NEARLY four months after a planned round-up of ponies on Gelligaer Common was started and abandoned, an animal charity has voiced its 'frustration' that hundreds of ponies still remain on the common.

The round-up was organised in April by the RSPCA, after a previous attempt in 2002 was halted due to legal reasons.

It had to be aborted on the second day, after meeting with opposition from protesters from local animal welfare groups and residents, including the Society for the Welfare of Horses and Ponies (SWHP) and Dowlais Pony Club.

They were concerned that the animals were then not in a fit state to be moved. Many of the mares were pregnant.

In the last year, SWHP has rescued and cared for 56 ponies from the common.

Now SWHP chairman Jenny McGregor is calling for by-laws to be introduced, giving the local council powers to deal with the situation, which has been a problem for more than 15 years.

Mrs McGregor said: "It is very frustrating that it is taking so long.

We have had a good meeting with the parties involved, but I believe we need a by-law to get things moving.

"After the round-up was aborted, we rescued a pregnant mare in the hail and brought her back to our sanctuary.

The foal was prematurely born but survived and we named it Storm Trooper."

Several ponies have recently been found on the common, including one ten-month-old pony named Victor, which had an abscess on its side and had had its hair clipped: the injuries are believed to have been caused by a severe blow.

Treatment for Victor, now recovering after an operation this week, could run into hundreds of pounds.

In another instance, Mrs McGregor has rescued a young colt found dazed, confused and unable to get up, after it was attacked by a stallion on the common.

Mrs McGregor, who cares for the animals at her sanctuary in Coxstone, St Maughans, Monmouth, told Campaign:

"It is very important that we address this problem.

We will have to get them (the ponies) off the common before the winter.

"It costs us around £100,000 a year to keep the hospital going.

"There isn't legislation to cover it at the moment.

The situation can't go on winter after winter."

Anne Keeting, a volunteer for SWHP, has fed and cared for horses and ponies every day during that last year or so.

She told Campaign:" It has been a frustrating time.

I go and feed the ponies and check on them every day.

We are still rescuing ponies off the common.

Three weeks ago we rescued Victor who had a five month-old injury and the vet had to cut out bone and rotten flesh.

"When I found him, I saw a hole in the back of his leg."

Anne believes that a way forward is to identify the ponies.

Anne added:"At the moment many of them are in good condition, but when September comes the commoners, farmers and various parties involved should get together and sort out the claimed and unclaimed ponies.

They need to identify them."

A spokeswoman for the RSPCA said that they were unable to comment on the situation at the time of going to press, but that they were holding off until the end of the breeding season, before organising another round-up on the common.

An open day at the sanctuary on July 6 raised £2,500, which will go towards the care and treatment of the animals.

The Keating family and SWHP would like to thank Clive's Bakery in Bargoed for their donation.