Facts about Kaimanawa horses
Kaimanawa horses
Wild horses have inhabited the central North Island since the 1870s.
Prior to 1981 there was no official monitoring of horse numbers, movements or range, or any formal management. It was believed that generally there were plenty of wild horses.
Pressure from land development, increased competition with the activities of people and hunting, drove down the number of wild horses and reduced their range to a fraction of its original extent.
In 1979 it was found that about 174 wild horses remained in the southern Kaimanawa area and in 1981 a protected area for "horses known as the Kaimanawa Wild Horses" was established in response to a public concern that the horses would be lost from the area.
Following establishment of the protected area horse numbers increased and their adverse effects on the environment became a concern.
A plan was prepared to address these concerns, in consultation with all involved stakeholders. Horse numbers are now managed in accordance with the approved plan which includes operations such as annual counts, musters and re-homing of surplus horses.
Research shows that the Kaimanawa wild horses are not a genetically unique population. They have roughly the same genetic makeup as standard domesticated horses, although they are of mixed breed with diverse genetic influences. They have most in common with the Thoroughbred and Station Hack breeds.