Research

The Kaimanawa Wild Horses are listed by the Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations, Rome, as a special herd of genetic value. Scientific comparisons can be made between this population and other groups of wild or feral horses such as free living zebra, New Forest ponies, Assateague ponies and wild mustangs. The Kaimanawa population is of special value since there has been comparatively little interference by man.

From 1994 to 1997 Massey University students spent time in the Army training area with a study population of around 400 horses that are individually known.

The horses live in social groups known as bands containing typically one, but up to four stallions, one to eleven mares and their immature offspring.

As both colts and fillies disperse from the band in which they were born, most of the individuals in the band are not related. Nonetheless, apart from young mares, they are very loyal to their bands and stallions and mares form long-term relationships.

When adolescents reach dispersal age, fillies usually leave their mother's band for another band and they may then change bands are number of times over the next couple of years, before joining a band in which they stay.

Colts on the other hand, become bachelors. Bachelors live in unstable groups, but still in predictable home ranges. The horses are very loyal to their home ranges which are not territories and so are not exclusive or defended - many overlap to a greater or lesser extent.