Horses manage the journey from the UK\US to New Zealand on a very regular basis. Shuttle stallions make the journey twice a year, and unlike humans the horse shipping companies make no differentiation between expensive stallion and podge the pony.
You don't need to have your own land to own a horse in NZ. Most people don't. However, the 'livery' scene here is very different. It is almost unheard of to have most of the types of livery that exist in the UK, although there are a few popping up near cities. For the most part we have 'grazing'. This is anything from 'grass livery' (paying for some paddocks) to something like DIY livery (although it is considered unusual to keep a horse in a stable here).
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Don't forget as well that they're really only interested in thoroughbreds here (they're ten a penny) most others are shipped off to the meat factory as soon as they can be torn from their mothers.
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This is definitely not true. Thoroughbreds are more likely to go to the knackers than anything else. Why? because there are so many coming off the racetrack (just like the UK) without anyone to take them.
We do love our TBs here, but there are a wide variety of crossbred ponies and horses available these days (yes, we used to be pretty much all TBs because no one could afford to import anything else). The dressage and sporthorse scene is currently filled with big warmbloods and crossbreds.
There are not really 'cobs' here, and there are not that many adults who ride ponies but there are some around. Our version of a cob is a NZ special - the clydie\TB cross.
As for public riding spaces - depends on where you live. Some areas are terrible others great. Some of us are working hard to improve our pitiful outdoor recreation opportunities and recreation trails
If you need more help on that, please let me know