Notes from the saddle
A good safari horse isn’t made overnight.
Before carrying a guest through the bush, there are hundreds of hours spent building confidence, fitness and above all, trust. We ask a great deal of our horses from crossing rivers, negotiating rough ground, asking them stand quietly as wildlife moves around them, cope with long hours and to remain level-headed when something unexpected appears around the next corner.
Much of our work is about creating a partnership rather than simply training. We teach our horses to look to the rider for confidence and reassurance and to think rather than react when they are faced with something they dont understand. A young or inexperienced horse might hesitate at running water, worry about an unfamiliar animal or decide that a particularly suspicious-looking rock absolutely wasnt there yesterday. These moments are all part of their process.
We start gradually introducing them to our way of life, starting on the ground. A good foundation is key. Teaching them to understand confidence, pressure and release, softness and suppleness. Creating a more balanced, willing, confident and motivated partner.
They learn through going solo and riding out with experienced horses to show them the ropes. They learn to navigate difficult terrain, think for themselves, find balance in their gaits and trust their rider.
Wildlife brings another layer entirely. A horse doesn’t naturally understand that a giraffe appearing above the trees is nothing to worry about, or that an elephant should be watched calmly rather than fled from. Experience has to be built carefully, and every horse responds differently.
That individuallity is part of what makes this journey so rewarding. You learn when to encourage, when to wait and when to let another horse show the way.
In time, something changes. The horse that once questioned everything begins to understand the job. They become balanced, sure-footed, forward-thinking and confident in unfamiliar situations. Riding becomes effortless and it begins to feel like a partnership, not just horse and rider.
Ultimately, the partnership and the trust in our horses is what we most rely on in the bush and its why, long before guests arrive and the safari begins, some of the most important miles have already been ridden.
