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Our horses
run in huge camps in family units, the herd raises them as they would
in the wild. They are loved, protected, de-wormed and treated for
any illness or injury. Our horses live very privileged lives. Abuse
both physical and mental, whether from neglect, ignorance or cruelty
affect the horses for years and we believe it is our duty to educate
the public on the horses physical and mental well being. We at Mkulu
Kei Horse Trails believe it is our duty to home and rehabilitate unwanted,
neglected and or abused horses and give them a better second chance.
A percentage of our revenue is used for this purpose donations are
greatly appreciated and in season my daughters Daniela and Luisa give
lead rein rides to small children on the beach a % of their revenue
is used to take in abused and unwanted horses. We don’t generally
go looking for abused horses but the horses find us. It could be a
phone call from someone or people we meet on our travels. This way
we can offer a permanent home to the horses we have rescued and worked
with.
Horse riding safaris along the South African, Eastern Cape,
Wild Coast. For your equine riding working vacation and African
horse trekking adventure. Mkulu Kei Horse Trails.
"A real ride to many places at any paces"
Awesome hacking conditions, the best horse riding countryside.
Some horses require intensive therapy, others just medical attention.
It is important for us to try to work out what happened to each horse
and work through the problem areas. We then look at the new horse's
personality and allow them to find a valuable place within Mkulu Kei
Horse Trails. Once a horse’s trust is broken it can take years
to gain it back, but not impossible and very often once they understand
that not all humans are the enemy an even stronger bond can be reestablished.
This requires not just human intervention but from the entire herd.
The public often comments on how relaxed our horses are. That is due
to the fact that every team member both two and four legged contributes
to the smooth relaxed manner in which we approach our horses. A horse
is a creature of habit and by having a quiet routine the curious nature
of horses goes a long way to help rehabilitate a horse’s confidence.
All images have been thumb-nailed - click on the image to see
a larger photo
We at Mkulu Kei Horse Trails believe it is our duty to home and rehabilitate
unwanted and or abused horses so a percentage of our revenue is used,
donations are greatly appreciated and in season my daughters Daniela
and Luisa give lead rein rides to small children on the beach a %
of their revenue is used to take in abused and unwanted horses.
Some horses require intensive therapy, others just medical attention.
It is important to try to work out what happened to each horse and
work through the problem areas. We then look at the new horse's personality
and allow them to find a valuable place within Mkulu Kei Horse Trails.
See You in the saddle soon!
Take a gap between studies or from the office and join us on
your gap year adventure Mkulu Kei for your horse-riding working
destination.
Without the paying riding gap year volunteers we could not be
in the position to take in unwanted, abused and injured horses.
Take a break from your studies / career at Mkulu Kei without
your extra pair of hands we would not have successfully rehabilitated
so many abused and neglected horses. It is time consuming to
get their trust and work through issues and they require constant
reassuring handling.
Rehabilitated:
Unwanted/Abused Horses
We at Mkulu Kei Horse Trails believe it is our duty to home
and rehabilitate unwanted and or abused horses. So a percentage
of our revenue is used. In the school holidays my daughters
Daniela and Luisa give lead rein rides to small children on
the beach, a % of their revenue is used to take in abused
and unwanted horses. Some horses arrive requiring medical
treatment although they cost initially and their wounds may
take time to heal, it is the emotional scars that require
the most time,
Donations are greatly appreciated.
Rehabilitate unwanted and or abused horses:
Captain
Captain was attacked by a stallion as a foal. Smashing his
face and damaging his leg, the result he is crooked and unwanted.
A neighbour found Captain in bad condition, thin and full
of ticks. They feed and treated him but they could not keep
him. Captain had another unfortunate experience; he rolled
on a Puff Adder, a widely distributed venomous snake and was
bitten.
He is now a valuable working horse for the light weight intermediate
riders and is the popular lead rein with the little people.
Captain thrives on the attention he receives and has a home
for the rest of his life.
Gunstone
Gunstone was purchased from an abattoir in terrible condition.
I am constantly grateful I saw the real horse, a trail horse
in a million. Ridden by a wide range of clients adapting to
their riding ability. Loved by so many riders and my highest
revenue earner!
Gunstone carried Carl a totally blind rider on a 5- day trail,
through rivers, rocks into the sea and even raced. See client’s
comments for full details.
Holly
Holly has had extensive damage to her mouth prior to being
in our care! I presume she was ridden with a piece of wire
as a bit! She was purchased at a dubious auction. She is our
matriarch mare and my mount of choice. Holly has retired from
work and will the rest of her life enjoying her freedom. Unfortunately
she cannot conceive.
Flicka
Flicka 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 full of screwworms. She
has gone on to be a very valuable trail horse, used in the
school to teach riding and valuable brood mare.
Other foals *Nsync, Black Velvet (Tinkerbelle), Atlanta and
Maya a very pretty filly from Sprit.
Tenacity
Tenacity given her name for a reason, she was rescued when
she fell into a flooding river just after birth and had to
be revived, rescued again from uncaring owners in terrible
condition six months later and lost her ear, due to an infection
and screwworm. She is a great ride on the flat but she looses
her balance on hills and at the sea, a horse gets motion sickness
or vertigo very easily as a horse cannot vomit.
Tenacity has given us a stunning foal Tenacious Spirit.
Gwenevier
Gwenevier was purchased at a dubious auction in horrific
condition I was not sure I would get her home alive. She has
gone on to be a popular trail ride and valuable broodmare.
She has proven to be an unsuspected success story. She loves
the longer trails and has given us three fillies, Cleopatra,
Aphrodite and Lola.
Cinnamon
Cinnamon, an insipid, sickly filly. Given to us at 6 months,
who we nicknamed "Sheep". My understanding is she
lost her mother a few weeks after birth and was bullied by
the whole herd. Has blossomed in to a beautiful confident
mare and given us a stunning foal Spice.
While some horses have gone on to be very popular
working horses like Holly, Flicka, Gwenevier, Tenacity and Gunstone,
others still have minor issues, which we are working through.
Other horses we are working with.
Cheyenne
Cheyenne was involved in a horsebox accident as a foal.
When she came to us she was petrified of everything. Now on
the ground she is great and she has given us two beautiful
colts Maverick and Jack Sparrow. In her in her time we will
back her. But now she still has major issues with her mouth,
we can't touch her muzzle. She also takes a long time to trust
and it is more likely she will be used as a brood mare rather
than stress her.
Valentino
Valentino came to us with women issues; still today he rolls
his eyes at any female. We could not touch his head, putting
on his bridle was a mission. It took Valentino three years to
trust Don enough to put a bride on him, he would rear up the
second you touched his head. It was obvious a woman, from the
ground, had hit him.
Valentino is Don's private horse and only ridden by Don. Valentino
adores Don, and completely trusts him. He is a stunning ride
and is ridden without a bit.
Valentino has moved to the beach stable. We wanted to put
him into a pressure cooker situation. As we allocate horses
for rides watch his reaction, he licks and mouths, he is asking
you not to hurt him. Six years on he now trusts more people
and allows a woman to touch him, on some occasions.
We at Mkulu Kei Horse Trails, the two and the four legged would like
to say a big Thank you to all our guests for donations towards rescuing
these horses.
Thank You.
Cheryl
See You in the saddle soon!
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.
And what better to experience South Africa’s beautiful
coastline on the back of a horse…
Ever thought you would like to canter your horse along a beach,
or play in the waves?
You could be here on your coastal horse riding vacation.
The sound of the horse's hoofs on the sand or splash of the
water will live with you forever.
Whether you dream of riding along open savannah grasslands, pristine
coastal forests or unspoiled Wild Coast beaches, there's a Mkulu Kei
Horse Trail that suits your available time, riding level and budget
...
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.
…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. 
