Here for the equestrian community
Most New Zealanders who've been to a race meeting have seen the purpose-built horse ambulance, ready if something goes wrong on the track. What many in the equestrian community don't know is that the same service is available to them - and for eventer Codie White, that knowledge has made all the difference. Twice.
The New Zealand Horse Ambulance Trust turns ten this August. What started as a single prototype, designed by equine vets and built in Mosgiel, has grown into a fleet of 10 ambulances that attend over 700 events each year across the country. The design has since been adopted in Australia and Canada, but New Zealand remains the only country with a dedicated horse ambulance service.
The ambulances are purpose-built for horses that cannot walk up a standard float ramp. Each unit lowers to ground level, allowing an injured horse to be loaded safely once stabilised, with no ramps and no tight turns.
In April, Codie's mare Colly came through the cross-country finish flags on three legs after a freak incident at the second-to-last jump. She was in significant pain and couldn't bear weight, and Codie was alone at the event.
Trust operator Graeme had already spotted Colly coming through the flags. He was on the scene immediately, helped with the initial care, and transported Colly directly to the veterinary clinic - manoeuvring the ambulance right to the entrance so she didn't have to walk any further than necessary.
"I don't know what I would have actually done had that ambulance not been there," Codie says. She is direct about what the alternative could have looked like: "She might have even had to be put to sleep."
It was the second time Codie had relied on the trust. In 2022, after a rotational fall in Rotorua, she was taken to hospital with a broken scapula while the horse ambulance team stepped in, took X-rays on site, and transported her horse all the way to Waikato Equine Vets in Cambridge.
Codie's message to the eventing community is simple: "You don't realise you're going to need it until you actually really do."
She is also candid about the funding reality. The trust attends equestrian events when organisers can fund their presence - and she believes that cost is worth it. "I'd be willing to pay more in entry fees any day to know that the ambulance was going to be there."
Event organisers can contact the trust directly to discuss having an ambulance on site.
During August, the trust is running its annual 'Here for the Horse' appeal to mark a decade of care for New Zealand's horses and build reserves for future fleet replacement. To find out more or to donate, visit horseambulance.co.nz.