Fill in the expression of interest form on this page. We don't take applications for individual horses. When a horse becomes available, we look through expressions of interest and contact people who could be a good match.

Yes. Adoption fees vary per horse so we do not advertise standard adoption prices. Please get in touch with us to discuss. 

When you adopt a horse from Equine Welfare NZ, ownership is transferred to you. They become your horse, although our adoption agreement includes conditions designed to protect their welfare into the future.

A long-term free lease is a little different. The horse remains legally owned by Equine Welfare NZ, but lives with you as your own for the long term. There is no ongoing lease fee, and you take responsibility for their day-to-day care and costs, however there is an expectation that EWNZ is involved in key decisions around care of the horse. Keeping ownership with EWNZ gives us an added layer of protection for horses we feel should remain under the rescue’s care for life.

For the person taking the horse home, the experience is much the same - they become part of your family, and the intention is for them to have a permanent home with you. The main difference is simply who retains legal ownership.

Yes absolutely! There may be transport costs to consider depending on where the horse you want to adopt is located, all of this will be discussed.

The horse comes back to us. Every EWNZ horse has a safety net for life, so you're never left without options. If you choose to rehome or sell the horse yourself, it is a requirement of adoption that EWNZ is notified and can choose to be involved in the rehoming process if we require it. We must be notified of any transfer of ownership of our horses, and expect the new owners to continue to update EWNZ on the welfare of the horse if required by us.

Yes, when it's right for the horse. Many go to homes as paddock mates or companions, and others go on to ridden work if they are suitable.

Occasionally, but this is quite uncommon. Most horses in our care are happiest with consistent equine company and are not suitable for homes where they will regularly be left alone for extended periods.

If you need a paddock mate who is comfortable being left behind while you ride, please let us know when you enquire. We can tell you if we have a horse whose temperament and needs may suit this type of home.

Very rarely. Many of the horses who come into our care are ultimately rehomed as paddock companions due to medical, physical or behavioural needs.

Horses who are physically and behaviourally suitable for ridden work are carefully rehabilitated first. Once they are ready, they may be sent to one of our trainers to be started or restarted under saddle.

Because of this, most of our ridden horses are still relatively green and have limited mileage. They generally need experienced, capable riders who can confidently continue their education.

Every now and then, a genuine “unicorn” comes through our doors - a quiet, experienced horse suitable for a less experienced rider - but these horses are the exception rather than the rule.

Yes. We understand how upsetting it can be for a horse to suddenly lose their companion, and where we have a suitable horse available, we can often help with an urgent paddock-mate placement.

In these situations, the placement will usually begin as a foster arrangement. This allows us to get a suitable companion to your horse quickly, while giving everyone time to make sure the match is right for both the horse and your home.

If you are in this situation, please get in touch with us as soon as possible and let us know that your enquiry is urgent.