Agister (New Forest) facts for kids
In the beautiful New Forest in England, an agister is a special local official. Their main job is to help manage the many free-roaming animals that live there. These animals, like ponies, cattle, and donkeys, belong to local people called New Forest commoners. Commoners are allowed to let their animals graze freely in the forest.
What is an Agister?
Agisters work closely with officials called verderers. Verderers are like guardians of the New Forest. The agisters help them look after the thousands of semi-wild ponies, cattle, donkeys, sheep, and even pigs (in autumn) that roam the forest. The commoners, who own these animals, pay a yearly fee called a ‘marking fee’ for their animals to graze.
Right now, there are five New Forest agisters. They are hired by the Court of Verderers. Each agister is responsible for a specific part of the forest.
A Bit of History
The job of an agister is very old, going all the way back to medieval times! The name ‘agister’ comes from the word ‘agist’. This word means 'to take in animals to graze for payment'.
Originally, agisters were known as ‘marksmen’. This was because they collected the marking fees. They still collect these fees today.
What Do Agisters Do?
Agisters spend a lot of their time out in the forest. They often ride horses to check on the land. They also check on the health of the commoners’ ponies and other animals.
They are always ready to help, 24 hours a day. They deal with problems like animals that are stuck, have wandered off, or are injured. Agisters also make sure people follow the verderers’ bylaws. They watch out for any animals that are not allowed to be in the forest.
The Annual Pony Drifts
Every year, from mid-August to early November, agisters organize ‘pony drifts’. This is when commoners come together to gather their ponies. It's a bit like a round-up.
The main reason for these drifts is to check on the ponies' health. Agisters record the rounded-up ponies. They check them against the marking fees paid by their owners. If an owner wants to sell a pony or bring it home for the winter, they can take it out of the forest at this time.
The ponies that stay in the forest have their tails clipped in a special way. This shows which agister’s area they usually live in. Then, they are released back into the forest for another year.
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