Yum. Prickly gorse for tea

Took a diversion on the way to the shops this afternoon, by way of the New Forest, and with a fair measure of sunshine during the day, the ponies were out grazing in force.  On several occasions I needed to slow to walking pace even come to a standstill while groups of them decided which way they were heading.
It always surprises me just how much they enjoy chomping on what I consider very prickly gorse, but apparently this is one of their habits.
There may not be too much lush grass for them to eat just now, although in a few weeks come spring proper and summer to follow there will grass in abundance, It’s just now when just coming out of the winter months it amazes me just how well-adapted they are to eating prickly fare such as gorse, brambles and holly, just like my friend today. 
It is the ponies of course who make the postcard images of the Forest. There are reputed to be more than 5,000 of them roaming free in the National Park, and if like me today, you are driving on Forest roads, it is rarely possible to travel more than a few hundred yards on Forest roads without coming across groups of them.

But if you are visitor, you should resist the temptation of feeding them, because that encourages them to loiter by car parks or attracts them to roads where there is a serious risk of accidents. Sadly, dozens of them are killed or injured on the Forest roads each year, despite strict speed limits.
Feeding them titbits is strictly taboo, and illegal.