More homes for Kaimanawa horses are urgently needed, as there are two applications ahead of a muster expected to gather at least 150 of the wild horses.

The annual muster is due to take place in late April this year, and organisers are concerned by a lack of interest in adopting horses and don't want to resort to “alternative measures” to keep the population at manageable levels.

Kaimanawa Heritage Horses Welfare Society (KHH) chairperson Sue Rivers said concern is rising over the shortage of homes for horses following last year's round up.

The total number of target homes was not reached last year, which places significant risk on the increasing herd remaining in the Kaimanawa ranges with only 130 homes found for 206 horses last year, she said.

“The additional horses have now been added to this year's removal target.

“Alternative options will need to be explored if homes cannot be found as maintaining a total number of 300 allows for the horses in the herd to maintain the best condition and also protects the fragile ecosystems unique to the Moawhango Ecological Zone.”

Rivers is urging people interested in taking a horse from the muster to get in touch now.

“For each year the numbers can’t be brought back to the management plan number of 300, it’s another year that we risk seeing horses removed through alternative means,” she said.

“While robust investigations and international consultation with experts remains rigorously in place for contraception options for the near future, we must rely on the public for yet another year to help us save these horses from an unwanted fate,” she said.

Kaimanawa horses are known to be curious, honest and friendly, and are suitable for a variety of equine disciplines, and are now being seen in the upper levels of equine competitions more often.

They are gaining favour among the equestrian community as highly competitive sport horses, pony club mounts and good all-rounders.

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 application deadline is April 3 and can be found at kaimanawaheritagehorses.org, or email muster@kaimanawaheritagehorses.org for more information.

Credit:Stuff.co.nz