My New Forest piglet tale What did I find in the woods today?
Welcome to my New Forest Life Tales Issue #005 October 2010.
This New Forest piglet tale happened to me just a few days ago. Luckily the little (or not quite so little when running around my ankles!) piglets were very friendly and had obviously been used to human handling before being turned out on the New Forest to gobble up the green acorns.
This picture sums up why I knew my short stroll through the woods was about to hold some surprises.
Although the New Forest ponies probably get quite used to the piglets being put out during Pannage each year, they still react to them and need to investigate what these pink snuffling bundles are up to.
You can see by the photo I took above that it became the New Forest pony watching the New Forest piglet - which was watching me! Who was aware of who eh?
These photos were taken close to the Bolderwood Deer Watching platform. I was walking through the woods and saw 3 ponies looking across the woodland with ears erect (a sure sign something interesting was happening).
As I followed their gaze I saw the little piglet above. Piglets love food and work really hard to get it and then eat it. Because I'd been very quiet this little one didn't realise I was there - fantastic!
I was soon joined by more piglets - they're really curious but also seem to quite like humans too. There was lots of grunting going on and loads of noisy chewing - with mouths open - everything seemed to be done at a rush with little jaws going nineteen to the dozen. Little blue/green eyes glanced up at me and muddy noses investigated my boots.
This little New Forest piglet had decided the best place to get green acorns was in a ditch! Because the shape of a pig snout is so practical, they act they mini ploughs and can furrow along a ditch at great speed causing lots of changes to the forest floor. If they get into your garden if you live in the New Forest, they also have an amazing effect on your lawn too!
When the rest of my family turned up there was much snorting and investigating before they decided to head off into part of the deer enclosure. One straggler didn't understand how to get through the fence and so we had to lend a helping hand - which set up quite a loud squeeling!
If you want to see the pictures as a slide show here are my New Forest piglet pictures.
Yesterday when we were out riding we saw a group of 8 piglets come over the hill and down into the valley. Our horse wouldn't have been to happy to encounter these little piglets and so we took off as fast as our horses could go!
You can never be too sure how a domestic horse will react to pigs. They wont like the smell to start with, unless they have been brought up close to pigs and they are likely to just take off with you on their back in a mad panic - not a good idea!
Why not visit Bolderwood you may see the piglets or if not the deer are a lovely sight too.
Custom Search
I hope you've enjoyed this small insight into living within the New Forest UK National Park I've been able to share with you.
Visit New Forest Life
There are loads of pictures of my life in this UK National Park throughout www.newforest-life.com I really hope you enjoy them.
Thanks for subscribing to this ezine and I hope we can share many more together in the future as I tell you more of my New Forest tales.
