Today, first thing in the morning, in the morning mist, the Polish Koniks gathered on the meadow. In Trześcianka (Hajnówka poviat) by the Narew river, the grazing season has ended.
Admittedly, it is not very late – in previous years it happened that the Koniks remained in the open meadows until December. Physical conditions – thick fur and a layer of fat make these animals feel exceptionally well in open spaces, and they even tolerate the cool season better than summer, when they are annoyed by clouds of horseflies. The availability of food or grass in the pasture is of key importance.
However, this year the water level in the Narew river is higher than in previous years and we are afraid that trucks for horse transport will not pass through the dirt roads leading to the pastures. Grass is also scarce now. Forty-six mares have grazed in the area since May, some of them returning home with newborns.
The Koniks did not complain and got on their mechanical steeds. The animals belong to a farmer who cooperates with us and runs a farm near Suwałki. They will spend the winter near the home of the farmer who will feed them hay. Mr. Krzysztof also likes to feed them various treats: sometimes they get some oats, bread, carrots.
This year is the 6th season of the Koniks grazing on the Narew river. If everything goes according to plan, we will see each other again in late spring next year, when the water in the rivers has subsided and the meadows are covered with green grass.
At this moment the Koniks still roam free on the meadows near Gródek.
The task of horse transport from and to grazing areas is realized within the project “Protection of Charadriiformes by means of grazing and construction of small retention facilities in OSO Nature 2000 Knyszyn Forest and Upper Narew Valley areas” financed by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through EEA funds.
Wesja Polska