A PARTNERSHIP between Local Land Services, the North Coast community and rehoming organisations has meant that 75 wild horses were successfully rehomed from the Corindi, Pillar Valley, Glenugie and Halfway Creek areas.

Wild horses at Halfway Creek were accessing the M1 and other local roads presenting an extreme safety risk to drivers.

Tiffany Felton, Local Land Services Senior Biosecurity Officer said the rehoming project was initiated for community safety.

“Wild horses are considered a regional pest under the North Coast Regional Strategic Pest Animal Management Plan and cause significant damage to native vegetation and important habitat for our native wildlife, including threatened species in the area,” Ms Felton said.

“We have also had wild horses attacking domestic horses and causing significant safety risk on roads in the area.

“Through working with local landholders and residents, we were able to trap these animals humanely and work with rescue organisations such as New England Brumby Sanctuary and Red Earth Brumbys to safely remove them from the area.

“Rehoming wild horses is a great outcome and is our preferred method of controlling an expanding population.”

Lucy Hicks from New England Brumby Sanctuary was one of the organisations that supported the program.

“Once received, wild horses are vetted, microchipped and where possible trained,” Ms Hicks said.

“They are soon like any other horses and as useful to owners.

“We like to adopt out horses to new owners as soon as possible, with the older or unsuitable animals put out in our property’s paddocks to live out their lives.”

Rick Hardwick is a Halfway Creek resident who worked closely with Local Land Services to trap and rehome horses from his land.

“The wild horses were a novelty to start with, but they soon started to breed up and become bolder,” Mr Hardwick said.

“They would damage pastures, gardens and were a problem on the road.

“Tiffany and the other Local Land Services staff set up a pen trap, and over eight months or so trapped and removed animals as they would come in.

“They always let me know what was going on with the project and I’m pleased to say I haven’t seen any wild horses since.”

North Coast Local Land Services will continue to work with landholders impacted by wild horses, with the priority to trap and remove animals to rescue organisations.