A touch of the wild west has the East Coast town of Ōpotiki contemplating a horse ban.
Overwhelmed with the number of horses roaming the streets, councillors this week voted to stop them grazing on council land.
The problem is when they escape and turn into a moving hazard trotting around the streets, which can be a night-mare after dark.
Now the council is looking to completely ban hoiho in town and to hire more animal control staff to deal with horsey callouts.
Ōpōtiki's Mayor Lyn Resiterer says the problem got worse during Covid-19.
