Words by Karen Miller, Kaimanawa Heritage Horses Welfare Society and the Department of Conservation
Have you ever driven the Desert Road in the central North Island and seen the signs warning of wild horses? Did you wonder: what wild horses? Where are they? Do they even exist? Yes, they most certainly do – but you will rarely see them from the roadside.
The horses inhabit the Waiouru Army Ranges, and due to the unique and fragile ecosystem where they live, the population is managed by the Department of Conservation (DOC).
But horses are not native to New Zealand, so where did they come from?
