A minimum of 70 Kaimanawa wild horses need to be removed from the Waiouru Military Training Area int eh Central North Island in the next couple of months and rehoming groups are now keen to hear from prospective owners.

The number of horses to be removed was confirmed last week after the Department of Conservation (DOC) undertook its annual aerial survey.

Kaimanawa Heritage Horses (KHH) chairperson Kimber Brown and Kaimanawa Wild Horse Preservation Society (KWHPS) chairperson Sharyn Boness are urging people who are interested in taking a horse or horses from the muster, as well as those interested in sponsoring the placement and upkeep of a wild horse, to get in touch now.

Currently only 13 applications for horses have been received between both groups. With only four weeks left until applications close on April 1st there is not a lot of time left for interested parties to apply. That leaves a lot of horses still in need of caring homes with suitably experienced new owners.

According to KHH Welfare Officer Michele Haultain, the Kaimanawas coming out of the muster are true wild horses which have never been in contact with humans.

“In time they will do anything their owners ask of them, but in the early days they need sympathetic handling to ensure they make a successful transition to domestic life.

“Kaimanawas have an X-Factor; their senses are acute, and they have proven to be very trainable,” she said

Given the right environment they are very curious, honest and friendly and are suitable for a variety of equine disciplines. Both re-homing groups are more than happy to offer prospective new owners support and advice.

Following last year’s twin musters, a decision was made to hold annual musters which allows DOC to manage the herd at the level recommended by the Kaimanawa Wild Horse Advisory Group (KWHAG). This allows for the horses in the herd to maintain best condition and also protects the fragile ecosystems, unique to the Moawhango Ecological Zone.

The unique tussock grassland where the horses roam contains threatened plants, including at least 16 species in the New Zealand Threat Classification System, some of which are found nowhere else in the world. Many of these plants occur in habitats that can withstand very little disturbance.
Kaimanawa horses are gaining favour among the equestrian community as highly competitive sport horses. Since numbers were reduced to 300 individuals in the wild herd, the condition of the horses and their final mature height, has improved immeasurably. As a result, they are more suited to a wider variety of riders.

“The re-homing of as many horses mustered is an important part of a successful muster” says DOC Operations Manager Dave Lumley.

“Ideally all suitable horses will be rehomed, as was the case for the horses mustered in 2016 and 2018. However, we know it’s a real challenge for the rehoming groups to find so many suitable homes.”

As many horses as possible will be rehomed, but any horses deemed medically unfit by a vet, will be euthanised under vet supervision.

2018 was the biggest muster since 1997 with 299 horses successfully rehomed. Although Kaimanawa Heritage Horses Welfare Society (KHH) and Kaimanawa Wild Horse Preservation Society (KWHPS) are trying desperately to rehome as many as possible, the uptake so far is minimal.

Information and applications on rehoming a Kaimanawa wild horse can be found at:
Kaimanawa Heritage Horses
www.kaimanawaheritagehorses.org/2019-muster/
Kimber Brown, +64 274509047Email: kimber@kaimanawaheritagehorses.org
Michele Haultain +64 274318082 Email:michele.haultain@kaimanawaheritagehorses.org

Kaimanawa Wild Horse Preservation Society (KWHPS)
Sharyn Boness, +64 274 572 040 Email: kaimanawawhps@gmail.com
Katherine Meredith, +64 272 588 492 Email: kaimanawawhps@gmail.com

DOC Contact - Phone: +64 4 496 1911 Email: media@doc.govt.nz

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