24 June, 2026 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

A petition launched as part of a campaign to highlight the threat posed to England’s last remaining semi-wild ponies by changes to grazing legislation on Dartmoor, designed by Natural England, has reached over 200,000 signatories this week.
But the future of Dartmoor’s endangered Hill Ponies, currently numbering just under 1000, still hangs in the balance. Despite concerns being voiced by several political parties following unprecedented media coverage of the campaign last week, those heartfelt pledges to protect the ponies are yet to be translated into action.

Dartmoor pony campaigners welcome Government pledge that numbers will not be cut — but warn promise must now be written into grazing policy.

The Dartmoor Hill Pony Association has welcomed a commitment from the Environment Secretary that there will be “no planned reduction” in the number of Dartmoor ponies, and is now seeking reassurance that this will be reflected in policy and legislation as a matter of urgency.
Responding to a question in Parliament yesterday from Labour MP, Steve Race, the Secretary of State said Dartmoor ponies are a vital part of the landscape and history of Dartmoor, and that she wants to see pony numbers maintained and the condition of Dartmoor improved.
The Secretary of State also confirmed that the Government is working on solutions to support Dartmoor ponies and said she would visit Dartmoor to see the ponies for herself in the coming weeks.

Dartmoor pony campaigners welcome Government pledge that numbers will not be cut — but warn promise must now be written into grazing policy.

The Dartmoor Hill Pony Association has welcomed a commitment from the Environment Secretary that there will be “no planned reduction” in the number of Dartmoor ponies, and is now seeking reassurance that this will be reflected in policy and legislation as a matter of urgency.
Responding to a question in Parliament yesterday from Labour MP, Steve Race, the Secretary of State said Dartmoor ponies are a vital part of the landscape and history of Dartmoor, and that she wants to see pony numbers maintained and the condition of Dartmoor improved.
The Secretary of State also confirmed that the Government is working on solutions to support Dartmoor ponies and said she would visit Dartmoor to see the ponies for herself in the coming weeks.

Dartmoor could lose up to 90% of its Hill Ponies, the last semi-wild pony herds remaining in England, as a result of new contracts drawn up by Natural England that require livestock grazing numbers to be significantly reduced on Dartmoor. 

The contracts - a shift away from Higher Level Stewardship to Countryside Stewardship agri-environment schemes, could come into force as early as the end of this year, meaning that the majority of ponies rounded up in the annual ‘drifts’ in October would not be returned to the moor, with the most likely outcome being a cull.