the Forest. They are also required to report to the Verderers any breaches of the Verderers’ byelaws and monitor the welfare of the animals on the Forest.

Agister can often be spotted driving around the Forest in their distinctive vehicles

There are currently five Agisters, with each one responsible for a specific area of the Forest, although many of the tasks they perform require them to work as a team. In the autumn, they organise the annual drifts where ponies are rounded up, checked over, and have reflective collars fitted before being returned to the Forest. This is also the time when commoners will take the opportunity to remove any ponies they may wish to sell or take home for the winter.

If you are involved in a road accident with Forest livestock, it is vital that you call 999 immediately - the police have access to the agister’s roster and can ensure someone attends issues or concerns with a sick or injured pony, cattle, donkey, sheep or pig, you can call the Verderers Office during normal working hours on 02380 282052 or Forestry England around the clock on 0300 067 4600. as soon as possible. To report any other