Our fur family at Te Mata House
One of the experiences our Te Mata House guests most enjoy is spending time with our farm animals. When visiting the fur babies, be sure to take a handful of nuts from our feed bins.
Rosie, Maeve & Dolores: These lovely ladies arrived on the 14 February, the day of Cyclone Gabrielle. You can imagine their arrival was hardly pleasant. The rain was pouring, mud was thickening and the wind was strong. Nevertheless, these Suffolk sheep settled quickly, snuggling into each other to keep warm that night. Their job at Te Mata House is to keep the grass down in the horse paddocks and ensure clover doesn’t get out of control!
Juliet, the sheep: Juliet has been at Te Mata House since the spring of 2018. Juliet arrived as a lamb with her friend Romeo. They were bottle-fed and kept warm in the horse stables till they were strong enough to frolic in the paddocks. Sadly, Romeo died a couple of years ago and Juliet had to befriend the alpacas. Now she has the Suffolk sheep to keep her company. Juliet loves being fed nuts and is really friendly. Here’s a fun fact, sheep only sleep 4 hours a day! No wonder why she’s so cranky all the time with her companions.
Delilah, the Kune Kune pig: Delilah is the newest addition to our fur family. She was purchased in April 2022, almost at the same time as Luca, our white miniature schnauzer. She lives in her own paddock by the Cottage, sleeps in a beautiful pig shelter and has plenty of space to move. When she first arrived, we got her a plastic pool to bathe in. Now she’s outgrown that, she prefers to dig her own holes and wallow in them. We feed her nuts once a day, and sometimes she’s got a treat with some veggies and fruit scraps. If you stay in The Cottage, you will most likely hear her, especially if she’s hungry!
Poncho, Larry, Gary and Fred, the Alpacas: These guys arrived at Te Mata House on Christmas, 2019. They are not the most affectionate and won’t let you pat them, but are very happy to eat the nuts we bring them. Some will eat out of your hand, but be careful, they may spit on you! The alpacas and sheep are shorn in November each year.
Luca, the white miniature schnauzer: Luca arrived at Te Mata House in May 2022 just a tiny ball of white fur, he could fit in your hand. Now he’s all grown up and has a great personality, which includes antagonising Jack, his older step-brother. When Luca is bored, he’s capable of entertaining himself. He will wander around the whole property looking for things to chew, so keep an eye on your toilet rolls, shoes and socks. Luca loves to be chased, so feel free to play with him when you visit.
Jack, the labradoodle: Jack is the most loyal dog ever! Jack has been in the family for five years. He loves a good scratch on his back, neck, ears and head. He is a great companion and will happily walk around the garden with you. If you decide to have a picnic, keep a close eye on your food, Jack certainly carries the labrador gene when it comes to eating!
Star, the bay pony: Star belongs to Heidi, who lives at Te Mata House. She is a very friendly and affectionate pony who would love a visit from our guests bringing treats. Star has been at Te Mata House since 2020.
Johnny Dodge (JD), the grey horse: Johnny is a true gentle giant. Jacqueline purchased Johnny in 2022 so she could return to riding after a 25-year break from it. He is the perfect horse to be re-learning the skill again. Johnny is very affectionate but will only come to say hi if you bring a treat with you.
Note: For your safety, remember to feed the animals from behind the fences.
Book your next stay here and have fun meeting our animals!