Snowy Mountains horse whisperers saving and finding homes for wild horses

A COUPLE are racing against time to save as many young wild brumbies as possible before they get caught up in the controversial State Government cull of the iconic horses from the Kosciuszko National Park.

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THE transformation in just 24 hours is astonishing.

They arrive truly wild young animals of the rugged high country, the only humans they’ve seen watched with suspicion from a misty distance.

They will crowd the corner of a wood fenced yard after capture, facing away from prying eyes and ready with a vicious kick or bite for anyone who dares gets near.

Yet after as little as a day with Kylee Hepburn and her husband Henry Filtness, the young brumbies are becoming trusting creatures which will accept a proffered treat.

Henry Filtness and Kylee Hepburn have teamed up to try and rescue as many young horses as possible. Picture: Paul McIver

Newly caught young brumbies hiding in a yard corner. Picture: Judy Goggin

Hepburn and Filtness are trying to find new homes for as many young brumbies as possible before they get caught up in the controversial State Government cull of the iconic wild horses from the Kosciuszko National Park.

The government wants to reduce brumbie numbers from a population it says is 6000, to 600 within two decades to diminish the damage they are causing to the fragile high country environment.

Hepburn and Filtness claim the park “would be lucky to have 3200” brumbies, based on a fly over they did four weeks ago.

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They say they counted just 688 horses in the northern end of the park.

They argue their aerial surveys prove the horses should be properly managed rather than culled. But in the mean time the pair of Snowy Mountains horse whisperers trap young brumbies to remove them from the park, begin their retraining on their sheep and cattle farm in Bombala, four hours from the mountains, then try to find the animals homes with families.

Since the winter trapping program began Hepburn and Filtness have rescued and found homes for 36 young brumbies.

Filtness claims the park is “lucky to have 3200 brumbies left” as the government aims to reduce the 6000 population down to 600. Picture: Judy Goggin

They take the younger horses others find too difficult to time consuming the break in.

“With these little ones you have to let them grow out a couple of years before you can break them in, they are too little,” Hepburn said.

“The Brumby’s are quite feral and stand-offish when we first get them, but it doesn’t take them very long, they become quiet very quickly.

“They will eat out of your hand within 24 hours.”

The process of taming a young brumbie is not easy. Picture: Judy Goggin

It takes the horses a little while before they are comfortable being around people. Picture: Paul McIver

Within 24 hours, they are eating out of their hands. Picture: Judy Goggin

Ms Hepburn said some of the brumbies are traumatised from being separated from their mothers.

“We let them settle in for a couple of days, we give them plenty of water and hay,” she said.

“We poke around nice and quietly, they start to respect us and they don’t bite the hand that feeds them.”

Ms Hepburn said she usually find them a new home after six weeks.

“We do basic handling because then they become a blank canvas for their new owners,” she said.

“A lot of families are interested in them because the kids want ponies,”

“And if the re-homers weren’t able to take them in they would all go to the slaughter house.”

Together they have so far rescued and found homes for 36 young brumbies. Picture: Judy Goggin

Brieanna Hepburn patting “Spice” who was rescued six years ago. Picture: Judy Goggin

While she does aim to rehome all her rescued horses, there was one she refused to give away.

“The baby we kept was six weeks old when we found him with his mum,” Hepburn said.

“His mum had died; she had been dead for a couple of days.

“He was so small I could pick him up, he is now quite the little man.”

Under NSW laws, the government is legally obliged to remove the horses ­because they are “feral pests”.

Originally published as Snowy Mountains horse whisperers saving and finding homes for wild horses