INITIAL HANDLING AND OWNERS WORKSHOP

Saving a Wild Horse from the Kaimanawa Horse Muster

The Initial Handling and Owners Workshop is designed to give both horse and owner the strongest possible foundation for a successful transition from wild to domestic life. Over a 5–6 week training period, horses typically achieve 47 progressive milestones, including being catchable in a paddock without a halter, leading at walk and trot, negotiating advanced obstacles, loading onto floats and trucks, completing adventure outings, receiving hoof trimming, dental care (where applicable), and gelding (for colts and stallions).

The programme includes a complimentary Owners Workshop, where participants work with their own horse under supervision, learning the skills, knowledge and confidence to continue their horse’s education at home. Also included is complimentary access to Kelly Wilson's TamingEclipse video series, featuring over 15 hours of training footage that mirrors the methods used throughout the programme. Together, the workshop and video series provide ongoing support, helping owners understand the training process, troubleshoot challenges, and build lasting partnerships with their horses.

By combining professional initial handling with comprehensive owner education, the programme prepares horses for a confident life in domestication while setting owners up for long-term success.

ABOUT THE PROGRAM

This shortened format is ideal for owners who cannot attend the full 25-Day Wild Kaimanawa Workshop but still want their horse to receive high-quality, structured handling and then have lessons to learn everything it has been taught during its time with us. By the time you join the workshop, your horse will have a solid foundation, allowing your focus to be on learning, connection, and confidence, rather than navigating early taming alone.

Over a 5 to 6-week period the horses generally meet 47 milestones that are apart of my training program, which build up to the following key skills:

Catching in a paddock, without a halter on
Leading at walk and trot beside the shoulder
Crossing advanced obstacles
Adventuring around the farm and an off-property adventure
Loading on floats and trucks (including a practice trip)
Hooves trimmed by a farrier
Dental work (if aged over 2 years, 9 months)
Gelding (if a colt or stallion)

WHO THIS WORKSHOP IS FOR

This program is ideal for:

First-time wild horse handlers
Time-limited participants
Budget-conscious adopters
Owners wanting professional support

Participants must have successfully applied for and been allocated a horse through Kaimanawa Heritage Horses.

YOUR LEARNING EXPERIENCE

During the Owners Workshop, you will work directly with your own Kaimanawa under close supervision.

You will learn not only what to do, but why.

The program focuses on:

Understanding how your horse was tamed
Maintaining strong foundations at home
Reading body language and emotional states
Developing safe handling routines
Building confidence in everyday situations
Supporting long-term wellbeing
Repeating the key milestones your horse has learnt
Preparing for life beyond the sanctuary

You will gain practical skills, clarity, and confidence to continue your horse’s education independently.

BRIDGING WILD AND DOMESTIC

This workshop is designed to support one of the most critical transitions in a horse’s life: the move from wild to domestic.

Through ethical, welfare-first horsemanship, participants learn how to:

Preserve the horse’s emotional safety
Maintain trust and softness
Prevent common behavioural setbacks
Build resilient partnerships
Create sustainable training routines

This approach sets both horse and owner up for long-term success.

PROGRAM CONDITIONS & HORSE INFORMATION

Kaimanawa horses for this workshop are usually mustered by the Department of Conservation in late April. If the muster is delayed or cancelled due to weather or other circumstances, the workshop may be postponed or alternative untouched horses may be sourced.

By the time owners arrive to work with their horses, they have typically had at least five weeks to adjust to yards, fencing, feed, and human presence.

All colts and stallions are gelded prior to the workshop. Fillies and mares may be pregnant.

Mature horses may require a custom program due to unpredictable age and training requirements.

All participants must complete adoption through Kaimanawa Heritage Horses and cover associated costs, including purchase, transport, and veterinary care.

KELLY’S JOURNEY WITH WILD HORSES

Kelly’s journey with wild horses began in 2012, when she and her sisters tamed their first Kaimanawa horses. What started as curiosity quickly became a lifelong calling.

With every horse, Kelly learned something new. She discovered that no two wild horses are the same, and that true horsemanship is built not on force or shortcuts, but on patience, observation, empathy, and consistency.

Over the following years, Kelly went on to work with hundreds of wild horses across New Zealand, Australia, and North America. From Kaimanawa horses to Brumbies and Mustangs, each experience deepened her understanding of herd psychology, trauma recovery, and authentic communication.

Working with such a high volume of horses accelerated her learning in ways few trainers ever experience. Every success reinforced what worked. Every challenge revealed what needed refinement. Every mistake became a lesson that strengthened her system.

Through thousands of hours in yards, round pens, paddocks, and wilderness settings, Kelly developed a clear, repeatable approach to taming and training that prioritises emotional safety, trust, and long-term wellbeing.

This system is not theoretical. It is the result of lived experience, built horse by horse, year by year, across continents and cultures.

Today, every workshop, retreat, and training program Kelly delivers is grounded in this depth of real-world knowledge. Participants are not just learning techniques, they are stepping into a lineage of experience shaped by hundreds of wild horses who helped refine the method.

WHY THIS PROGRAM MATTERS

At its heart, this program is about one simple, powerful outcome: saving a life.

Kaimanawa horses are managed by the Department of Conservation to maintain sustainable herd numbers within the ranges. When population growth exceeds capacity, horses must be removed. Without rehoming pathways, those numbers would be managed through culling. The opportunity for a wild Kaimanawa to transition into domestic life exists only because people are willing to step forward and take responsibility for them.

Every adoption matters. Every owner who commits to learning, preparing, and doing the work creates space for a horse to live.

By providing professional initial handling and structured owner education, this program gives each Kaimanawa the strongest possible chance of a successful transition. It ensures that horses are not only removed from the wild, but truly supported into safe, knowledgeable homes where they can thrive.

Rehoming is not just about reducing numbers. It is about changing a horse’s entire future. Through this program, a Kaimanawa who would otherwise face an uncertain outcome is given time, patience, training, and partnership. They are given the opportunity to become a riding horse, a liberty partner, a family horse, or simply a safe and valued companion.

This program does not just teach skills. It creates second chances. Every owner is directly contributing to the long-term survival of the herd by choosing to rehome rather than allow numbers to be reduced through lethal management. When you choose to adopt from the muster, you are not just beginning a training journey, you are choosing to save a life.

INITIAL HANDLING AND WORKSHOP DETAILS

Duration: 5-6 weeks of training, including 3 to 5 Days for an Owners Workshop

Maximum Participants: 8 per trainer

Requirements: Successful application for a Kaimanawa horse thorugh Kaimanawa Heirtage Horses

Equipment Required: Rope and web halter, 12ft lead, truck or trailer and a companion horse to take your horse home

Dates: To be confirmed (usually early June)

Location: Taupō, New Zealand

Cost: $2500 (including GST), NZD - This is a set fee for the Initial Handling period and the Owners Workshop. If your horse needs more time to reach the required handling milestones, then we offer this complimentary up until the 10-week mark - from there it will be $250 (including GST) per week.

Meals: Lunch included, please bring a water bottle and snacks.

Accommodation for the Owners Workshop: Free onsite camping is allowed, with access to a toilet/shower, as well as power and wifi. Limited accommodation is available to book on site, priced at $100 per night for twin share, or $75 per night for a 4-person bunkroom (bedding, breakfast and dinner included).

Other costs to consider are:

$250 purchase price from KHH
$0 stock truck delivery to my property (usually capped at $300)
$200 dental/sedation for horse aged over 2-years, 9-months
$60 farrier fee
$20-30 worming fee (depending on horses weight)
$150-$350 for ulcer treatment, if needed (depending on horses weight)

Owners are eligible to apply for a $1000 KLF Initial Handling Subsidy (dropping our fees from $2500 to $1500 if your application is successful). You will also be eligible for a Gelding Rate and a South Island Travel Rebate from Kaimanawa Heritage Horses, if relevant.

You will also receive complimentary access to my video series TamingEclipse, valued at $500 + GST, NZD, which includes over 15-hours of training footage showing the taming process of a Kaimanawa filly from the 2026 Muster. This is helpful for troubleshooting if you’re horse regresses, taming a foal if you apply for a mare who is pregnant, or if you’d like to watch the series in advance to understand how your horse will be tamed.

BOOK NOW

If you’re interested in having a horse handled by my team, please let me know and we can organise a zoom interview.

Email: info@kellywilson.nz