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In Memory Of
A page dedicated to the memory of our
horses |
This page is dedicated to
the memory of our companions, our teachers, our four legged friends that are
no longer with us, who have passed on due to old age, African Horse sickness
and various other illnesses.
They have been our teachers, friends and team members. Thank You.
Each one of you touched our life.
Mkulu Kei horse trails were established in 1998
with a herd of 70 odd horses, this is the hardest part of the trails, the
death of a horse.
This page is a thank you to our four legged friends
who gave us so much joy.
Thank you. While some mentioned past on from old age,
others lives were cut short but each one has a special part in our minds and
hearts.
These are the horses that made Mkulu Kei Horse Trails
what we are today.
A big thank you from us for being part of your lives and with each horse’s
death you take a piece of us.
When I was a child I heard that the Native Indians of
America believe that the soul of a dead horse passed on through to another
younger horse. As an adult when my A grade horse Fait-Bon died I stood and
watched my other horses rolling one after another on the exact spot on the
ground my faithful horse died. It did not happen all at once but, over a
period of about an hour, each horse took a turn almost as if they were
trying to absorb some of his spirit. I never forgot it.
I have since witnessed my herd going to pay their
respect to a dead horse in the field and have come to realize if I took
out the body too quickly other horses would go into depression. Horses
mourn their dead companions, but we can make it easier for them by giving
the herd a chance to say goodbye. Without closure stable mates can spend
the rest of their lives looking for a friend or family member.
When one of my father's mares died of horse sickness
she had a tiny foal at foot; the foal was in the stable with her when she
died, along with the other horses in the stable waiting to be fed. She
suddenly lunged forward into the stable wall and died of a heart attack.
There was a collective sound, a groan that passed through your bones from
all the horses on the mares passing and then one call from a stable further
down. The foal’s older brother. We let the horses out together to see what
would happen next. The older brother, himself only 2 years went to the side
of the foal and both walked out together, prior he had shown no interest in
his younger sister. He raised her, standing over her when she slept in the
field and more protective than any mare or nanny.
Cleopatra’s young filly at 18months took on the role
 of mother to her younger brother, another inseparable pair.
If we have a sick horse we leave him/her in the care
of the horses friend or both stress, the sick horse needs the companionship
and care of his friend to pull through. How would you feel if you were sick
and in a environment you could not communicate to anyone?
We are too quick
to think horses are mere animals, with no thought or reasoning.
Who is the Fool?
If I can teach just a handful of people about
horses, their emotions, language and how to communicate with them then my
life here has reason. We are the intelligent beings, or are we? Think
before you act, your action can affect a horse’s emotions for ever.
Make every memory the horse has a good one. Cheryl
On death, where ever they do go there will be no
abuse, fear or pain and I imagine a field full of happy horses running
free. Manes and tails blowing in the wind, family units grazing and
playing together in a green fields with rolling hills of grass, blue sky
and bubbling rivers and hope I can walk there too to share a part of their
world.
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G.A.
Brant
A gift to
man.
When God
created Horses
So my
Father did maintain,
He took
some tireless muscle
And
mingled it with brain. He added grace and carriage
And a
sure foot, agile gait, With a sense of noble bearing
And
courage as a trait.
Then He
used these ingredients
To meet
His master plan.
When His
creation was completed
He gave
this wonderous gift to man.
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Flicka
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Saddler X
Born: 1995 - 2nd May 2009
15.3 hh
Chestnut
Sire: unknown.
Dam: unknown.
Experienced.
Not for a nervous rider.
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Flicka a schooled, HOT, hard working, forward
moving, honest, mare that likes to please. The more you relax the less she
dances, sit back and enjoy her rocking horse action or ask her to extend
her stride. Flicka likes to show off with her showy five gaited paces. She
is not a beginner’s horse and will come back from a long hard ride with
more energy than she started with. A very clever mare that opens gates and
puts herself in the field of her choice.
A mare that fell on hard times before we saved her
and her foal at foot Tenacity, both covered in ticks. Flicka had an open
sore between her ears that was full of screwworms.
Other foals *Nsync, Black Velvet (Tinkerbelle),
Atlanta and Maya a very pretty filly from Sprit. All have grown into
hardworking riding horses.
We lost Flicka, to undiagnosed African horse
sickness on the 2nd May 2009. She was found in the field at 16h00 with
what appeared to be grumbling colic. Her gums were pale but had a
temperature of 36. c. We got her up and slowly walked her onto the lawn,
by which time her breathing was slightly more difficult and her head,
neck, shoulders and withers had started to swell, with very little
swelling around the eyes. She looked at me as a held her head in my lap I
stroked her neck and told her it was Ok, let go. By 23h00 hours she was
dead in my arms, her neck, shoulders and withers had ballooned to 3 times
her size with little to no nasal discharge.
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Blade
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1994 - 03/04/2003 African horse sickness
A strong fit gelding just past his prime and was
fully vaccinated while I had him (3 years). Low temp, swollen eyes, very
thirsty, took 7 days to die. Treated by the vet’s instructions.
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Travis
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05/10/2003- 03/09/2005 African
horse sickness
Friesian x Boerperd
Sire: Rommel
Dam: Flake
Vaccinated: Found dead in the field in he
morning with nasal discharge like shaving foam.
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Moon Dance
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12/12/2002-26/1/2005 African horse sickness
Arab x Basuto
Sire: Durakha Raka
Dam: Nibbles
Vaccinated: Found dead in the field in the early
morning with nasal discharge like shaving foam.
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The evening before she had joined us in a sunset
ride ride and came galloping up the hill, farting and bucking, a picture
of health.
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Anthony
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17/11/2002 – 24/1/2005 African horsesickness
Arab x
Sire: Unknown
Dam: unknown
Vaccinated: Found dead in the field in the early
morning lying in the dam with nasal discharge like shaving foam.
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Black Jack
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Friesian
Sire: Poseidon
Dam: Corlea
Vaccinated: Beautiful, strong healthy colt. We nursed him for 9
days under vet’s instructions. Huge temp, swollen eyes, laboured breathing died at 02h00.
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Little John
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7/10/2002-29/1/2005 African horse sickness
Friesian x TB
Sire: Poseidon
Dam: Dreamer
Vaccinated but Sickly foal never really thrived who we found dead with swollen eyes.
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Tryton (1st)
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Friesian
Sire: Poseidon
Dam: Maid Marion
Vaccinated: Strong healthy colt treated homeopathically as each symptom
presented its self we lost the battle after 9 days.
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Prince
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1/11/1992 - 21 /4/2004 African horse sickness
Reg. Friesian 98512000 5917946
Sire: Abe 30121
Dam: Perseel Prinses 57HSA
Vaccinated: Strong healthy stallion found in the
field, looked like he had tried to get up several times, found with swelling
round neck and head.
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African Horse Sickness
This disease is spread by tiny flying insects Culcoides
(midges) however there is evidence that this disease can also be transmitted
by species of mosquitoes and ticks.
Horses are the most susceptible host with close to
95% mortality, Zebras and donkeys are thought to be the carriers.
Pulmonary form of the disease is characterised
by high fever, depression and respiratory symptoms. The clinically affected
animal has trouble breathing, starts coughing, frothy fluid from nostril
and mouth, and shows Serious lung congestion causes respiratory failure
and results in death in less than 24 hours. This form of the disease has
the highest mortality rate.
Cardiac form has a longer incubation period showing
signs in 7-12 days after infection. High fever is a common characteristic.
The disease also manifests as conjunctivitis with abdominal pain and progressive
difficulty in breathing. Additionally, oedema, presented under the skin of the
head and neck: most notably around the eyes. Mortality rate is between 50-70%
and survivors recover in 7 days.
Mixed form Diagnosis is made at post-mortem exam
Affected horses show signs of both the pulmonary and cardiac forms of AHS.
TO DATE THERE IS NO TREATMENT.
There is a huge controversy over vaccines and
treatments but all I can say is we are all running scared and having a
horse is like Russian Roulette; one never knows when it is your turn. And
if and when it hits other continents it has the potential to wipe out all
horses, as they won’t have a natural immunity. With global warming and the
fact that Culcoides are already in UK the powers that be had better get
their act together.
We need some one to come up with a alternative
vaccine that works.
All horse owners in Africa need to work together.
But first are we being told the truth?
Are the vaccines up to date for the new strains?????
How many strains are there really?????
Are the vaccines available to the public uncontaminated
by temperature/ cross contamination etc?????
Should we be using a live vaccine?????
What happens when and if the virus turns on humans
like swine/bird flu or aids then will they wake up?????
Who will be pointing
fingers at whom when the virus goes global ?????
What I do know is: I share boundary fences with two
game farms with breeding herds of Zebra. The farmers can move animals
around freely even though Zebras are thought/known; to be the carriers of
African horse-sickness. We live in the middle of cattle country, where the
Culcoides are thought to breed in the cow dung and a stones throw away
from Transkei where there is no control on vaccines. What chance do I
have?
I have personally seen horses sick with and without
nasal discharge, shaving cream and no discharge. With and without swelling,
swelling on the neck, face, eyes, between their legs, entire legs, and whole
body. High temps and sub temps, colic symptoms, excessive thirst, hungry,
off their food, excessive saliva, pale gums, orange gums, labored breathing,
vaccinated, unvaccinated horses, horses in show condition and poor condition,
young horses and old horses, one horse that took off at a gallop for no reason
and dropped dead and a four month foal at foot die but the mother never got
sick, horses out at grass and stabled horses. Some made it, others died, there
is no pattern.
Answers?
I get into trouble from the so called authorities
regularly for what is written and if that is what it takes to wake them up
then so be it. I won’t keep quiet.
We have had our success stories too; in 2003 we
had 19 horses sick with AHS and lost only one. In 2005 we lost only the
young horses. Between 2005 - 2008 we used a preventative measure and in
2009 we lost Flicka.
We have a policy that as long as the sick horse
is breathing we won't give up and have worked round the clock for nights
working with each symptom. Sometimes we are lucky and sometimes we aren't.
We have lost horses we thought might win the battle and saved others we
thought we could not.
When a horse gets sick we bring in their family
unit so that they have something to fight for, some one to communicate
with.
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Old Age
Abe 30121
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23/4/81 – 2002
Abe an imported registered Friesian stallion
(progeny of the great Fokke 217 and Dam: Ster mare, Ima 6024) Whose
bloodline is in great demand for confirmation, height and excellent
temperament.
Abe tried to jump a fence to get to a mare
fell and had a heart attack at my feet.
A great way for a
stallion to pass on.
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Midnight Dreamer
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1988 - 23 /2/2004
TB
Sire: Unknown
Dam: unknown
We put her down due to old age,
she was not coping.
Mother to Alexander the
Great and little John.
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Major
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1988 – 2004
Friesian.
A great ride in his time and my patient teacher of carriage
and harness.
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Tom Thumb
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1980 -2008
miniature
My son’s first pony and part of our lives for 29
years.
Strike and Tommy formed a very unlikely team and
for the last 10 years of their lives shared food bowls never being more
than a few meters apart. When Tom died Strike never bonded again.
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Goldie
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A sweet big nervous mare that only came to us
to retire. She must have been a beautiful horse in her time, although
probably abused at some stage, she never really trusted men. When her
time came she was nearly blind and would follow Sun dance around
stepping in his foot steps. I witnessed her go, she lay down and went
to sleep. |
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King Arthur Chappie
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1984 - 2008
King Arthur or Chapppie as he was named prior.
Thought he was a warthog and would get down on his knees to get
through the smallest of holes in the fence. When you approached him
his ears went back and he squealed like a pig being killed only then
remembered he liked people to scratch his ears and stood.
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Giving him an injection was a nightmare it
took 3 men to pin him down and then it took all your strength to
get the needle through his tough skin, he never got ticks.
We so miss his humorous antics.
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Strike
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1978 – 2009
The horse used for all the beginner riders
when we first started Mkulu Kei.
We put Strike down in the drought of 2009.
At 31 years it was time to sleep, your work here was done boy, go
find Tommy. Thank you.
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Sundance
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1990 - 12/6/2010
Sundance was a big awesome ride I wish we had
known this boy in his youth. He came to the stable as a mate to Goldie
and we never saw him in his prime.
A nanny to Tenacious Spirit then a baby who he
loved and protected.
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A big stunning looking golden Palomino, we rode
him for a few months but his hock would swell up possibly from an old
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Grey Mist
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Flemish X
Born: 1990
16.1hh
Steel Grey
Sire: Unknown
Dam: Unknown
Intermediate+-Experienced
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Grey Mist was the sort of horse that would be
pictured on the front of coffee table books. When he retired he was still
an exceptional ride, bold, forward moving, always with his neck
beautifully arched. He was a superb trail horse but would be equally at
home in a dressage arena. Some one put a lot of work into his advanced
training and probably not what one would expect to find on trail. He swam
and jumped anything you ask and always gave every ounce of himself.
Unfortunately Grey has aged fast and sadly the time
come to retire him, although he rides like a horse half his age with all
the enthusiasm of his youth, he drops condition very quickly. He is his
own worst enemy and uses so much energy on a ride we can’t get him back
into condition. Both our international and national
professional sporting equestrian riders expressed surprise at the quality
of horse Grey Mist was. He still has the pure controlled energy he had in
his youth. Total control, but he needs to learn to enjoy his retirement,
but his head and his body are not in the same place and wants to be ridden.
A horse that has played a huge part in Mkulu Kei
Horse Trails and terribly missed as a special, loved, working horse.
2009 we had a drought that has been claimed to be the
worst in 75+ years; the dam water was a mud puddle with about 1-2 days water
left, the grazing finished. The old horses where not coping. We made a decision
to put Grey down. Not a decision we took lightly but we did not want to witness
him suffering.
Grey you were a major
player in making us who we are and we want to dedicate the 2009
award of excellence we received from the Tourism Board in your
memory.
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You made us the best.
Thank you.
Grey Mist is the inspiration
and yard stick to the kind of horse we want to offer our advanced riders
and in every horse we put the extra training into Grey lives on.
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Jamaica
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Grey
Born: 1993
15.0 hh
Arab X Sire: unknown.
Dam: unknown.
Suitable for a nervous rider
Beginner - Intermediate.
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A wonderful first pony. She gave us two
lovely colts, Excalibur, and Captain Morgan and stunning filly
Caribbean all with their mother's gentle personality and attitude
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Jamaica a schoolmaster an easy ride, with
sweet nature and honest temperament. A mature gentle mare for the
beginner or a nervous rider. Jamaica is easy to work with both in
the saddle and on the ground. Jamaica loved to jump, show her a
jumping course and even if your approach was incorrect and took
each jump. In a utility lesson with bending poles, jumps and
trotting poles she would finish the course even if the rider were
not using the reins for direction, she watches and listened to our
instructions and just did the course.
Thanks my girl you where a special lady in
so many ways. You taught so many children the fun side of riding.
You loved to jump and you gave us so many laughs when you followed
my instructions to the letter even with no assistance from your
rider.
Thank you your legacy lives on with your
sons and daughters and will continue to be part of our lives.
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Holly
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Arab X
Born: 1982
14.0 hh
Grey
Sire: unknown.
Dam: unknown.
Experienced Only
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Holly a schooled, pretty, Old lady, MAD as
a hatter, HOT as hell, and she had no brakes, a hard working mare
giving us every ounce of herself she felt like a horse three times
her height. Very, very forward moving with a floating action Holly
could turn on a postage stamp and she could not stand still. Holly
would go anywhere we asked and only had one pace Go, Now!
Holly has had extensive damage to her mouth prior
to being in our care! We presume she was ridden with a piece of wire as a
bit and had a hard thick layer of scar tissue. Holly could only be ridden,
by very experienced riders although she is schooled and totally obedient,
she loved to go at full pace at all times, there are not many horses even
three times her size that can match Holly at the walk or trot – a power
walk or trot. Once you had a foot in the stirrup Holly could not stand
still, Cheryl would have loved to have had her as a young horse, they
would and still do make magic.
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Despite her size a machine not a horse. Cheryl
personally used her as the lead horse for many years and has huge respect
and love for her.
As a matriarch mare and Cheryl’s soul mate
she was valuable to her and for many years her mount of choice
and the backbone to our business. Sadly missed as a working horse
and a hard act to follow.
A horse that can't retire, I just
can’t ride her any longer; she still has loads of energy and now
stirs up trouble in the herd. She has been known to move the entire
herd to a paddock of her choice. Sadly she cannot conceive a foal.
Now that Holly has accepted her retirement she
is happy in her new position of head of the mares and foals.
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It was Holly who gave Cheryl her insight in just
how much a rider and horse could communicate telepathically. Due
to her extensive damage in her mouth she had no feeling and Cheryl and
Holly became one being. Think walk on, turn, trot or canter and a willing
horse responds.
As a rider you can communicate through thought, the direction and speed
you wish to ride.
If the horse trusts you and a bond is formed he/she will want to follow
your telepathic aids.
Due to the extreme weather of late, 4 years of drought and then driving icy rain, we decided it was kinder to intervene with the old horses, those not coping. We put Holly down, never an easy decision to make but we believe was the correct thing to do.
Thank you Holly for all the memories, a partner my legs over many kilometres.
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Bestman
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Nooitdegacht
Born: 1994
14.3hh
Steel Grey
Sire: Unknown
Dam: Unknown
Intermediate-Experienced
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Bestman, not withstanding his height, was one
of our best weight carriers. He looks like a Thelwell pony, short and
stocky with a huge thick mane falling on both sides of his neck and
is strong, surefooted, bold and nifty. He loves to swim deep into the
waves.
A horse with oodles of personality, not a horse
that will ever bore you. A very popular ride with both adults and children
and a horse we use on lead rein for riders under 6 years old as he ponies
nicely next to any horse.
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Bestman loves attention, especially from little
people, thriving on pony rides and the attention he gets for the children.
One of the first horses we purchased to start the trails, Bestman has been
a valuable team player. Unfortunately Bestman is starting to show us his
age and have stopped him carrying the heavy clients and he is used more now
for the smaller younger riders, adapting to the mount we require him to be.
Bestman has retired and unfortunately like so many
little grey ponies he has Melanoma cancer under his tail.
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Bestman’s cancer was spreading he found it more a more difficult to walk, we made the decision that we would not let him suffer any more.
A major team player that carried weight in his youth, loved the longer trails, could pop a happy buck when he got excited, loved to carry young ladies and loved a hug. The last few years he was used more and more for the little riders and adapted to be a very responsible ride for a first time rider.
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Blaze
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Born: 1996
14.2hh
Chestnut
Sire: Unknown.
Dam: Unknown
Beginner - Intermediate
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Blaze has a short stocky build, sway back and one
folded ear from an infection and Screwworm he had before we purchased him.
He is a great ride for a beginner rider. Moves conservatively with comfortable
paces, particularly his rocking horses canter. Often the horse that is selected
to give a rider their first experience. As Blaze is voice controlled and wants
to please he has taken several 5-year-old riders on their first canter. By
setting up a short controlled area, Blaze can be voice controlled to canter
and then trot, giving the young rider a chance to experience a canter, his
short stride and rocking horse motion an ideal child's first experience.
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Blaze started his life called Hitler and I believe was a
difficult horse to work with. Blaze, as we have always known him, is a sweet
heart and a lot younger than he looks, he aged after contracting African Horse
Sickness.
A wonderful easy ride but is showing us signs he is tired
and now on semi retirement being only ridden only by small children.
Blaze contracted African Horse Sickness, a terrible viral
disease that kills hundreds of horses in Africa each year. It was impossible in
our opinion that he would make it, but he did. He pulled himself from hell in
incredible pain back to us.
We are so going to miss this boy he is very hard horse to
replace.
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African Horse Sickness
This disease is spread by insects Culcoides (midges)
however there is evidence that this disease can also be transmitted by species
of mosquitoes and ticks.
Horses are the most susceptible host with close
to 95% mortality, Zebras and donkeys are thought to be the carriers.
Pulmonary form of the disease is characterised
by high fever, depression and respiratory symptoms. The clinically affected
animal has trouble breathing, starts coughing, frothy fluid from nostril and
mouth, and shows Serious lung congestion causes respiratory failure and results
in death in under 24 hours. This form of the disease has the highest mortality
rate.
Cardiac form has a longer incubation period
showing signs in 7-12 days after infection. High fever is a common characteristic.
The disease also manifests as conjunctivitis with abdominal pain and progressive
difficulty in breathing. Additionally, oedema, presented under the skin of the
head and neck: most notably around the eyes. Mortality rate is between 50-70%
and survivors recover in 7 days.
Mixed form Diagnosis is made at post-mortem exam
Affected horses show signs of both the pulmonary and cardiac forms of AHS.
TO DATE THERE IS NO TREATMENT
Due to the extreme weather of late, 4 years of drought and then driving icy rain, we decided it was kinder to intervene with the old horses, those not coping. We put Blaze down, not an easy thing to do but one we believe was the correct thing to do.
Blaze to so many riders especially our very little riders, the first horse they rode or cantered, a household name. A much missed member of our team. Thank you a very special horse, a confidence booster and teacher.
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Captain
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Boerperd X
Born: +- 1993
15.2hh
Bay
Sire: Unknown
Dam: Unknown
Intermediate- Experienced
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Captain had a bad start to life. Owned by a local
farmer Captain was attacked as a baby, by a stallion. Leaving his body
and face smashed and disfigured; he was thin and uncared for. (It is not
uncommon for a stallion to take out another stallion’s progeny, especially
if the area they live in is too small). Luckily a caring family, found Captain
who fed and looked after him, but they could not keep him so he came to us.
Captain has a very soft mouth, ride him with your voice
he is totally controlled and obedient. Captain has a sweet, kind, loving heart
and wants to be loved. He is a very affectionate horse, a people pleaser with
a forward moving stride. He will not go forward if you are hanging on his mouth.
He loves doing lead rein rides on the beach with the small children and thrives
on the attention.
Captain and Blaze are soul mates and where ever the one
is the other is only a few feet away. |
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A very popular horse and extremely loved, we are using him
more and more for first time young riders, but is on semi retirement spending his
days with his mate.
Captain had another unfortunate experience some time back.
He rolled on a Puff Adder, a widely distributed venomous snake. The rapid strike
and large fangs effectively deliver large quantities of its potent Cytotoxic venom,
causing excessive swelling followed by necrosis and tissue damage and often gangrene.
(Anti-venoms are produced from the anti bodies produced the
blood of horses bitten by snakes and are used in the treatment of bitten humans).
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Captain experiences abscess on the snakebite site
on his shoulder, which we drain and treat, with time these abscess will stop.
During the formation of the abscess Captain is inclined to be a bit thin.
Due to the extreme weather of late, 4 years of drought and then driving icy rain, we decided it was kinder to intervene with the old horses, those not coping. We put Cappie down, never an easy decision to make but one we believe was the correct thing to do.
Captain, a horse that stole my heart and taught us so much about the emotions of horses and just how much they are like us and how we can move on from a bad situation and excel, a sweetheart.
Gwenevier
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Boerperd X
Born: 1996
15.2 hh
Bay
Sire: unknown.
Dam: unknown.
Intermediate+-Experienced.
Owner Mkulu Kei |
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Gwenevier is now on retirement from being
ridden, in her younger days she was a schooled, forward moving,
honest, hard working, mare with a big heart that liked to please
and loved to swim.
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Gwenevier gave what you ask and a bit more,
she was a very popular ride. "A trail horse in a million".
Superb temperament, kind, gentle personality,
loyal, fearless, loved to be in the front and take the lead. A nice
ride in the arena even though she is not on the bit. She was a confidant
horse taking the lead over jumps, trotting poles etc but could get a bit
excited in gymkhana games. We bought Gwenevier at a dubious auction in
horrific condition. I was not sure we would get her home alive, she was
terribly thin and full of huge old scars across her chest and neck from
a big accident, Fence, car?
She has proven to be an unsuspected success
story. She loved the longer trails and has given us three fillies,
Cleopatra, Aphrodite and Lola.
She is inclined to lose weight very quickly
when feeding a foal but she picks up quickly once the foal is weaned.
Aging fast, 2009 was a hard year with little to no rain and in the sour
veld the grass has been of very poor quality and Gwenevier took strain,
but once the green grass came through she improved quickly.
2011 she is pregnant again and we look forward
to this foal which we hope is a colt as this is the last time she will
go back to the stallion. So far she has only thrown fillies. Unfortunately Gwenevier dropped her foal.
Due to the extreme weather of late, 4 years of drought and then driving icy rain, we decided it was kinder to intervene with the old horses, those not coping we put Gwenevier down, not an easy thing to do but one we believe it was the right thing to do.
Gwenevier has always struggled to carry any weight, as she got older it has become more difficult especially with the conditions. A good trail horse that enjoyed the longer trails.
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Other Causes of Death
Ondep Farina
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1989 09/02/2003
Arab.
Sire: Unknown
Dam: Unknown
A mare that was very popular as a trail horse
for those who could ride.
She died in foaling with a ruptured membrane.
The vet was on his way but never made it. She bled before our eyes
and all we could do was try and save her foal. As we milked her she
looked on to her foal calling her quietly until she left us. |
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Kingston
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26/08/2008- 13/04/2009
Arab.
Sire: Spirit
Dam: Topaz
Kingston a beautiful healthy foal that fell
down embankment. We have no idea what happened, we found him in the
bottom of a gorge.
It kills me to think of him he was going to
be a stunning looking horse and had his mothers temperament a
loving gentle personality. A half brother to our main stallion and
the mare Utopia I have selected as my personal horse. |
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Nando Rommel
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1/10/1996 - 20th June 2004
Reg. 985120005817590 Friesian.
Sire: Abe 30121
Dam: Stella 59HSA
Liver failure possible plant poisoning, vet was
treating him.
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Farina Sebeka Raffek
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Orphaned foal having been bottle fed from
birth. She broke our hearts when she died unexpectedly and was so
much part of our lives. She knew she was loved and was very spoilt.
She made her bed at night on the straw on the
veranda next to a dog with a new pups which cuddled up to her too.
She had no idea she was a horse and would walk
through the house looking for her bottle.
Farina died at 6mths possibly due to a low
resistance to infection. Due to the amount of colostum she received at
birth, although we did try to milk her mother as she died of a ruptured
membrane. |
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Tanica
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X saddler/ Friesian
Sire: Prince
Dam: Flicka
31/08/2002-05/10/2003
Hole in her chest from a bullet?? She was
found in the field and died before we could treat her. We believe she was
mistaken for a Bushbuck and shot by hunters a from neighboring farm. |
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Cleopatra
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Boerperd X Arab
Born: 15/11/2002 – 15/9/2009
15hh
Chestnut
Sire: Durakha Raka.
Dam: Gwenevier.
Intermediate-Experienced. |
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Cleopatra was one of those foals you had
to stop to look at in the field; she grew into a beautiful mare.
She produced a stunning foal, Feisty, a filly that was shouting
as her head emerged, but before her body was even out. She slid
out, stood up and was looking for food before her poor mother
had even registered the foal was out and now a cute colt Gibson
with attitude. |
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Sadly Cleopatra slipped in the mud trying to get to
water in the dam during the drought and broke her leg we had no
alternative but to put her down. She had a foal at foot Gibson but
he was old enough to join the main herd under his sisters guidance.
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Queen
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Boerperd
Born: 1996 - 31st Dec 2009
16.1 hh
Bay
Sire: unknown.
Dam: unknown.
+ Experienced.
We rescued Queen from the Transkei in poor condition.
She had trust issues and was not the easiest to work with. She has obviously
been hit in the face, however working with her regularly she warmed up to us
and would check you out and walked up to you. Queen was not a beginner’s horse
and would take advantage and go faster if not checked. She was obviously ridden
from walk to gallop and thought that was what is expected. The beach was interesting
riding if you did not take control immediately. However she was controllable for
an experienced confident rider.
A very competitive small but strong horse, a very forward
moving mare with lots of energy she wanted to please, wanted to trust. She was
impossible to walk with on lead rein as she walked too fast.
Thought to be pregnant although we now question if she
did not have phantom pregnancies. One disadvantage of the mares running
with the stallions permanently one never knows the exact due date and she
had an huge tummy and udder and looked full term for a whole year.
Although queen was not with us for long she crept
into my heart. I really enjoyed riding her, her energy was incredible and
I enjoyed her spunk. Reminding me of riding Holly.
On the 1st January 2010 Queen lost the plot, she
would only push forward, pressing her head up against anything that got in
her way until it gave. She entangled herself in trees, walked through a
corrugated wall until it gave way. It was apparent her would either break
her neck or leg, so sadly we put her down.
Plant poisoning. Affecting her nervous system and
probably a collective poison that would explain her large tummy.
Sorry girl you could have been my next soul mate,
certainly were in tune but at least we knew you were happy with us.
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Reg. Welsh Pony
Born: 2000-2nd Feb 2011
1.2 hh
Grey
Sire: Waiting for papers
Dam:
Intermediate-Experienced.
Owner Mkulu Kei
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Jessica is a little madam nicknamed Miss Piggy
because she had no tail when we bought her, she was standing at a dairy
farm and the cows ate it!
A little horse with a “look at me” attitude.
Very showy. Nice small pony attitude and would hold her own in a
showing class Jessica is used in the lessons and pony camps.
She gave us a stunning filly from Spirit
called “Paris Hilton”
Jessica came in from the field with a high
stepping gait completely confused, nervous and looking like she
had signs of colic. As her tetanus vaccines where up to date and
she never had a cut we saw, we can only presume she ate something.
It be hard to make a final decision but in Piggy's case, it was kinder
to put her down after she was not responding to treatment and her
condition rapidly deteriorated.
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Caesar
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Caesar was a beautiful, small, stocky but
strong looking gelding that has started his working horse career and
showing potential as a great trail horse. A leader, weight carrier,
bold, people pleaser, with nice long forward moving strides, awesome
canter; all round a stunning ride.
As a newborn foal Caesar was stolen from his
young mother MOD by Praise, a nursing mare, who then raised him with
her own foal. It was only when we witnessed Praise trying to take
another foal, Zeus, years later we realised exactly what had happened.
Up until then we thought Praise was a sweet mare for looking after a
rejected foal. MOD was a very young mare from a truck full of horses
my father purchased a few days before she dropped her foal.
We purchased him at 6 months old, as a young
horse he did not like being patted, giving him an injection was a
nightmare, however he enjoyed being stroked and loved his ears
touched. He become very affectionate and lost all his issues and
insecurities. But was not for nervous riders as he was inclined to
feed off your nerves and become unsettled.
A late starter who has rounded into a very
enthusiastic people pleaser, a horse who wanted to trust and really
bonded with his rider on the longer trails and gave his all. A horse
that needed a confident rider but not necessary a experienced rider.
If you were nervous he become unsettled.
Caesar looked like a horse that should be
rounding up cattle on the Prairie or cutting off steers at a rodeo.
A horse we use as a lead horse as he is very happy to break away from
a group and work at a different pace, a nice ride. We had been working
on his top line, although he was a barrel his neck was under developed
at the top and over developed under. With Dons extra work he matured
into a true champion and Don had started to teach him to be ridden with
a neck strap and no bridle.
A good trail horse that bonded with his rider on
the riding holiday escapes into the Transkei.
Caesar was found dead in the field, we believe
he was hit by lightering, that night we had had a huge electric storm
and not far from where he lay was a strike mark on the ground.
The day before he was healthy, the morning
before I had allocated him to a client to ride but she wanted a
taller horse. When he when back into the field in the afternoon I
had been watching him playing with Valentino.
Solo
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Saddler X
Born: 2003-30th March 2011
14.2hh
Palomino
Sire: Unknown
Dam: Unknown
Experienced rider
Owner Johan
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Solo was orphaned on a neighbouring farm at a
young age and raised with cattle so he had no idea that he was a
horse; he lost own language and associated people with food. Not a
good combination. When he came to us he had no idea of personal space
and would canter up and climb into your pocket. It took a few weeks
for the working horses to teach him pecking order and manners. He was
a sweetie who forgot occasionally to behave when you had food,
but in general a very sweet affectionate boy.
A horse with lots of potential as a weight-carrying
workhorse. |
Solo was never be a beginner’s horse, he
moved too quickly. Liked to be in the front of the ride and was
leading the rides within a few days of being backed but he would
accept the back if you asked him. If you called him in the field he trotted up to you and followed you round the field.
Solo was Don's baby and a horse he often rode.
Don trained him to be ridden just with a strap round his neck and
without a bridle. Even in the height of season during which time the
beach is full of holidaymakers and guiding a big ride Solo was
totally controlled without a bridle just a strap round his neck.
He was a good choice for a experienced rider
on the longer riding holidays.
Solo came in from the field confused and
disorientated, with a runny tummy, dehydrated and slight rapid
breathing. He had a slight yellow colour to his gums but a normal
temperature, he ate his food. We treated him and left him in the
stable yard overnight but found him dead the next morning.
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My Teachers
Socks and Farthing: My first loan Pony’s
- old age
Major: My first pony - old age
Fait-Bon: My A grade show jumper and
companion - old age
Tongaard Taboo: - Horse sickness
My friend Flicker: My children’s first
pony: - Horse sickness
We at Mkulu Kei Horse Trails, the two
and the four legged would like to say a big thank you to our
four legged friends, teachers and companions. You all paid a
part in our lives and made us who we are. Thank you, Cheryl.
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Contact Details:
P.O. Box 25, Haga Haga 5272,
Eastern Cape, South Africa.
Tel/Fax: +27 (0) 43 841 1525 A/H
Fax: 086 523 8259
Cell: +27 (0) 83 632 7298
Skype: cheryl.giacchetti
E-mail:
info@mkulukeihorsetrails.co.za
During the day please contact us on the cell,
we are probably horsing around. Signal can be irregular, if you cannot get through please leave
a message or phone us on the landline in the evenings. Thanks
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