‘Very gentle’ Palm Island horses snapped up for adoption

A truckload of ‘very gentle’ Palm Island horses raised in a unique way by the island community now call the mainland home after a successful rehoming project.

Casey McLeod and Paul Lavaring with four Palm Island horses that now call her horse property in Gumlow home.

A truckload of free-roaming Palm Island horses are now settling into life on the mainland after a successful rehoming project.

Around 25 horses were yarded up on the island in July and loaded onto a semi-trailer provided by hay transporter Paul Lavaring and training facility operator Casey McLeod.

“We took the semi-trailer over on the barge, drove to the island where the horses were, and the locals had them yarded there for us,” Ms McLeod said.

“The kids there were a wonderful help. They told us their names and if they’d ridden any of them. They told us whose mum was who’s. Some of the horses were very well loved, and some were more wild.”

Ms McLeod said several residents were quite sad to see the horses go, but the majority of the 25 were stallions, and they were becoming a safety risk.

Casey McLeod and Paul Lavaring with some recently relocated Palm Island horses. (L-R) Rango, Texas Red and Ranger.

“It was sad for some people because they knew these horses and saw them grow up. But these horses just wander through the streets, and you don’t want little kids getting caught between fighting stallions during breeding season,” she said.

“There are hundreds and hundreds of horses on Palm, and this is definitely a better option than aerial shooting, which they did try previously, and it really upset people.”

In 2019, the Palm Island Aboriginal Shire Council estimated they’d killed around 168 horses as part of their management program.

20 Jun 2007: Palm Island local children riding one of the Island's horses: Pic Rob/Maccoll

The 25 Palm Island horses were unloaded at a Bluewater property inside some cattle yards, where they received mass vaccinations and castrations by Burdekin Veterinary Services.

'Blue' with Casey McLeod

“Some of these horses did have owners, but they were struggling. They have to pay a registration fee on the island, plus the cost of getting a vet out to do castrations or anything is excessive,” Ms McLeod said.

“I’m a horse trainer, so I’ve got a big reach across the state. I put up a post that we had some Palm Island horses available and people were really interested.”

The horses came off the barge on July 23 – within seven days, they were all halter trained and rehomed.

A Horse roaming around suburban streets on Palm Island. Pic Mark Calleja

“The mares were all pregnant so we focused on getting them quickly settled into a home to cause less stress,” Ms McLeod said.

“Any older stallions who were too injured to be riding horses were sent to a station where they will get to spend the rest of their lives.”

Palm Island children play with their horses at the beach. PIC: John Andersen

Ms McLeod even kept two for herself – yearlings Texas Red and Ranger.

“These are really good horses. They aren’t like brumbies who want to kick your head in, they have been a pleasure to work with and they trust you because they have always been treated kindly by people,” she said.

Palm Island gelding Texas Red has been adopted by an agistee at Gumlow – Ms McLeod said the one-year-old was an example of the good looking and strong genetics.

“Plus these are good looking, very strong horses with colour. In the 70s a quarter horse, Appaloosa, stockhorse and potentially some Australian Riding Pony studs were taken over to the island. They probably had tourism plans, which makes sense because Palm is the most stunning island I’ve ever seen on the Queensland coast.”

Those horses were then released, creating a wild herd which still lives among the community to this day.

Ms McLeod said she was grateful to be given the opportunity to help the Palm community and their horses.

Originally published as ‘Very gentle’ Palm Island horses snapped up for adoption