Appeal to avoid horse cull
Dozens of wild Kaimanawa horses face slaughter unless there is a last-minute influx of people willing to re-home the animals.
Horse advocacy groups are asking Kiwis to rescue the wild animals from the abattoir, and are scrambling to raise awareness of the horses’ plight.
Since the Department of Conservation’s first muster in 1993, more than 2600 horses have been removed from the ranges. The largest muster was in 1997, when 1069 horses were removed, but most years only 100 or so are removed.
Although that number has increased to about 200 over the past three years.
Rider Jade Bradley, from Bulls, is one who has dispelled the stereotype of the untamable Kaimanawa horse. She is the owner of 2-year-old Calypso, a cheeky filly with a shiny black coat and a heart of gold.
Fresh off the ranges, Calypso was initially unsure about her new surroundings but has settled into domesticated life since joining Bradley’s side last July.
She’s taken a liking to Bradley’s 14-year-old thoroughbred Halo, a former race horse.
She is being groomed for long distance riding and should be ready for the saddle in about two years.
Kaimana was are smarter than the average farm horse and have better instincts. To stop Calypso from jumping fences, Bradley was forced to add another wire about 1 metre higher.
It hurt Bradley that helpless and innocent horses were slaughtered each year, and she had always vowed to save one.
‘‘If they don’t get homed, they’re just going to end up in a tin can and I can’t bear the thought of that. It’s terrible,’’ she said.
‘‘You don’t need expensive things, you don’t need the best of everything. They just need time, quality and love.
‘‘When they come off the truck they’re frightened, scared, they don’t know what’s going on. But [Calypso] has settled in quite well. She’s like a spoiled toddler. She’s very cheeky but she’s very loving. She’s just the best really. I couldn’t have asked for a better horse.’’
Kaimanawa Heritage Horses spokeswoman Anna Hansen said the muster was in April, but the group had received applications to re-home only 12 of about 70 wild horses.
Last year, people in Manawatu¯ saved eight horses.
Hansen said the biennial muster was now taking place every year, placing pressure on advocacy groups trying to keep the wild horses out of the slaughterhouse.
‘‘We are struggling to find homes. Any horses that don’t find homes are unfortunately sent to slaughter.’’