Horse lovers have united to save more than 200 Kaimanawa horses from death.
Around 300 of the wild horses are to be mustered this month in the Waiouru Military Training Area.
Muster co-ordinator Simone Frewin says people around the country are offering to adopt the animals.
"We currently have applications for 227 horses, it's just absolutely unprecedented. We've never ever had this number of applications."
Musters are held every two years to keep the herd number low.
Ms Frewin says people are signing up to adopt the horses in droves - and from far afield.
"We've had a record number of applications from the South Island," she said.
"Those people are actually having to make quite a significant investment."
The horses that don't get re-homed will be put down.聽
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