Last Muster For Kaimanawa Horses?

We're only a month or so from the next Kaimanawa muster & have been given the hard word that unless we can home the majority of the mustered horses, DoC maybe considering "alternative options" to mustering in future. It costs them around $150k each year & like everyone, they've been told to tighten their belts. The management plan is up for review again this year too so this recession couldn't have come at a worse time for the horses. Anyone looking to get one (or two...) this year?

Public submissions on the Management Plan will be our only hope of retaining a wild herd in future I suspect, but even then it's going to take a LOT of public pressure considering NONE of our past submissions have amounted to anything other than acknowledgement of receipt.

At best, we can probably expect the wild herd to be reduced from 500 horses to 300 but how that reduction maybe implemented is still a concern.

If any of you are considering getting a horse this year, I'd LOVE to talk to you!

Oh jeez GP, I am sorry to hear that mate... and will spread the word for you!
All the best,
Sundays

I would consider doing it again. I've had one before - after the muster, but not yet handled. I'd like as young as possible and have cattle yards, race, loading ramp, truck (but not with a stock door) etc. And I've had lots of young horses and ponies from completely wild and unhandled to pain-in-the-neck-get-out-of-my-way types.

PM me.

Thanks Sundays.

I have PM'd you Anne.

Are you needing sponsors again GloPony?

Who organises transport? And around how much does it cost to get a horse up near Auckland?

We always need sponsors swaggie!

Bev, DoC pay for transport up to our yards (at Huntly this year) & then KWHWT Inc. arranges transport from there to your place & the cost is split amongst the owners of that truckload (per horse).

We usually have at least one truckload coming north. We don't know transport costs until we have all the applications in & know what horses are going where but I think it's usually around $160 per horse.

Thanks glopony, just having a thought, Id be sending them to Shane Udy's to be broken in, and he's in at Te Kauwhata.
Now another question. can we get the 'pick' or do we get the luck of the draw? And how much is it per horse? is there a website that i can go to?
Alot of questions, but what it comes down too, is that i think generally there is a lack of good, young alround ponies.
both of us have endless experience with horses, so they wont be left to 'rot' out in a paddock, so to speak'

Hi Bev,

Go to kaimanawa.homestead.com for more info. As for choosing your own horse, no I'm sorry you can't as it's just too much stress on the horses having lots of excited people around (we limit the handlers in the yards to 3 people for this reason).

You CAN choose the sex you prefer & give us a basic idea of the colour & markings you prefer too but obviously, we can only work to this in the broadest sense as it completely depends what comes in, in the muster. We'll always do our best to accommodate requests as we want people to be happy with their new horses. []

It's under $200 per horse which includes transport from Waiouru to the Huntly yards, drenching, horse registration & one year membership to KWHWT Inc. There will be further transport costs to Te Kauwhata but there will be other horses to be delivered too so the cost of the truck is just split amongst the buyers.

Am tempted but not sure if OH would be. [] We are like so many, with no handling facilities on the property for a newbie. Who is this guy you speak of at Tk, does he take them straight from the muster for you and handle them/ do the basics?