At the October meeting of the Salisbury U3A the chairman, Jack Leeming, welcomed new members.

John Ewington gave details of the next 5 outings, To Exeter on 18th October, the Mayflower on 29th November to see La Boheme, Portsmouth Historic dockyard on 13th December, and to the BBC Television Centre on 17th January. The visit to the Fred Olson vessel “Black Watch” on 19th November is fully booked. Members are advised to wear comfortable walking shoes, and that a passport or photo identification is essential. A five day trip to Barcelona is planned for April 23-27. Applications before 31 October to ensure no price change. For all outings please park at the lower end of Tesco car park, not near the shop.

Secretary Neville Jennings announced that the Anniversary lunch will be held in South Wilts Grammar School on October 25 at 12.30 pm. at a cost of £2. Please bring a plate of food, and a plate and cutlery. There will be no meeting in November. James Mogford would like material for the December newsletter by 15th November. Donald Scarfe wants photographs of class activities for the archives. John Hawkes will send out details of the Village Visits next week.

Ann Sevier, a 13th generation commoner of Flemish ancestry, gave a very interesting talk with slides on “A year in the life of a Forest pony.” Bronze Age excavations show that commoners used the forest for thousands of years. The Forest has to be maintained, to keep down the undergrowth that is harmful to the ponies, such as ragwort. In the winter the cattle are taken in to the commoners’ fields, and the ponies are ed every day in the same place and at the same time. There are 7,000 ponies and cattle. Once a year, in September, the agisters have a round-up of all the ponies, and brand them, and check them for any disease. Sales of ponies are held at Beaulieu Road. The best are kept to breed from, the second best go to riding stables, and the runt go to be processed as dog food. This year the hot summer has led to an excess of acorns, which are poisonous to the ponies, and pigs are let in to eat up all the acorns. Gorse is very important as part of their diet, and a patch is burnt every March to let the young soft shoots appear. Ponies tend to stay in the same area in which they were born.