At Waterwise, we’re always interested in the clever and curious ways to protect our water. And this one is a favourite: ponies doing water work.
In East Sussex, a five-year grazing project supported by South East Water is proving that sometimes the best land managers don’t carry clipboards… they have hooves.
On 181.3 hectares of chalk grassland, a herd of rare Exmoor ponies are getting to work tackling a surprisingly stubborn problem: tor grass. This invasive plant can smother delicate chalk ecosystems, squeezing out wildflowers, insects and the natural balance of the land.
The ponies, however, aren’t interested in playing by the rules of invasives. They selectively graze the tougher stuff (tor grass, brambles, the “meh” menu items) and leave behind the fine, diverse chalk grassland that should be there in the first place. Think of them as nature’s very discerning landscapers!
The project, led by Longbridge Regenerative, is about more than restoring pretty wildflower meadows. Chalk grassland is one of the most valuable habitats for groundwater health. Its structure helps water filter naturally through the soil, supporting cleaner, more resilient groundwater sources.
In other words: healthier grassland = healthier hidden water systems.
Duncan Ellis, Farmer and Landowner at Longbridge Regenerative, sums it up simply: “restoring the balance of our chalk grasslands leads to healthier ecosystems and better water quality.”
And that’s exactly the kind of joined-up thinking we like to see.
From a Waterwise perspective, this is a brilliant reminder that water doesn’t start at the tap. It starts in soils, grasslands, catchments, and sometimes, in the steady bite of a pony clearing the way for nature to do what it does best.
It’s also a strong example of what happens when land management and water management stop sitting in separate boxes. As Richard Dyer at South East Water puts it, “the two go hand in hand”, and in this case, hoof in hand too.
The project will run for five years, with ongoing monitoring of vegetation and groundwater improvements.
This story is a brilliant reminder that protecting water doesn’t just look like pipes and treatment works. Sometimes it looks like a hillside, a rare breed pony, and a landscape slowly finding its balance again.
As Water Saving Week comes to a close, this story feels like a fitting reminder of what the week is really about: seeing water differently. Because saving water isn’t only about what happens in our homes or at the tap. It’s also about the landscapes we protect, the ecosystems we restore, and the quieter systems working beneath our feet that keep water clean and available in the first place.
Whether it’s small daily habits or large-scale land management projects like this one in East Sussex, the message is the same: everything is connected. From chalk grasslands to groundwater, from ponies to pipes, water relies on balance at every stage.
We’d also like to extend our sincere thanks to South East Water for their headline sponsorship of Water Saving Week.
