G0Y5BM Black Hackney Stallion Horse in green field with ears extendedThe Hackney horse and pony has suffered a further decline, the latest Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RBST) figures show, but there are signs of hope elsewhere. The numbers of Hackneys were already “very low”, and the breed was already in the “priority” category but the 2026 RBST watch list, published this month, shows that its […]

ANG2WX Irish Draught Horse. Gray adult on a beach, walking in shallow waterA “groundbreaking” new approach will allow horses without recorded pedigrees be considered for entry into the Irish Draught Horse Studbook (IDHS) in a move to restore rare bloodlines – an initiative that could help other native breeds in future. Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) has introduced the “genomic grade-up rule” for IDHS,…

BNMNT7 Exmoor PonyNew research will “hone action that will strengthen the outlook of irreplaceable horse and pony breeds”, it is hoped, as “robust market demand” for natives is reported. On 20 March the Rare Breed Survival Trust (RBST) presented the findings from the trust’s equine conservation project at a seminar at the Horse Trust, Buckinghamshire. The work, […]

Harlow at home with Panda.Native ponies seem to pop up everywhere. While lovers of the variety pack of Britain and Ireland’s native breeds have always known about their hardiness, versatility and talent, the likes of equestrian influencer Harlow White’s Panda, a Connemara pony, have thrust these photogenic ponies in front of an even bigger audience. “Owning a native pony […]