This is perhaps the most exciting phase of the Brumby research. The research team is tracking the movement of Brumbies with GPS tracking systems to determine the habitat and distance travelled by horses in an unrestricted environment.

Paddock size inhabited by the horses depends on the location but ranges from 10,000 acres to 2,000,000 acres. The country ranges from sandy desert to hard rocky footing. Horses are monitored every 5 seconds for 6 days, every 30 seconds for 3 months and every 5 minutes for 12 months.

Horses are darted with a tranquiliser from hidden positions and are collared and released within 3 minutes, totally unaware of the GPS collaring process.

It has taken 12 months to find ideal hide locations on natural water points to construct hides and trap yards and desensitise horses to the changed environment.

The above photograph shows a typical yard and hide design at the entrance to a natural spring. Horses walk through small yards every day beneath the raised hidden hides and are unaware of the presence of the research team at time of darting, tracking and filming.

 The team has been experimenting with the effect of changing paddock design and size on the movement of domestic horses. GPS tracking units are used to monitor the horse’s position every 5 seconds to determine distance and speed travelled for 1 week periods in various paddock sizes and internal fencing designs. It is believed that increasing movement will have a positive effect on general health and on the health of the foot. This research has produced some interesting results and will be published later in 2008. The adjacent diagram shows a satellite photograph overlayed with the GPS track of the experimental horse during a paddock design trial. The majority of this work is complete but will be ongoing in a variety of applications