The society, dedicated to safeguarding the future of rare horse breeds in New Zealand, will have a special display at the EquiSouth event, to be held at the Taieri A&P Showgrounds in Mosgiel this Saturday and Sunday, November 1-2.
Among the rare horse breeds on show will be Kaimanawa horses, Clydesdales, Norwegian fjord horses, Haflinger ponies and more.
Rare Horse Society of New Zealand co-founder and president Liselle Silver said the group had enjoyed a busy schedule of events in the past couple of months, including taking part in Equifest in Taupo, the Northern A&P Show in Rangiora, all culminating in this weekend’s EquiSouth event in Mosgiel.
There were also more events in the works for early 2026.
"Our aim is to inspire rare breed enthusiasts with active demonstrations and opportunities to meet endangered horses and learn about the conservation efforts taking place right here in Aotearoa," Ms Silver said.
"We give people a chance to get up close and personal with their dream horse and we have been getting a great response wherever we go.
"Often people are amazed that they are seeing a particular rare horse breed for the first time."
The gorgeous Norwegian fjord horses were a particular favourite of many people, who were familiar with the breed because of Sitron the horse in the animated movie Frozen.
However, there were many other rare and special horses in New Zealand, including the Exmoor pony, Dartmoor pony, Highland pony, Haflinger, Icelandic, Paso Fino, Rocky Mountain horse, Morgan, Friesian, Shire horses and Cleveland Bay horses.
Despite being widely recognised in New Zealand, the Clydesdale was endangered, with a significant proportion of the population living here.
Ms Silver said the rare horse displays were "fun and relaxed for the riders, breeders and owners to partake in".
They provided "them and their horses a place to get out and about where opportunities may be few and far between for some of these breeds".
"That gives us a chance to educate people on the full range of options for horses they could buy — ones with great temperament, flash looks and unique characteristics."
The EquiSouth event in Mosgiel is a two-day event that celebrates everything horse-related. It includes educational sessions, competitions, displays, shopping and more.
