🎬Crown And Country: Season 4, Episode 3 - The New Forest. Edward Windsor takes to horseback and discovers that it was not always ponies for which the New Forest was famous. As we discover it has born witness to more than its fair share of mysterious deaths and acts of treason.

Crown and Country ran for 5 seasons. Edward Wessex, Queen Elizabeth the Second's youngest son, makes a personal tour of some of the most famous landmarks in British History. It is a story of intrigue and treason, violent death and treachery that helped shape the rich tapestry of Britain's past.

Written and Presented by Edward Windsor
Camera Patrick Rowe
Sound Simon Pinkerton
On-line Editor Neil Patience
Music Paul Pritchard
Editor Cathy Houlihan
Executive Producer (Meridian) Mary McAnally
Executive Producer (Ardent) Edward Windsor
Produced and Directed by Robin Baxtor

Ardent Productions for Meridian Broadcasting 1996

🎬British Pathé – Wild Dartmoor ponies are rounded up. Devon. Although not filmed in The New Forest, it is a window on the practices of the time: A Dartmoor Study. "Every year a "drift" (or round-up) of the famous Dartmoor ponies takes place - and hundreds are collected." L/Ss of horses trotting across the moors. "The riders, who are mainly the owners of the animals, carry out the round-up - and a hard-riding job it is - " Riders trot away from the camera across the moors. M/S of wild horses run across a little bridge. High angle shot of riders coming down a hill with the wild horses being herded ahead of them. Various shots of the horses being herded. "The ponies are driven into a "harrish" field, where the owners sort them out." Various shots of the ponies. "All foals belong to the owners of the mares - " M/S of a boy standing with a young foal

🎬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.

🎬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

🎬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.

🎬British Pathé – Three times a year the wild ponies are rounded up. Some go for sale, some are set free, and some injured ponies are cared for, or humanely put down. The sequences show the ponies in the wild - the chase by the four 'Agisters' and their teams. The Agisters each look after a quarter of the forest including the ponies, who are owned by 'Commoners' Horsemen are seen galloping across open land rounding up the ponies. The ponies are herded into pens in a woodland clearing. A man cuts hair from a pony's tail. The story ends with the ponies trotting off having been set free