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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

Abe 23/4/81

Dreamer we put her down due to old age.

Major

Tom Thumb

King Arthur

Goldie

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

Thank You.

P O Box 25, Haga Haga 5272, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Tel/Fax: (+27) 043 8411 525 A/H Cell: 083 632 7298 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.

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