Thirteen of the UK’s rare native breeds, including the Hackney breed, are categorized as ‘At Risk’ or ‘Priority’ on the RBST Watchlist, with the Hackney breed facing a “very challenging” situation due to declining numbers of mares producing registered foals. The breed’s ‘Effective Population Size’ has fallen close to the UN’s level of concern.

The New Forest breed remains in the At Risk category due to a decline in the number of breeders and dams, while the Fell pony, Dartmoor pony, Welsh pony, Cleveland Bay horse, and Eriskay pony have shown improvements in numbers and genetic diversity. The Eriskay breed remains the rarest native equine breed but has seen significant improvement.

RBST chief executive Christopher Price expressed concern for the rarest equine breeds, emphasizing the importance of working with breed societies to improve the outlook for these breeds through scientific research, conservation tools, breeding networks, and promotion of their benefits. The RBST Watchlist also includes other native breeds categorized as ‘At Risk’ or ‘Priority’ based on genetic diversity and breeding numbers.