Homes are being desperately sought for the wild horses being mustered near Waiouru this month.
Working on behalf of Kaimanawa Heritage Horses, Tommy Waara will meet would-be owners and decide whether they have suitable homes.
The cut-off date to apply for a horse was last Thursday but late applications are likely to be taken.
Wild horses on Army land between the State Highway 1 Desert Rd and Kaimanawa Range have been mustered by the Department of Conservation (DOC) every year since the 1990s. DOC wants to keep the herd number down to 300 to protect rare native plants on the land.
Usually the muster takes place in winter but it's done with helicopters that can't fly in snow and rain.