As part of what we do, we work with DOC, SPCA, owners and the community to support the welfare of domestic Kaimanawa horses. We guarantee to look after every horse that comes out of the ranges into domestic life so this often means we have horses in our care.
When a horse comes into our care, they are assessed by our welfare team and sent to the most appropriate foster carer depending on their needs. Our high needs cases are given immediate vet attention and their every need taken care of it until they are in a fit state for further assessment.
Their second assessment by the welfare team is to assess if they are likely to be suitable for re-homing, or if they are likely to become full-time residents at KHH facilities. Some older horses, and those with specialist ongoing care requirements, remain with us for the rest of their lives. For those that are deemed suitable to rehome, they will receive the training they require, have their feet and teeth done, and the colts or stallions will be gelded before they are ready to go off to their new homes.
To support the horses that are in our care, we run a sponsorship program that enables people to help a great cause and be included in their chosen horses’ journey through updates and photos.
Through donations from our members and the community, we can often save more horses from the muster than we have homes for at the time. These horses, once handled, are also then available for sale. All proceeds go to supporting our work and enabling us to continue to assist other kaimanawa horses.
If you are interested in applying for a horse please contact the WELFARE TEAM for assistance.
Current KHH Horses available
2022 Muster
With such an incredible response to our muster fundraising, we were able to place 15 horses with our registered handlers who will be available to approved homes once their handling has been completed.
Kaimanawa Heritage Horses will require references and any sale is subject to a home check.
Click here to email us about what horses might be available.
Current KHH Horses available for Sponsorship
These two beautiful Kaimanawa mares recently came into our care needing a lot of help and care.
Sadly their owner had rehomed them to an unsuitable home who starved them. We were very sad to be alerted to this situation and jumped in to help asap.
Please if you are wishing to rehome your Kaimanawa, contact us and we are more than happy to do home and reference checks anywhere in NZ. Meanwhile these two lovely girls need your help.
KHH Pearl – Pearl is a huge young Kaimanawa who came out of this years muster. Sadly she was onsold to an unsuitable home who starved her. Pearl also has an old injury (possibly born like it or injured as a baby) which makes her unsuitable to be ridden. Our plan for Pearl is to get the weight and muscle back on her and earn her trust to be handled and then assess her to see if she could be rehomed as a paddock companion. We would love a sponsor for Pearl, she deserves lots of love, kindness and patience to get back to full health.
KHH Hilda – Hilda is a pretty old mare who came out of this year’s muster. Sadly she aborted her foal and unfortunately was then onsold to an unsuitable home who starved her. We have taken Hilda into our care where she is now receiving all the love and care she needs. Hilda will be under our care for some time and we would love a sponsor for her.
KHH Max came out of the 2018 muster and sadly his first home did not work out as his owners struggled to handle him. He is a very old battle-scarred stallion and hasn’t coped too well coming into domestic life. Max will remain under KHH care where he can receive gentle handling in his own time and where we know he will remain safe, well and happy.
KHH Halo came out of the 2016 muster and sadly was never handled and instead just run on the hills with a stallion to breed foals. Then her owner wanted her gone, so KHH stepped in to take her into our care. Halo had a foal at foot (KHH Jilly) and has just foaled another filly (KHH Beatrice)
We are pleased we can now stop her breeding more and once she has weaned her current foal we can get her handled. She is just a tiny mare and age is unknown. We expect Halo to be under our care for some time.
KHH Polly was part of a large group of Kaimanawa x Stationbred’s who were left to run wild and starve in a forest. Polly is approx. 6yrs old and 15hh. Polly has an old leg injury with a large scar but this has improved with getting the correct nutrition and getting the weight back on her. We hope in time once she is handled we can find her the perfect home.
KHH Dolly – Another girl from the large group of horses left to run wild and starve in a forest.
KHH Mia came out of the 2019 muster and was in foal. Her owner struggled to handle her and gave up on her so she came into KHH care. Her foal KHH Sparkle has now been rehomed and Mia will start her handling soon. Mia is approx. 14hh, very pretty and really starting to trust people.
KHH Molly came out of the 1997 muster as a youngster and was with the same family her whole life until they sold up their land and moved into town and could no longer care for Molly. Molly is now in her 20’s and will live out her days under KHH care.
KHH Tenna is another one of our old boys, in his mid twenties now and only around 12hh, Tenna came out of one of the first musters and has been used as a teaser on a stud farm for many years. Once his old owner sold up his land we were asked to take him on. Tenna is a rig and therefore will need to remain in KHH care where he can live out his days with the other old boys.
KHH Bob is in his early 30’s now and has remained a stallion his whole life since coming out of one of the very first musters. Bob lived alone in a paddock next to the railway tracks for most of his life with all the local kids coming and riding him. At around 13hh he is rather a little character. As it is not safe to geld him at this late age, Bob will remain in KHH care for the rest of his days where he can live with our other old boys.
KHH Sundance came into KHH care after running wild for many years and then his owner no longer able to care for him. Sundance is from the 2010 muster and KHH paid for him to go straight to a professional trainer where he was handled, gelded, feet and teeth done.
Although he tolerated all this process, being an old boy, he has found it hard to adjust to being handled and we don’t feel we can rehome him, therefore he will remain under KHH care where he gets all he needs and is well cared for. Sundance is a beautiful black boy, approx. 14.1hh and around 20yrs old. He adores his carrots!
Current KHH Horses available for Sale
Kaimanawa horses advertised on behalf
Please contact us if you have a kaimanawa horse for sale and would like to include it on this page.
horses we have helped
KHH Rossi
Rossi has now been sold to a wonderful new home and will be moving to be with her new family soon.
Have fun miss Rossi. We are glad we could assist you along in your journey to finding new adventures.
KHH Shanti has been sadly been returned to KHH care several times. She is finally with a brilliant trainer and doing really well. Shanti will remain under our care for the rest of her days but if the perfect home for her comes along we shall look at a long term lease for her.
Shanti is now in a new home.
KHH Bess came into our care after her owner no longer wanted her, she was sent to a trainer for handling and unfortunately injured her leg. We currently have her under our care to heal and to earn her trust again. Once she is ready, we will be looking for the right home for Bess. Bess is approx. 9yrs old and 14.2hh.
Bess now has a home with her foster carers who came to love her too much.
KHH Jilly – Jilly is one year old and her Mum is KHH Halo. Jilly is a Kaimanawa x Stationbred. She is very pretty with an easy going nature and is very well handled. She is going to be a very solid big girl. Jilly is now ready to find her perfect home and we think she will fit in anywhere and will excel at anything she is asked to do. We expect her to mature 15hh+
