After many months of planning the free-roaming herd near Hermanus has been safely moved back to its original home near the Bot River estuary.

It's been an incredible journey with many anxious moments, but they are home - and they are safe.

That is the heartwarming news from Leanne Dryburgh and her team of wild horse volunteers. They have managed to return a group of free-roaming horses from an area near Hermanus to their original wetland home near the Bot River estuary in the Western Cape and have been keeping a watch over them since their arrival.

A few weeks ago, Daily Maverick highlighted the threats faced by this particular group of wild horses and the urgent need to move them. Since then the interest in their well-being has gone viral.

"We knew that it was not going to be an easy operation and that the stress factor was going to be an issue when it came to loading the horses," Dryburgh explained. "But we have a very experienced team. For something like this you need patience, compassion, skill, an understanding of the herds and their dynamics and, above all, cool heads!"

On 18 February at 7am the Fisherhaven herd was released back to its original home and back to safety.

"It took our very small team (with our ever-devoted husbands) the best part...