With the existing cold winter the wild garrano ponies are forced to leave the hills around the Covelães area in Montalegre in search of pastures upsetting the local population.
The ponies graze in the pastures destined for the village cows and many farmers have been obliged to erect fences around their pastures. They also cause many road accidents as they run free on the main roads.
The National Peneda Gerez Park close to the village, advocates more control of these ponies and the introduction of microchips so that the owners of these ponies may be identified.