🎬British Pathé – Footage of New Forest ponies being rounded up and branded. L/S Pan foresters move away on their horses. M/S Notice "Caution animal roundup". L/S Pan Ponies galloping across moors. L/S Pan forester chasing ponies. L/S Pan another forester chasing more ponies. L/S Pan. As the ponies are herded towards farm enclosure. L/S Pan as one stray pony is chased around to the enclosure. L/S Group of ponies in enclosure. M/S Forester grabs ponies tail to cut it. C/U As he cuts pony's tail. C/U One of the ponies. M/S Another forester cuts pony's tail. L/S Pan the pens and sales ring. M/S Ponies coming into sale ring. L/S Group of ponies in ring. M/S Auctioneer. M/S Pony in the ring. C/U Man watching. L/S Pony and foal in ring. M/S Auctioneer makes sale. L/S The pens and sale ring

🎬Gaumont British Instructional Film includes wonderful sequences of a Pony Drift 70 years ago. Plus great shots of city life that still embraced horses.

New Forest ponies shown living on the open forest. A young horse named 'Tuppence' dreams of what it's like to be grown up. He imagines all types of roles for a grown up horse.

Working Horses in London merge seamlessly with modern motor cars and lorries, as they pull all types of carriages and carts. Long distance stagecoach work along Britain's arterial road network. Royal duties, conveying kings and queens. Working on the farm, a ploughing team.

Back on the New Forest. A question and answer section to see how observant the viewer has been.

A pony roundup or Drift. A sequence that includes an enthusiastic Border Collie running with it's master. The Narrator describes 'How to catch a pony': "Ride up behind it, grab hold of its tail and give several quick circular turns. With its balance upset, it is thrown to the ground. Dismount from your horse and sit on the ponies head. You can now put a halter on the pony".... SIMPLE.

Some excellent dynamic shots of riders and ponies as they reach and gather in the pound. Commoners using poles and rope loops to select ponies for a health check.

Stabling and horse riding. The final scene is of a family out and about, riding in one of London's great parks.

Gaumont British Instructional Ltd. Production
Released by General Film Distributors
J, Arthur Rank Presentation
Released in 1950

Formed in 1933, Gaumont British Instructional made nearly 400 films for schools and Cinema Clubs to educate and entertain children. Founder, Harry Bruce Woolfe had a passion for 'Visual Education' and with the help of other recruits from the ranks of British Gaumont staff, they worked closely with education establishments to produce a raft of films over the coming years. By 1954, Gaumont British Instructional had been absorbed into the Rank Organization's main body of production.

🎬Pony Drift: The British "Wild West" BBC Earth. Horse racing in the forest is an excellent occasion to see some breath taking "pony drifts", where riders gather up and herd the ponies at high speeds. The film features many recognizable faces including father and son, Richard and Robert Stride.

🎬New Forest Badgers, Filmed by Manuel Hinge for BBC. Part of the 'Wildlife Shorts' season.

The badger is one of Britain's best-loved animals, and yet it is rarely seen. In the New Forest, the first evidence of the badgers are the setts which they occupy. But once an occupied sett has been spotted, many hours of patience are needed just to get the smallest glimpse of these elusive animals. This intimate portrait follows the badgers through their busiest time of year, giving an insight into their lives.

This is one of nineteen episodes from the Wildlife Shorts season.

Narrated by Allan Corduner
Filmed by Manuel Hinge
Editor Mike Crawford
Colourist Adrian Rigby
Dubbing Editor James Burchill
Dubbing Mixer Adam Palmer
Production Manager Jon Cox
Production Co-ordinator Clare Bean
Series Producer Webdy Darke
Executive Producer Vyv Simson
Producer Robert Yeoman
BBC Bristol

🎬A look at how the Forestry Commission manage the New Forest. From the early days of forestry to the changing attitudes to wildlife, this film looks at modern day harvesting in the New Forest National Park.

🎬British Movietone - At Hythe by Southampton Water a full scale experiment is underway - Development Engineer Anthony Plunkett takes control of a rather ungainly contraption. Although it weighs three tons, air pressure raises it half an inch off the ground, allowing it to be pushed along with one finger. Enclose it in a aerodynamic shell and you have a hovertrain which could travel at a comfortable 200 mph.

British Movietone News ran in the United Kingdom from 1929 to 1986.