SPCA Pet of the Day: Meet Xena
The SPCA Pet of the Day is Xena, a 17 year-old thoroughbred, who has a had a tough life.
"She entered SPCA care after being seized from a property due to a cruelty complaint and was subsequently surrendered. After weeks of rehabilitation, she is ready for her new home. Xena is a very sweet mare, who loves attention and meeting new horses and people. She is good to graze with others but doesn't stress if her paddock mate heads out for a ride without her.
She is good for farrier, vet, covering (even in Wellington winds!), leading and feeding. She has been floated, but is still a little anxious loading so would benefit from some additional work in this area. We understand Xena was ridden for most of her life but hasn't been for the past three years. Xena would make an excellent addition to a family wanted an older, kind horse to keep their youngsters' company. Xena has grazed with sheep with no problems.
She is a good doer and put on weight easily once put on grazing. Xena has had a dental, been vaccinated (Strangles and Tetanus), drenched and vet checked."
Some Choice News!
DOC is rolling out a new tool to help figure out what to tackle first when it comes to protecting our threatened species and the things putting them at risk.
Why does this matter? As Nikki Macdonald from The Post points out, we’re a country with around 4,400 threatened species. With limited time and funding, conservation has always meant making tough calls about what gets attention first.
For the first time, DOC has put real numbers around what it would take to do everything needed to properly safeguard our unique natural environment. The new BioInvest tool shows the scale of the challenge: 310,177 actions across 28,007 sites.
Now that we can see the full picture, it brings the big question into focus: how much do we, as Kiwis, truly value protecting nature — and what are we prepared to invest to make it happen?
We hope this brings a smile!
Have you got New Zealand's best shed? Show us and win!
Once again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealand’s best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop voucher, a $908 large Vegepod Starter Pack and a one-year subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us in writing (no more than 500 words) why your garden shed is New Zealand’s best, and send up to five high-quality photos by email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2026.
Share your favourite main crop potato recipe and win a copy of our mag!
Love potatoes? We will give away free copies of the May 2026 issue to readers whose potato recipes are used in our magazine. To be in the running, make sure you email your family's favourite way to enjoy potatoes: mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, by March 1, 2026.
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