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This page
is dedicated to the memory of our horses that are no longer with us,
who have passed on due to old age, African Horse sickness and various
other illnesses.
This page is a thank you to our four legged friends
who gave us so much joy.
Our friends, companions and teachers. Thank you
While some mentioned past on from old age, others lives were
cut short. 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.
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 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.
Where ever they do go there will be no abuse, fear or pain and imagine
this field full of happy horses running free.
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. The herd needs
time to say goodbye. Horses mourn their dead companions.
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.
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.
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?
Are the vaccines available to the public uncontaminated by temperature
etc?
Should we be using a live vaccine?Flicka
Saddler X
Born: 1995
15.3 hh
Chestnut
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 who 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 screw worms.
Other foals *Nsync, Black Velvet (Tinkerbelle), Atlanta and
Maya a very pretty filly from Sprit.
Sire: unknown.
Dam: unknown.
Experienced. Not for a nervous rider.
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 where 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 to the eyes. 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.
Blade 2003
African horse sickness
Strong fit gelding just past his prime. Was fully vaccinated while
I had him. Low temp, swollen eyes, very thirsty, took 7 days to die.
Treated by the vet instructions.
Travis 05/10/2003- 03/09/2005
African horse sickness
Vaccinated: Found dead in the field with nasal discharge like shaving
foam
Moondance 12/12/2002-26/1/2005
African horse sickness
Vaccinated: Found dead in the field in the early morning with
nasal discharge like shaving foam. The evening before she had
joined us in a ride and came galloping up the hill, farting
and bucking, a picture of health.
Anthony 17/11/2002 – 24/1/2005
African horse sickness
Vaccinated: Found dead in the field in the early morning lying
in the dam with nasal discharge like shaving foam.
Black Jack 05/09/2002 -2/1/2005
African horse sickness
Vaccinated: Strong healthy colt. Nursed him for 9 days under vets
instructions. Huge temp, swollen eyes, laboured breathing died at
02h00.
Little John 07/10/2002-29/1/2005
African horse sickness
Sickly foal never thrived found dead with swollen eyes.
Tryton 02/11/2003-27/1/2005
African horse sickness
Vaccinated: Strong healthy colt treated homopathically as each symptom
presented its self we lost the battle after 9 days.
Prince 1/11/1992-
African horse sickness
Vaccinated: Strong healthy stallion found in the field, looked
like he had tried to get up several times, found swelling round
neck and head.
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 but had got behind
and in 2009 we lost Flicka.
Old Age
Abe 23/4/81
Dreamer we put her down due to old age.
Major
Tom Thumb
King Arthur
Goldie
Other causes
Ondep Farina * 1989 died in foaling
Kingstone 26/08/2008- 13/04/2009
Fell down embankment
Rommel 1/10/1996
Liver failure possible plant poisoning
Farina Sebeka Raffek 09/02/2003-11/09/2003
Orphaned foal being bottle fed, died unexpectedly, possibly
due to a lack of colostum
Tanica 31/08/2002-05/10/2003
Hole in her chest from bullet Believe she was mistaken for a Bushbuck
and shot by hunters from neighbouring farm.
My Teachers
Sock and Farthing: my first loan ponies old age
Major: my first pony old age
Fait-Bon: my A grade old age
Tongaard Taboo: Horse sickness
My friend Flicker my children’s first pony: Horse sickness. Come Ride with Us ...
…and you
will see rolling hills, rich Savannah grasslands and thick-forested
valleys with multitudes of rivulets cascading down to rivers that
eventually spill out onto quiet sandy beaches, fantastic high rise
cliffs and spectacular rock formations that make the Wild Coast in
South Africa one of the most beautiful places in the world. An incredible
combination of cross-country horse riding and the exploration of our
beautiful coastline.
We at Mkulu Kei Horse Trails, the two and the four legged would like
to say a big
Thank You.
Cheryl
P O Box 25, Haga Haga 5272,
Eastern Cape, South Africa.
During the day please contact me on the cell, I am
probably horsing around.
Signal can be irregular, please leave a message or phone
me on the landline in the evenings.