TRAVELLERS were spotted riding horses through a river as hundreds descended on a tiny village for Britain’s biggest pony and trap drive.
Groups were seen in Brockenhurst – one of the New Forest’s top beauty spots – as they plunged their horses and carts into a river as families, who were soaking up sunshine on the bank, watched on.
Young guys riding bareback charged in formation up and down the river as part of a tradition to cool their horses after a pony and trap drive through the Forest.
It was the dramatic finale of the Tracy Cooper New Forest Drive, the biggest of its kind in the UK, which has been going for over 20 years.
Yesterday’s cool down came after temperatures hit sizzling point, with some unhappy locals saying the ponies should not be out in such heat.
Animal welfare officers were present on the riverbank at the Balmer Lawn in Brockenhurst where scenes resembled the world-famous Appleby Horse Fair.
At one stage, one officer shouted at two young riders to “stop with the whip”, adding: “Stop whipping the horse” when they tried to urge their horse on with one.
Riders were also prevented from riding the animals up and down roads with police waving them down and telling them to go back to the river bank.
The car park at the popular family bathing spot had been closed off from Saturday evening and all day Sunday with warnings that an event would be taking place there today.
But the sudden appearance of hundreds of pony and traps – their numbers three times bigger than the previous day – at the site took some unsuspecting families by surprise.
Some goggle-eyed guests from the nearby Balmer Lawn Hotel who had been enjoying a post-Sunday lunch stroll beat a hasty retreat as the horses descended.
Despite this, there were excited shouts from children as the riders roared into the river with water being splashed everywhere.
Young girls joined in the ride, with some getting soaked to their skin and even babies were taken for a trot – sitting in front of a parent on the horse.
Kids as young as five plummeted off the river bank on ponies into the water – laughing gleefully as they did.
After the horses had had a swim, they were put into shade under trees and given food and water.
The river cooldown is the finale of the event, which this year took place under the watchful eye of a temporary security tower bristling with CCTV and dozens of police officers.
Last year, the area was scattered with broken glass and metal screws by angry locals who have called for the drive to be banned.
As The Sun revealed yesterday, this year the local council has joined forces with Hampshire Police and Forestry England to ensure the event was kept under control.
Standing watching the cooldown was Inspector Darren Ord of Hampshire Police who said he was pleased with how the drive had gone, saying: “We have engaged with the community to ensure that everything is done with safety and security.
“So far it has gone very successfully. It was important to allow the event to go ahead while also ensuring the safety of the local community.”
He said it had also been important that the welfare of the horses involved in the drive was looked after, which appeared to be the case.
As the horses dried off, the travellers tucked into burgers from a van operated by Tracy Cooper who said she was “absolutely delighted” with how her event had gone this year.
She said: “Mine is the only traveller drive in England which has a permit, permission and public liability insurance.
“It is the only one in England that tries to do it the right way. This year has been fantastic, but I won’t rest until the last traveller and pony has got home safely.”
