Nearly 200 Kaimanawa horses could be culled this year and people capable of helping these animals transition from the wild into their care are being sought.
A wild horse roaming in the tussock in the Kaimanawa mountain ranges. Photo: 123rf.com
Those interested in taking one of the horses are being urged to act swiftly, in the hopes of averting a mass cull.
Last year's muster to remove the wild horses from the Kaimanawa ranges was cancelled last year due to Covid restrictions, leaving the herd well over the allowed level. There are currently 500.
Kaimanawa Heritage Horses Welfare Society's Marilyn Jenks told Morning Report they were seeking those experienced with horses, able to be sensitive to their trauma as they begin adapting to life away from their close family environments on the ranges.
She said, because of their loss of family, they made the most amazing pets because of their desire to make up for that loss by bonding intensely with you.
She said potential suitors were vetted and those interested had to be experienced horse owners, otherwise it would a 'disaster waiting to happened'.
"You can't go out and get a wild horse and put it in your paddock," she said.
"What we do is we help people as much as possible. We do a home check, we go and have a look at their property. We obviously get references to see how experienced they are."
The society has a list of good trainers to smooth out the transition for both horse and new owner. Jenks said each horse was an individual and needed different kinds of training, but in general the Kaimanawa horses were extremely intelligent and therefore good learners.
"People have got to very sensitive a horse that's basically been quite traumatised" - Kaimanawa Heritage Horses Welfare Society's Marilyn
They were also sensitive and needed to be handled with care. "Remembering, these horses have been removed from everything they know. They've left their family group... It's like they've gone to Mars really and they've got to learn a whole new thing, so people have got to very sensitive a horse that's basically been quite traumatised."
The horses were adaptable and made amazing equine companions, with an intense desire to bond with their new family, she added.
The difference between a domestic horse and the Kaimanawa horses is they come from a strong family group of mum, dad, brothers, sisters and cousins, whereas the domestic horse was brought up by a single mum.
"When they come out of that family group these horses really thrive on a one-to-one basis and they look at you as their family... they want to be with you. They really, really do bond with you and I think that's a huge difference between a domestic-bred horse and one of our beautiful Kaimanawas."
She said the horses were in beautiful condition because of the level of food available to them after numbers were culled to 300 in the area.
"The horses are absolutely wonderful. In fact, it was quite heart-warming when we had our natural show probably two weeks ago and I saw little wild horses that came out of there, glimmering little show ponies. It was just wonderful."