Mkulu Kei Horse Trails

Friesian X Saddler

Born: 28/08/05

16.2hh

Black

Sire: Poseidon.

Dam: Flicka.

Experienced

Atlanta is a beautiful black mare with her mother’s large expressive eyes and attitude to gates; she goes where she wants to graze.

She has potential both as a big trail ride with lots of confidence and as a brood mare. Atlanta has started her working career having worked both on the shorter rides and the longer trails. Atlanta was always a flighty horse in the field she was more difficult to work with on the ground than many of our babies. We all commented that she was going to be harder to back than our other progeny. What a surprise. She loved working from the second she had her first rider. Luisa got on her back for the first time and Atlanta realized what she was. A big mare that was born to be ridden. She took the lead of the group and responded to all commands. Comfortable in the lead, happy at the back of the ride, in the sea and passing cars she took to being ridden like a duck to water.

As a ride she is very responsive; more for the advanced rider, as she moves forward easily with her long strides. Destined to be one of our very popular trail rides and with her height a big brood mare. Atlanta will spend her next few years as a riding horse, only letting her foal once she has fully grown out. Well that is our plan until one night she escaped and went looking for her man. We found her in the field with 29 colts and stallions grazing happily. Three geldings had surrounded her in a triangle and all horses where peaceful noses down eating. No fighting, squealing or drama. We had expected the worst and she never conceived.

Friesian X Arab

Born: 27/12/04

16.hh

Blue roan

Sire: Prince.

Dam: Jamaica.

Intermediate-Experienced.

Caribbean wanted her own rider like her mom. Her mother Jamaica was our schoolmaster and used for lessons. Caribbean joined her mother trotting over trotting poles, bending poles and even jumps from a few days old. One morning Caribbean nudged Johnny who was carrying his 18-month-old daughter at the time until Johnny placed Skye on Caribbean’s back. Then she was happy and proud she had her own rider.

She, at 6 months, had backed herself!

Caribbean has her daddy’s personality; she wants loves and does not always take no for an answer. Caribbean is not pushy on the ground but will stand patiently waiting for attention, following your every move with her eyes but when you move she follows you. You share your shoes with her and can play follow my leader through any obstacle course. Maturing into a very kind, affectionate mare, bigger than her mother and she will still grow out later. Her brother Excalibur grew out late and only bulked out at 6-7 years.

Caribbean lost the foal she was carrying, it was not a planned pregnancy our neighbours stallion jumped the fence, 2009 has been a very hard year with little to no rain and the grass exceptionally dry. A blessing as we don’t like our mares to foal too young, it stunts their growth and we will let her conceive again only after a few years of working. Caribbean is officially backed and going but more skittish than we expected and does not like to get her feet wet. She avoids the puddles and even the wet sea sand, she is taking longer than our other horses to accept the sea, but she never went as a foal. Her mother was our schoolmaster at the homestead and used for lessons in the school. She is more at home in the arena with trotting poles and jumps and as that is where she will be used more with the pony camp. We will give her the time to confidently work out that the sea does not swallow horses alive.

Paint X

Born: 2003

15.1hh

Blue Roan

Sire: unknown.

Dam: unknown.

Cheyenne was involved in a horsebox accident as a young foal. When she came to us she was petrified of everything, now on the ground she is great. But she still has major issues, we can't touch her muzzle and she won’t accept a halter. From what we have established she was tied with her halter and trapped in the horsebox when it rolled. There is no point in stressing her further we just need to work around the problem. She accepts a strap around her neck, loves an ear scratch and happily walks up to you in the field.

When she is stressed she rears up. We work with her in her own time. It is worth the extra five seconds to settle her.
 

She has given us two stunning colts Maverick and Jack Sparrow. Unfortunately when we moved location Cheyenne went walk about to one of the neighbouring farms with Jack Sparrow, then a small foal at foot. We hunted but could not find them in the ravines for a few days. When we did locate them, Cheyenne had reverted back to the nervous feral condition she was when we first got her and could not get near her or the foal. During this time we lost one of Jack's ears to screwworm. Now Cheyenne is back to trusting us again and happy to get in our pocket on her terms. She is young and has thrown quality foals and is very content when pregnant so we can afford to leave her as a brood mare.

Appaloosa X

Born: 8/11/2002.

14hh

Sire: unknown.

Dam: Paula.

Intermediate-Experienced.

Cinnamon was given to us at 6 months an insipid, sickly filly, that we nicknamed "Sheep". My understanding is she lost her mother a few weeks after birth and was bullied by the whole herd. Cinnamon wanted the stallion at all costs, to the point of climbing through fences. Pregnant with Spice she was like a butterfly - her conference and attitude changed, she now stands up for her rights, is accepted in the herd and has blossomed in looks before our eyes.

A very pretty, unusual coloured horse with incredible eyes. Backed but too tiny to carry much weight I will re-back her after the birth of her second foal, Our plan is to use her in the arena and has potential to be a very sweet child’s pony.

She gave us a strikingly beautiful, showy filly, Spice.

Reg. Welsh Pony

Born: 2000

1.2 hh

Grey

Sire: Waiting for papers

Dam:

Intermediate-Experienced.

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”

Boerperd X

Born: 1996

14.3 hh

Bay

Sire: unknown.

Dam: unknown.

Intermediate.

See You in the saddle soon!

Flake was one of the original horses we purchased from a truck load of abused and unwanted horses. Her history is unknown but she does not like men, hates if you raise your voice and she needs to know her rider before she really gives of herself. She would be happier being ridden by one person only, her eyes tell it all; a deep sadness with a history of abuse. We have to handle her every day to keep the trust and she goes feral very quickly.

Flake is a schooled, honest, weight carrier, with a good forward moving floating pace. A mare we have not used in riding to her full potential, but Flake is 100% mom and way prefers raising foals. She can be used in the arena, although moves better on the shorter out rides.

Flake is valuable as a brood mare, throwing quality foals and hard working progeny like Robin Hood, Travis, Black Jack, Demeter, Esmeralda and Black Berry.

Boerperd X

Born: 1996

15.2 hh

Bay

Sire: unknown.

Dam: unknown.

Intermediate+-Experienced.

Gwenevier a schooled, forward moving, honest, hard working, mare with a big heart that likes to please and loves to swim. Gwenevier gives what you ask and a bit more, she is a very popular ride. "A trail horse in a million". Superb temperament, kind, gentle personality, loyal, fearless, loves to be in the front and take the lead. A nice ride in the arena even though she is not on the bit. She is a confidant horse taking the lead over jumps, trotting poles etc but can 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 from a big accident, Fence, car? She is inclined to loose weight very quickly when feeding a foal but she picks up quickly once the foal is weaned.

She has proven to be an unsuspected success story. She loves the longer trails and has given us three fillies, Cleopatra, Aphrodite, Lola.

Aging fast, 2009 has been 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.

Friesian

Born: 25/10/2000

17.0 hh

Black

Sire: Grant.

Dam: Louna.

Intermediate-Experienced.

Joan of Arc, one of the first horses to be bred and trained by us. She has had the perfect upbringing. Joan of Arc is a stunning mare in terms of height, stature and temperament. A big strong lady, who is easy to work with on the ground, a ladies hack with superb high action, that is honest and forward moving. A mare we have not used to her full potential as a riding horse or for the carriage as she happier raising foals. Weaning her babies however is a nightmare, and she ends up feeding them until they are nearly fully grown and looses too much condition. Joan of Arc was the inspiration for our very successful weaning halters. See our tack shop pages.

Joan of Arc is one of our most valuable brood mares in our Friesian breeding program. Mother to Zeus, our first third generation foal, now a young stallion and fillies Esperanca, Berica and Zena.

When Berica was born, I saw Joan of Arc lying down, when she saw me she got up and walked about 20 meters towards me and then turned her hindquarters. I saw two feet that were sticking out but the shoulders and head were stuck! Joan had come to look for help, we pulled out the foal and all was well.

Absolute proof of the intelligence of a horse; their reasoning, problem solving abilities and of a good bond between us.

Basuto X Boerperd

Born: 1998

14.3hh

Bay

Sire: Bullet

Dam: Millie

Intermediate-Experienced.

Nibbles was given to Luisa at 2 years old and was a hand-reared orphan with the worst stable manners! Dangerous in the front, scary from the back, have food and she will eat your hand for it. She must have been spoilt and hungry, associating humans with food. She hates men and still storms Don, tolerates women and loves children and will do anything, jump anything for a little girl.

Get on her back and she is a pleasure to ride, flies over anything, would do very well in competitive jumping, she is brave, responsive and enjoys big jumps. She covers ground with her long floating action and when you are on her back she feels bigger than she is.

Nibbles is an incredibly energetic horse, she trots in the field and seldom walks, if she is not eating she is moving with her family unit in tow. A very dominant mare with her babies and does not allow her foals to interact with the other horses, making working with them on the ground a nightmare. If we are moving horses to the next field she bolts with family behind her, seldom in the direction we want her to go.

A real asset as a child's second pony, bold, honest, schooled, forward moving, willing, jumps, swims and loves to please under saddle. Nibbles loves any work, arena or out rides. She would have made a good cross-country horse; this mare is brave and willing to jump anything. A great kids pony but can get a bit competitive in gymkhana games.

She gave us three cheeky foals Moon Dance, Nippit (Megabyte) and Flash Drive. Once weaned the foals do improve their manners!
 

See You in the saddle soon!

Friesian X Basuto pony X Boerperd

Born: 23/09/05

16.3 hh

Bay

Sire: Poseidon.

Dam: Nibbles.

Intermediate-Experienced.

Nippit, a bigger, kinder version of her mother Nibbles. A “nice” mare, put together well, strong, very friendly and easy to work with if in the field without her mom. Even at the age of three Nippit charges back to her side if mommy calls. She uses her ears a lot more than other horses, she puts them back as if angry and changes her mind and climbs into your pocket. She is totally joined up and comes when called. I have high expectations for this big mare. I believe she is going to be an asset both in work and as a brood mare.

She has just started her working career and is a really nice big ride, forward moving and willing, wants to please. Not for beginner riders, she can spook, but is already on the bit and a quick learner. Even under saddle her mannerisms and movement is as her mothers but without the attitude. A great trail horse for more experienced riders that like a horse to responds quickly with a energetic pace.

Miniature

Born: 1999

90 cm

Black
Sire: unknown.

Dam: unknown.

Lead rein

Starlight looks like a Miniature Friesian mare with along flashy mane. A sweet mare, except when she is pregnant. Then she transfers into a man-eating monster, but two days after the foal is born her sweet nature is back. A little mare for little people on lead rein. We assumed her to be pregnant to King Arthur, a miniature stallion, 90cm high, Oops!

Pregnant to Poseidon a 17.2 hh purebred Friesian stallion. The result; Thumbelina, a cute real miniature X Friesian filly already bigger than Starlight. We could have a perfect kids pony, small but strong and very pretty.

Watch this space to find out more. Jiminy Cricket a second foal and a third colt to Poseidon. Stuart Little. Starlight obviously likes her man to be big and strong. She cannot be contained as she walks through any fence, so if she wants a baby that is it.

A mare has the ability to retain the size of a foal in uterus there by having a foal she can cope with at birth. The foal grows out after birth.

I fancy six miniature Friesians to pull my antique carriage

Saddler X

Born: 1999

15 hh

Bay

Sire: unknown.

Dam: Flicka.

Intermediate-Experienced.

Tenacity was given her name for a reason, she was rescued when she fell into a flooding river just after birth and had to be rescued and revived. Rescued again from uncaring owners in terrible condition six months later, having completely lost her ear, due to an infection and screw- worm. Her lack of ear adds to her character and personality. Bold, honest and forward moving. She struggles with vertigo in some situations. Tenacity is a really nice comfortable ride and with her long legs covers ground easily. A really good ride if you set the tone that you are taking her for a ride and not her taking you.

Watch out; her back end is dangerous. If she knows you are working behind she is fine, but don’t surprise her, she is fast.

We have a foal! We put Tenacity to 7 different stallions over the years and gave up trying to get her pregnant, it was not through lack of trying on her part - she is a very loose lady.

On the morning of 30/7/2006 Tenacity had a foal, one beautiful filly Tenacious Spirit. We thought Tenacity had stolen a foal from another mare then we realized it was hers! Thinking back I had put her with Spirit as a companion a year prior. I smile, Tenacity showed no signs of pregnancy, she has a very long back. About a week before the birth. I said to her she was getting fat and if I did not know better I would think she was pregnant. She had the last laugh.

Unfortunately she lost her second foal, the township dogs killed the foal as it was being born.

Miniature x Friesian

Born: 31/08/05

Black

Sire: Poseidon.

Dam: Starlight.

Thumbelina came to us as a surprise. It was not that we did not know her mother was pregnant, Starlight looked like a beached whale, but rather who the father was. King Arthur, a miniature stallion, was supposed to be daddy, but Starlight (90cm high), wanted Poseidon, a huge Friesian standing 17.2hh, the result - Thumbelina. At 2 yrs old she stood the height of a 3 day old foal Spice. A cute real miniature Friesian filly bigger than Starlight. A forward moving little lady that has awesome motion, attitude and confirmation. A very flashy, showy mare that moves as if on a cloud, tossing her long mane. A mare with her father’s nature, except near food.

Thumbelina, loves children. She follows the development children round like a puppy and wants to be ridden.

We put her saddle on and one of our development kids jumped on her back and off she went like she had been ridden all her life, keeping up with the front horses taking 4 steps to every one of the bigger horses. We laughed watching September posting at the trot with Thumbelina’s legs moving in a blur. She loved every second of her first ride and was reluctant to have her saddle removed. However on the fifth ride she got competitive, challenging the front horse for a race. We have not had the opportunity to use her at the beach stables much since the stallions are back in the working herd.

Thumbelina is not a child’s first pony. She is forward moving, flighty, moving from A-B in a big competitive hurry to keep up with the horses 4 times her size. She was very happy to pass dogs, trucks and wade in the sea but can spook at movement in the grass. Brave at what she can see. She would make a competitive lead rein pony as she moves so easily. We have plans to put her and her brothers in harness.

We are going to spend time with her as she has huge potential and is as cute as a button under saddle. As she matures she could well be used for less experienced riders but for now only takes kids that do know how to ride.

Watch this space to find out more.

Part Arab

Born: 1/10/1998

15.2hh

Bay

Sire: Al Adiyat Shabah.

Dam: Torstone Starlight.

Intermediate - Experienced.

Topaz, a kind mare with beautiful eyes, a gentle temperament, soft personality and perfect manners. A people pleaser and has no vices. She is a surefooted, bold, schooled, solid, forward moving mare that swims the sea or rivers with ease. A very loved trail horse and is often requested for repeat trails, happy to take the front or the back of a ride. She will go at any pace you ask, no fuss no fight, and a pleasure to work with. A team player that likes a good race on the beach. We use Topaz in the riding lessons, and pony camps as she jumps with ease and works well in an arena.

In 2008 Topaz came in from the field having been caught in a wire snare just below the hock, dragging a huge tree. The wire was so tight and imbedded that we battled to cut the wire out of her swollen leg. We then struggled to get on top of the infection, screwworm and proud flesh and to get it to heal.

Proud flesh is an excessive granulation of tissue in a horse, the new tissue continues to rebuild itself causing a disfiguring protrusion and is accompanied by inflammation and can significantly lower the abilities and the value of the horse. How we saved her leg was in itself a miracle, but how the tendon was not affected we don’t know, and with no scaring. In desperation and several ointments later we tried Aloe sap straight off the plant. This worked to completely heal the wound and most of the hair grew back. You would not notice if we did not point it out to you. Looking at Topaz now one would never believe just how bad her leg was. She has fully recovered and is back in work.

Topaz gave us a colt called Hermes, who will remain a stallion, and a special very showy filly called Utopia with an awesome flaxen mane. Both show huge potential.
 

Come Ride with Us. . .