1st September 2010

These photo's are of the June 2010 muster. They are curtesy and copy write of Sharyn Boness.

This image curtesy of the Dom Post. Tired horses from the June 2010 muster after been rounded up

Where are we now? Are the horses better off? Can 300 Kaimanawa horses really survive?

To be honest the future of the Kaimanawa wild horse looks bleak. With Doc
introducing the contraception programme for the mares we have to ask
ourselves, “Will this really work on a herd of 300?”. What is the risk factor that
the mares become sterile? Doc have made many mistakes with the horses over
the years, and although it is about learning, we need to remember DoC
promised 500 horses.

They have killed off other animals over the years; we can’t get them back as they are
now extinct. We shouldn’t lay our trust in DoC to get it right. With Forest and
Bird pushing them from all directions, DoC have continuing pressure on them to
eradicate the horses. DoC also knows their would be a huge outcry if they were
to try and eradicate the horses, but the majority of the public think everything is
now fine and dandy with the Kaimanawa wild horses. Why would they think
otherwise, that is what they read in the papers.

I think “where we are now” is in a critical situation with only 300 horses. We need to
have more research done on the horses in the wild. Still too little is known about
them. Will it be done?, I doubt it.

As for “are the horses better off?. Yes probably they are. They are coming out of the
wild in better condition and are bigger than what they were 17 years ago. But
can we afford to have only 300 horses? A really bad winter or bad breeding
season could reduce the numbers significantly, leaving no room for error.

So “can 300 Kaimanawa wild horses really survive?”

No they can’t.

We know over the years so many Kaimanawa’s have gone to good homes, where
they are now competing or just being hacked out.

These Kaimanawa’s come to us so trusting and calm, do we know why? What is it
about these horses that they can adapt into a new environment so quickly? Do
we need to be concerned with future pure breeding of the domesticated
Kaimanawa horses?. Yes I do believe we should have some concern as there
are not many breeding stallions around. It’s a shame that some of the studs in
New Zealand could not pick up a Kaimanawa or two, but this has not happened.
Checking around their only seems to be two breeding stallions. It’s just not
enough. So if things did go wrong for the horses in the wild, would we have a
continuing plan to keep the domesticated numbers up?

As they are becoming more and more popular as the years go on, we need to have
enough to satisfy the needs of the average horseperson.

Remember this is our breed, unique to New Zealand and I really hope we can have
these horses for future generations to love and admire and for historical reasons.

Mustered from Awapatu catchment (19 June):

• 111 horses (48 colts, 38 mares, 8 juvenile mares, 17 foals (10 male, 4 female, 3 unsexed)
• nb the unsexed foals remained with their dams for transport to new owners.

• 92 horses (30 colts, 28 mares, 5 juvenile colts, 12 juvenile fillies, 9 colt foals, 8 filly foals)
• 3 of the horses mustered on 28 June were released (mustered by mistake en-route to yards)
• One horse was euthanased at Waiouru.
• 67 of the horses were sent to new owners organised by the Kaimanawa Wild Horse Preservation Society (11 mares, 5 juvenile colts, 17 juvenile fillies, 19 male foals, 12 filly foals, 3 unsexed foals)

The horse that escaped from the truck that crashed was later shot.

Two farmers received horses directly from the muster (1 received 12 colts + 12 mares, the other 38 colts)

I understand that the farmers intended to send the horses to "Total Products Ltd". A further 70 horses (44 mares, 26 colts) were sent, on behalf of 6 farmers, to Taupo where they were immediately processed into pet food for those farmers.

Information courtesy Para-Legal Advocates & Support Services