Updated 15 September 2025

This year's pony drifts have already begun and continue this year into early November, 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. 

2025 drifts and other useful information

Please check for locations as they become published or updated:

Latest information on the Verderers website: 

https://www.verderers.org.uk/new-forest-pony-drifts-september-2025/

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

Advance notice of drifts and car park closures 

Information also on the Forestry England website: https://www.forestryengland.uk/article/new-forest-car-park-closures

DRIFT LIST 2025

All drifts start at 10.00 a.m. unless otherwise stated 

August

17th 9.00 am Sunday Ipley (meet at Ipley Pound)
20th Wednesday Bratley/Broomy
24th Sunday Backley (meet in Inclosure)
27th Wednesday Hale/Turf Hill (meet at Blackgutter)
29th Friday Newbridge (meet at Penn Common)
31st 9.00 am Sunday Durhill

September

3rd 9.00 am Wednesday Latchmoor, Brockenhurst
5th Friday Culverley (meet at Crab Hat)
7th 9.00 am Sunday Hilltop/Hardley (meet at Crab Hat)
10th Wednesday Woodgreen/Godshill
12th Friday Slufters (meet at Broomy)
14th 9.00 am Sunday Beaulieu Aerodrome (meet at Norley Wood)
16th 9.00 am Tuesday Wilverley/Markway
20th 9.00 am Saturday Blackfield/Hilltop (meet at Crab Hat)
21st 9.00 am Sunday Burley Lawn/Burley Rocks
23rd Tuesday Penn Common
26th Friday Weirs, Brockenhurst (meet at Latchmoor)
28th 9.00 am Sunday East Boldre (meet at Norley Wood)

October

1st Wednesday Fritham/Turfhill
3rd Friday Wootton (meet at Wootton Bridge)
5th 9.00 am Sunday Ober (meet at New Park)
7th Tuesday Longslade (meet at Latchmoor)
10th Friday Ashurst (drive to Woodfidley)
12th 9.00 am Sunday Balmer Lawn
14th Tuesday Lyndhurst Racecourse
17th Friday Stoney Cross
19th 9.00 am Sunday Furzey Lodge (meet at Norley Wood)
21st Tuesday Pondhead
24th Friday Picket Post
26th 9.00 am Sunday Withybeds

November

2nd 9.00 am Sunday Holmsley

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/