A DEADLY disease in the New Forest has killed six ponies and forced the authorities to cancel vital welfare checks to stop it spreading.

Thousands of ponies are rounded up every autumn and examined by the Agisters, who ensure that any animals in poor condition are removed from the open forest. They also fit the ponies with reflective glow-in-the dark collars that aim to prevent them being hit by cars at night.

But a third of this year’s 34 round-ups have been cancelled following an outbreak of strangles, a highly contagious respiratory infection.

The Verderers, the organisation in charge of Forest stock, has intervened in a bid to keep the number of new cases to a minimum. Sue Westwood, clerk to the Verderers, said there were signs the worst might be over.

She added: “In the next few weeks the Agisters are planning to go round the areas they missed and make sure that everything is all right. They will deal with anything that needs attending to.”

All the ponies and cattle that roam the Forest are owned by Commoners – villagers with the right to let their animals graze the landscape.

Graham Ferris, chairman of the Commoners’ Defence Association, said: “The Agisters continually monitor the condition of ponies and intervene if necessary.

“I don’t believe there are any long-term animal welfare concerns.”

Commoner Mike Cooper said the disease had affected five of his ponies, one of which died. He described it as one of the worst outbreaks he had seen in the past 25 years.