Updated 1 October 2026

This year's pony drifts are finally beginning following postponement due to the equine flu. Keep an eye out for latest dates and locations - see below.

Members of the public are urged please to stay clear of the forest folk doing this important and sometimes dangerous work to preserve our forest heritage. See below for more information.

Meanwhile, if you don't already receive it sign up now for the Lymington.com Weekly What's On e-newsletter. We bring only positive news from the Lymington and New Forest area, including what's on and things to do. How often have you missed an event and wished you'd known about something earlier?! Subscribe and we'll keep you up to speed. Whether you are local to the Lymington, New Milton, and New Forest area or visiting on holiday, there'll be articles of interest and key dates for your diary. 

About the annual pony drifts

The​ ​Drift​ ​(or​ ​Round up) is​ ​an​ ​annual​ ​tradition​ ​that​ ​is​ ​carried​ ​out​ ​in​ ​many​ ​areas​ ​of​ ​the​ ​country​ ​that have​ ​wild​ ​or​ ​semi-feral​ ​stock. It​ ​is​ ​an​ ​essential​ ​part​ ​of​ ​the​ ​management​ ​of​ ​the​ ​stock​ ​to​ ​maintain the​ ​health​ ​and​ ​welfare​ ​of the​ ​animals.

In​ ​the​ ​New​ ​Forest,​ ​the​ ​5​ ​Agisters​ ​who between them cover the entire forest area, ​constantly​ ​monitor​ ​the​ ​animals​ ​to​ ​make​ ​sure​ ​they​ ​are​ ​fit​ ​and​ ​healthy. Any animal​ ​looking poor​ ​may be taken off the forest at​ ​any​ ​time​ ​throughout​ ​the​ ​year​ ​and it is then the Commoner's (owner's) responsibility to take it ​back​ ​to​ ​their​ ​smallholding​. ​

Drifts​ ​are​ ​organised​ ​in​ ​the​ ​autumn​ ​to​ round up and ​check​ ​on​ ​the​ ​health​ ​and​ ​well​ ​being​ ​of all the​ ​ponies.​ ​Over​ ​30​ ​drifts​ ​happen​ ​in the​ ​Forest​ ​each​ ​year​ ​with​ ​a​ ​small​ ​area​ ​covered​ ​at​ ​a​ ​time.​ ​This helps​ the ​Commoners,​ who are the ​owners​ ​of​ ​the​ ​ponies, ​to​ ​be​ ​able​ ​to​ ​check​ ​the ​animals​​ ​brought​ ​in to their own location and also to help each other. 

The Agisters​ ​work​ ​with​ ​the​ ​Commoners​ ​who​ ​attend​ ​to​ ​ensure​ ​as​ ​many​ ​as​ ​possible​ ​are​ ​'rounded​ ​up'. Not​ ​an​ ​easy​ ​task​ ​as​ ​New​ ​Forest​ ​ponies​ ​are​ ​clever​ ​and​ ​it​ ​is​ ​not​ ​possible​ ​to​ ​get​ ​each​ ​one​ ​in. The​ ​main​ ​aim​ ​is​ ​to​ ​gather the​ ​mares​ ​with​ ​foals.​ ​Each​ ​pony​ ​is​ ​checked, wormed​ ​, and​ ​has​ ​its​ ​tail​ ​clipped​ ​to​ ​show​ ​they​ ​have​ ​been​ ​in,​ ​and​ ​which Agister​ ​has​ ​checked​ ​them.​ ​Each​ ​Agister​ ​has​ ​his​ ​own​ ​unique​ ​cut. Foals​ ​are​ ​either​ ​branded​ ​and​ ​'turned​ ​back​ ​out'​ ​or​ ​taken​ ​off​ ​from​ ​their​ ​mother​ ​to​ ​be​ ​weaned. Every​ ​Commoner​ ​has​ ​an​ ​individual​ ​brand. 

Walkers, cyclists and horse riders please avoid the drifts

Following​ ​two​ ​incidents​ ​in​ ​2012​ ​when​ ​members​ ​of​ ​the​ ​public​ ​unwittingly​ ​became​ ​involved​ ​in​ ​a pony​ ​drift,​ ​as​ ​part​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Verderer's​ ​review​ ​into​ ​safety​ ​during​ ​the​ ​drift​ ​season ​the​ ​Verderers decided​ ​to​ ​provide​ ​advance​ ​notice​ ​of​ ​upcoming​ ​activities.​ ​

Drifts​ ​are​ ​to​ ​be​ ​avoided​ ​by​ ​the​ ​public. It​ ​is​ ​unsafe​ ​for​ ​people​ ​to​ ​attend,​ ​as​ ​the​ ​ponies​ ​are​ ​unpredictable. Although​ ​the​ ​round-up​ ​is​ ​a coordinated​ ​activity​ ​it​ ​is​ ​not​ ​without​ ​risk,​ ​which​ ​is​ ​why​ ​only​ ​experienced​ ​Commoners​ ​assist​ ​with the​ ​drifts.​ ​Many​ ​of​ ​the​ ​riders​ ​on​ ​the​ ​drifts​ ​now​ ​wear​ ​body-protectors,​ ​which​ ​lessen​ ​the​ ​risk​ ​of injury​ ​to​ ​their​ ​necks​ ​and​ ​backs,​ ​should​ ​an​ ​accident​ ​occur.​ ​The​ ​Agisters,​ ​who​ ​are​ ​expert horsemen,​ ​also​ ​take​ ​added​ ​precautions​ ​and​ ​wear​ ​the​ ​new​ ​style​ ​air​ ​vests​ ​that​ ​inflate​ ​if​ ​the​ ​rider is​ ​disconnected​ ​from​ ​the​ ​saddle.

The​ ​dates​ ​of​ ​the​ ​New​ ​Forest​ ​drifts​ ​are​ ​advertised​ ​to​ ​alert​ ​visitors​ ​and​ ​road users​ ​to beware. ​The​ ​Public​ ​will​ ​be​ ​asked​ ​to​ ​move​ ​on​ ​for​ ​their​ ​own​ ​safety,​ ​and​ ​that​ ​of​ ​the​ ​animals. 

2026 drifts and other useful information

Latest information as at 1 October

https://www.forestryengland.uk/new-forest/where-we-are-working

Forestry England reminds visitors to the area to not park on verges, along access tracks or in gateways and to use alternative car parks.

• Shatterford - 2 October
• Stoney Cross - 4 October
• Ocknell Pond - 4 October
• Janesmoor - 4 October
• Longslade Heath - 6 October
• Horseshow Bottom - 6 October
• Longslade Bottom - 6 October
• Longslade View - 6 October
• Yew Tree Bottom - 6 October
• Wootton Bridge - 6 October
• Setthorns - 6 October
• Wilverley - 6 October
• Wilverley Plain - 6 October
• Wilverley Pit - 6 October
• Brownhills - 9 October
• Wooton Bridge - 9 October
• Broadley - 9 October
• Tilery Road - 11 October
• Clayhill Heath - 11 October
• Standing Hat - 11 October
• Parc Pale - 13 October
• Bolton's Bench - 13 October
• Linford Bottom - 16 October
• Ober Corner - 18 October
• Parc Pale - 20 October
• Bolton's Bench - 20 October
• Beechern Wood - 23 October
• Whitemoor Pond - 23 October
• Whitefield Moor - 23 October
• Puttles Bridge - 23 October
• Bratley View - 25 October
• Andrews Mare - 25 October
• Canada Cross - 25 October
• Beaulieu Heath - 1 November
• Ranswood - 1 November
• Ivy Wood - 1 November
• Crockford - 1 November
• Stockley - 1 November
• Hawkhill - 1 November
• Hatchet Pond - 1 November
• Hatchet Moor - 1 November
• Crockford Clump - 1 November
• Bull Hill - 1 November
• Norleywood - 1 November
• Holmsley Walk - 7 November

Reporting an incident

To report Road Traffic Accidents involving Forest stock (ponies, cattle, pigs, sheep and donkeys) - ring the Police on 999.

Please also make a note of this page on the Verderers website -

https://www.verderers.org.uk/reporting-an-incident/

There are numbers to call during and out of office hours should you come across a sick, injured or dead pony, cow, donkey, pig or sheep (other than an RTA)

02380 282052 OFFICE HOURS

0300 067 4600 AFTER HOURS

Photos by Sally Fear

Sally Fear is a "fear-less" local photographer who "gets in where other people don't" to capture the gritty and stunning realism of life in the heart of the New Forest. Sally has also published some amazing books full of fascinating forest facts as well as her incredible photography. For more images like this one visit this gallery page on Sally's website.

More information

More about the traditions of the New Forest and more amazing photos by Sally Fear too can be found on the Real New Forest website:

https://www.realnewforest.org/about/you-the-forest/