MEMBERS of the public have been urged to keep their distance as the first of the New Forest foals are born.

The New Forest National Parks Authority has urged motorists to slow down and has also asked people not to approach or feed the ponies.

A spokesman said: "They are such a beautiful sight across the Forest but please be wary of them when travelling across the Forest roads, go slow and give them a wide berth when passing.

"For their safety and your own please don’t feed or pet the foals or the ponies. There is plenty of natural food and it’s best that they don’t come to rely on people’s attention. They may look friendly but they are unpredictable and the mares with foals are naturally protective and can bite and kick."

The feeding of ponies is against the byelaws and giving them human food, or even things like carrots, causes serious issues in the New Forest.

The spokesman added: "Some ponies and donkeys develop an unhealthy craving for human food and become aggressive with people who, quite rightly, try to keep their picnics to themselves.

"The animals also tend to gather near roads, looking for people with food, and this makes them more vulnerable to traffic accidents. Human food also gives the ponies colic (bad stomach ache) which is very painful. The animals all belong to people called commoners, who have the right to turn out their livestock onto the open forest."