DIARY OF 2 KAIMANAWAS
 
 June 1&2nd 2003
 Annual muster of Kaimanawa wild horses living in the Central Plateau region of the North Island of New Zealand by the Department of Conservation and other associated parties.
 
 June 2-5
 60 of the captured horses were transported up to Michelle Haultains property west of Hamiltion were they remained in large, safe yards and enormous Roundpen waiting delivery to their new homes.
 Drenched with a pour-on for lice and worms.
 
 June 4
 Spent the day shifting horses a safe distance away from where the 2 new ones were going to be and putting white ‘sighter’ tape all around the perimeter of the paddock.
 
 June 5
 Went over with a friend to look at the two young horses that had been selected for me.
 The 7 remaining horses that were in the round pen looked surprisingly relaxed and in better condition than I had anticipated.
 They were either rising 1 or 2yr olds.
 Came home and frantically rang around local stock truck companies to see who would be able to pick up and deliver the two colts to my place.
 
 June 6
 Decided on hiring a small stock truck and travelling with the driver so that the colts would have a direct trip home and I would be there if things went wrong.
 On arrival at Michelle’s we had a short wait while another couple of young horses were being loaded onto another truck.
 Then it was time for my 2 to be drafted and loaded.
 The rising 2yr old had a good attempt at jumping one of the gates in the yard on the way to the truck ramp.
 It was about this time that I really started to panic about the potential for disaster.
 If he would take on a gate the height of the one in these huge yards I thought I wouldn’t have a show of safely keeping him in my much lower, less robust cattle yards.
 Then when Michelle suggested I put them in with an older horse so that they would not run through the fences to get to my other horses I set about panicking even more.
 By the time we pulled into our gateway the adrenaline was at an all time peak.
 They quietly walked off the truck down the ramp and stood in the yard like they had done it a hundred times before.
 After an hour of eating hay and getting used to their new surroundings, I had Cindy, an 11.1 hh babysitter, ready to lead them out of the yards and into the paddock.
 They calmly followed her then stood with her in the paddock eating more hay.
 No galloping, bolting, tearing through fences, blood and body parts everywhere.
 Thank God!
 They all wandered around the paddock calmly eating and just when I thought it was safe to leave them to it, I turned to leave the paddock only to hear a crashing and thrashing behind me.
 I turned in time to see the older colt with his head threaded and twisted through a couple of the wires on the fence!!!!!
 I thought ‘OH #@** he’s dead!’
 He somehow extricated himself from the fence and promptly fell on the ground.
 I thought, ‘OH ##$* he’s broken his neck!’
 Then he stumbled up on his hind legs and I thought ‘OH @#$# he’s broken his leg!’
 Then to my utter amazement he stood on all four legs, wobbled a little, shook himself, then calmly walked off as it nothing much had happened!
 I continued to check on them throughout the day and through the night.
 
 June 7
 Both colts still seemed very quiet, just walking away when I walked up to them.
 Later on I realised that this was due to the physical and emotional strain they had endured through the mustering and home placement.
 Rising 1 yr old named Astareos.
 Lots of worms coming through from the drench
 
 June 8
 Fed hay each day, waiting until they came up and ate some that I was holding before I put it on the ground.
 Both lying down sleeping at night.
 Cindy only babysitting at night now as she was missing her paddock mate during the day.
 
 June 11
 Younger colt lying down during the day for the first time.
 He also started locking in one stifle today.
 Started feeding Pat Colby mix sprinkled though their hay incase the stifle problem was
 caused by a deficiency.
 Older colt named José-Diego.
 Cindy back in with her paddock mate full time now as she was getting sick of being with the young colts.
 
 June 14
 Astareos only locking in stifle occasionally.
 
 June 22
 Both colts calling out when they see me and coming up for hay.
 Began their first day of ‘handling’ in the yards.
 After only 10mins. of gently running a long stick all over Asta, he suddenly stopped running and stood with his hindquarters next to me, as I didn’t get any bad ‘vibes’ from him I reached out and scratched his tail.
 He thought he was in heaven and stood while I scratched him from tail to poll.
 I knew I had found the way to his heart!
 
 June 26
 First day of ‘handling’ in the yard with José.
 A far more suspicious horse. Could be because he is a year older.
 Took 20mins before he would stand and let me rub him with my long bamboo stick.
 
 June 27
 In the yards again. Both standing to be touched with the stick.
 Asta had another scratch again.
 Measured the yearling, approx. 12.1 hh.
 
 July 2
 In the yards again.
 Asta, picked up both near feet. Did Heart-Sacrum connection on Asta and he promptly fell asleep
 José still saying ‘no way José when I try to get close to him.
 
 July 3
 Got head collar partly on Asta, just around his neck.
 Managed to get closer to José, he sniffed my hands, back and face.
 
 July 4
 Managed to put the head collar on Asta properly. Rubbed him all over his head.
 José licked and chewed, then faced and followed me, after working with him for a little while.
 
 July 6
 Trimmed Astas feet. He was extremely good.
 Touched Josés for the first time under the chin. This was the only place on his face that he was comfortable with me touching. I had spent 10 minutes trying to touch the front and sides of his face, only to have him shift his head one inch away from my hand each time I got nearer. It was the most amazing thing as if he had a 1 inch wide stasis field on his body that I could not penetrate.
 
 July 8
 Had to separate colts with electric tape fence as the older colt was chasing the young one too much and being extremely colty with him. Asta still had not fully recovered from the stress of the muster and would be exhausted after 20mins of galloping around trying to get away from José.
 Worked with José in the paddock and after some time he stepped up to me and stood while I rubbed him all over his neck and back.
 
 July 9
 José, back in the yards, head collar on, starting to lead. Picked up both front legs briefly.
 Still quite touchy behind the wither.
 
 July 11
 Trimmed Josés front feet and picked up off hind twice.
 
 July 13
 Trimmed hind feet on José.
 Both drenched with oral worm paste.
 
 July 14, 15, 16
 Spectacular array of worms in all shapes, colours and sizes being expelled by both colts.
 
 August 7
 Astareos and José-Diego gelded.
 2 vets, one lady vet who had worked with New Forest Ponies while in England and one Brazilian Equine Reproductive Specialist who said José had the ‘distinction’ of having the smallest testes he had ever seen on a colt.
 No wonder he compensates with such a big attitude!
 Mandatory Tetanus, anti-biotics and anti-inflammatory injections given.
 
 August 17
 Both trimmed again. Perfectly well-behaved.
 
 October 5
 Trimmed their feet again
 Astareos very friendly and smoochy.
 José took a while to catch but still good to trim.
 
 October 6
 Asta, José drenched again. Still a few more worms showing up.
 
 October 7
 Scratched Asta on the neck for the first time in the paddock.