EXMOOR ponies are getting used to a new life as four-legged lawn mowers in the far north of England with Durham Wildlife Trust.

The Exmoor Pony Centre, owned by the Moorland Mousie Trust, supplied the ten ponies, which are being used to graze rough land to make it a better environment for wildlife.

Mousie Trust trustee Juliet Rogers said: “The Exmoor ponies are perfect for eating down the rough, unmanageable areas that would otherwise need machinery, which is costly and less environmentally friendly.

“The ponies will eat their way around a site, doing their job while enhancing the wildlife of an area rather than disturbing it.”

Linzi Green, who runs the Pony Centre and prepared the ponies to travel to Durham, said: “I am always happy to see the ponies we have helped moving on to new lives – and what could be better than living in a wonderful natural landscape being cared for by rangers and volunteers who love the environment and wildlife.”

Durham Wildlife Trust became interested in using Exmoor ponies when it saw how other organisations in the north of England were using the Mousie Trust and its ponies for conservation grazing.

The Mousie Trust charity was set up to take unwanted Exmoor pony foals from free-living herds and has become one of the key organisations providing animals.

It helps more and more ponies every year, and all need veterinary care and handling to become ready for future lives.

Some ponies will become ridden and family ponies while others will become grazing ponies.

A handful of ponies will become part of the team at the Exmoor Pony Centre where visitors can see and ride the ponies and find out more about the special qualities of the rare-breed.

The Exmoor Pony Centre is in the heart of Exmoor National Park just off Winsford Hill about four miles outside of Dulverton.

For further information on the work of the Moorland Mousie Trust, the ponies and events phone 01398 323093 or visit the website, www.exmoorponycentre.org.uk, or Facebook page.