Brinkmanship

Ponies are back on the cliffs to do their winter job of conservation grazing. They crop the grass down to the ground and halt the spread of gorse and heather scrub. This allows the spring and early summer flowers to thrive and bloom after the ponies have been taken off. Without them,  grass and bushes would grow too tall and smother the specialised  plant community that is adapted to this uncultivated coastal fringe. The ponies are tough and need no shelter or special care. They  seem to  have a good head for heights too.