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Kaimanawa Heritage Horses

  • 2026 Muster Confirmed - Help us Rehome Horses

      14 March 2026
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    We have now been given the go-ahead from the Kaimanawa Wild Horse Advisory Group to rehome as many horses as possible from the southern zones during the week starting April 20th. After several delays, the new southern yards are expected to be ready, allowing a much shorter journey for the horses.

    The horses will be mustered on the first day helicopters can safely fly, then loaded onto stock trucks the following day to travel directly to new homes or to trainers for handling.

    Each horse rehomed takes an important step from the ranges to a safe and secure future.

    Transport is one of the biggest costs in making this possible. It can be up to $650 per horse within the North Island, and $1,000 or more to the South Island.

    To help make rehoming possible, Kaimanawa Heritage Horses caps North Island transport at $300 per horse and provides a $500 rebate for South Island transport.

    Every donation helps another horse make that journey from the ranges to a safe new home and support their welfare off the Ranges.

    Thank you for helping protect the future of our wild horses.

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  • Thank you! Fundraising Achievement:

      28 March 2025
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    A huge thank you to everyone who has donated so far. Together we have brought down the costs of transport of the horses from the muster yards to their new home, capping it at $300 per horse (previously $500). We will continue fundraising to help support the costs of transport and welfare of the horses.

    We are still accepting applications of interest in taking in a horse from this year's muster, with closing date being the 14th of April. With the numbers of homes slowly increasing, we will continue to advocate for these incredible horses.

    Thank you!

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  • 2025 Muster

      26 March 2025

    The official count by a DoC helicopter fly over the Ranges is 679 horses with most in the southern regions that have not been muster for 3 years. With the new yards being completed Ted in time, the muster will be held ANZAC weekend followed by a muster to give contraception to 50 or more mares. KHH has committed to providing funds to subsidies horse transport as an incentive for rehoming. This will cost up to $15000 depending on numbers of horses rehomed. All donations will go directly to muster costs and welfare.

    We are fundraising

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  • Rehoming from the 2024 muster

      13 October 2024

    We were able to find homes for 83 horses from the June 2024 muster. The remaining horses in the muster yards were released. Kaimanawa Wild Horse Advisory Group (KWHAG) had hoped to be able to complete a second muster which would include contraception for about 50 mares, however the new southern muster yards were unable to be completed in time before foaling began.

    We will be planning for another big muster in early 2025 as numbers will now be back up to over 500. Donations received have been put towards the welfare of the horses in our care as well as assisting with payments for rig surgeries and other welfare needs of the newly mustered horses. Our big fundraiser, the tours of the Kaimanawa Ranges to see the wild horses, are on Nov 29, 30th and Dec 1st this year. For tickets see our web page: https://kaimanawaheritagehorses.org/

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  • Muster 2024

      1 March 2024

    The Department of Conservation has completed its annual aerial survey and the official Kaimanawa herd count is 530. In keeping with the Kaimanawa Wild Horse Advisory Group (KWHAG) management plan, that puts the target removal number at 230. This large number of horses is not unexpected due to the cancellation of the 2023 muster due to the cyclone damage.

    We must now find as many homes as possible by reaching out on social media and completing potential home checks. The list of approved homes is matched to horses at the muster yards in the Ranges and the horses are then either trucked to temporary yards for a night or delivered directly to their new owners.

    KHH works hard throughout the year with selling our merchandise, supporting our generous sponsors, reaching out to our many members and promoting the work we do to ensure that as many horses as possible have a safe and knowledgeable home to go to. We also have a very active welfare team that responds to any concerns about care of the Kaimanawas once rehomed and we provide on going financial support to cover costs of horses that are in our care. All funds raised will go directly towards muster and welfare costs. KHH is run by a group of very dedicated volunteers.

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  • Muster 2024

      7 October 2023
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    There was no muster in 2023 due to the heavy rains destroying roads and property making transporting the horses to homes across the North Island too difficult.

    The 2024 muster will be a big one. Counting the number of horses in the Ranges will be done early in the year and from there a decision on mustering numbers will be made by DOC.

    We have already started taking applications for placing the wild horses into experienced and safe homes. All the applicants will have a visit from a KHH team member who will assist with advising on suitable yarding and fencing.

    Our volunteers fund-raise throughout the year with selling KHH merchandise on line and at Equifest. We also organise annual bus trips to see the horses in their homeland in the Waiouru Ranges. Booking details are in our website shop.

    All Donations from this page go towards the welfare of the horses including immuno-contraception for the mares which was started in 2021 so that a controlled number of horses can remain in the wild. We are very appreciative of any support through Givealittle.

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  • 2021 Muster Update

      31 March 2021
    Posted by: Sue Rivers
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    The 2021 muster, scheduled to take place in late April, will see another 206 horses potentially removed from the ranges.

    Our goal this year is to increase the number of trainers we can include in our annual Freedom to Friendship Stallion Challenges, so we can not only place as many stallions into homes as possible but so that we can increase the number of trainers available to us in the future for handling horses.

    With 6 trainers vying for a position as our wild card trainer at this year's competition, for every $1500 we can raise, we can place another stallion and take on another wild card trainer.

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  • 2020 Kaimanawa Wild Horse Muster

      8 March 2020
    Posted by: Sue Rivers

    110 horses are to be removed from the mid April 2020 muster.

    As most of the country has been in drought, plus so many Kaimanawas already in captivity, this year it is a real struggle to find homes for these horses and we need your help more than ever!

    KHH has come up with a few ways to save as many as possible this year.

    We are running another Stallion Challenge Training Initiative. Stallions must go to experienced people so we are offering top trainers, who we trust, $1500 per stallion they take on. This covers the purchase price, transport to their place, castration of the stallion, and some feed, farrier and vet costs.

    - For every $1500 we get donated, we will be able to place another stallion with a suitable trainer.

    We will put an album with all the trainers and links to their pages on Facebook and our website so that their progress can be followed.

    - For every $2500 we raise, we shall place a pregnant older mare with an approved, experienced trainer. This money donated will go towards handling, care and foaling costs to get the mare and her foal to a standard where they are well handled to then be placed into permanant homes. These mare's will have to stay with their trainer for at least a year while they safely raise their foals.

    - Help get horses into suitable homes in the South Island.

    Horses going to the south island must have basic handling in the North Island first due to health and safety issues concerning traveling of wild horses. This makes it super expensive for people in the South Island wanting to take on a wild kaimanawa. On top of paying for handling, they also need to pay approximately $600 per horse to travel them

    down there.

    With each donation that is made to KHH, we will subsidise transport for each of these horses by $200 to help make it more affordable.

    Your help is much appreciated to help us achieve our goal to place every horse mustered into the best homes possible to give them the best start to domestic life! Thank you!

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  • Thank you

      7 April 2016
    Posted by: Sue Rivers

    Thank you everyone for your support. Applications for horses have now closed, and we had a rush of applicants towards the end - so things are looking good for the upcoming muster.

    We're busy sorting through applications and performing home and reference checks, and doing final preparations for the muster at the end of the month.

    Make sure you follow our facebook page www.facebook.com/KaimanawaHeritageHorses where you'll be able to see updates about the horses you've helped support. We also hope to get pictures and stories from new Kaimanawa owners, so there will be plenty to see.

    Your donations will help us care for any extra horses we take from the muster, and in time, once they're ready, we will find new homes for them.

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  • 2016 Muster Mares and Foals

      24 March 2016
    Posted by: Sue Rivers
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    The muster is approaching fast and only a few applications for horses have been received by Easter.

    It is likely that some of the foals mustered this year will be too young to wean. Kaimanawa Heritage Horses would like to take care of as many of them and their mothers as we are able, until they are old enough to wean and rehome.

    Each horse will cost KHH $200 per month in feed and care. This covers things like feed, hay, wormers, dentist, farrier, vet bills, and castration if required.

    We are trying to raise funds to support these horses for at least one year at a total of $2400 per horse.

    You will be able to follow the progress of these horses and all the others under our care on our website and facebook page.

    http://kaimanawaheritagehorses.org

    This is a great opportunity for you to help save horses if you are not able to take one on yourself.

    For more details, email info@kaimanawaheritagehorses.org

    Let’s help save more horses!

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  • 2016 Muster

      16 March 2016
    Posted by: Sue Rivers
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    The next DoC muster of Kaimanawa horses has been brought forward and we have only a few weeks to find homes for as many as we can.

    We expect DoC will be removing move than 100 horses, so we have a big job ahead of us. If you, or anyone you know, might be interested in re-homing a horse from the muster, please visit our website at www.kaimanawaheritagehorses.org , email us at muster@kaimanawaheritagehorses.org, or give one of our representatives a call on 09-431-6111 or 07-823-6099.

    You can still help, even if you can't rehome a horse yourself, by making a donation. Donations go towards horses in our care; supporting the domesticated Kaimanawa horses; and promoting the Kaimanawa horses.

    Thank you for your support

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