Nick Benyon, a farmer whose family has grazed ponies on the cliffs above Rhossili beach on the Gower Peninsula for more than 100 years, has removed his herd following a dispute with the National Trust.
The National Trust questioned Benyon's right to keep the horses on the land, citing health and safety concerns and claiming the number of Gypsy Cob ponies exceeded an agreed limit under ancient grazing rights. The organization also cited an incident where one of Benyon's stallions reportedly escaped and was considered a potential danger to visitors.
Benyon stated that the "constant pressure" from National Trust Cymru over the past 18 months made his family feel unwelcome and left him with no alternative but to remove the animals. "National Trust haven't given us any support at all. In fact they've made our lives hell," Benyon said in a video posted to Facebook. He added that he had to prove his family's rights to the land, despite generations of farming in the area.
Rob Morgan, a friend who helps care for the horses, described the situation as difficult. "We just want to get on, but it seems empty already on these cliffs," Morgan said. He noted that attempts to reconcile with the National Trust had been costly, involving numerous solicitor's letters.
Last year, Benyon received a letter from the National Trust asking him to remove the stallion and reduce the herd by December 1. Questions were also raised about the horses' welfare, though Benyon insisted his animals were well-cared for and checked multiple times daily.
A spokesperson for National Trust Cymru stated that the organization had not ordered Benyon to remove the horses but had requested a reduction in herd size because they appeared to exceed the agreed limit. The spokesperson emphasized that the trust's priorities include visitor safety, animal welfare, and the ecological health of Rhossili. "If the owner has now chosen to remove all the horses, that decision is entirely his," the spokesperson added.
The horses have been a familiar sight on the Rhossili headland, with Benyon's family having maintained grazing rights for over a century.
