Safari in the Saddle

By Elisa Marocchi

Drakensberg Mountains provided a spectacular backdrop to our rides

"Staring us down"

Our guide, Philip, whispered a hushed order to Joanne. “Slowly, quietly… move back to the road and take the rest with you.”

Our group of seven guests, plus our “tail guide” Madison walked our mounts back to the dirt road, about 15 metres away. The regal lioness watched us intently from where she lay in the bush grass below the acacias, her tail twitching a warning to us.

This encounter was but one of many stunning interactions with the wildlife at “Wait a Little Big Five Horse Safari “(WAL) near Hoedspruit, South Africa, where my friend Joanne and I spent 10 days riding this spring. During our stay, we often found ourselves galloping by zebras, giraffes, wildebeest, kudus, nyalas and impalas. With Philip or Joe (both talented game trackers) guiding us, we found ourselves in close proximity to elephants, hippos, white rhinos, lions, hyenas, crocodiles, warthogs, jackals and Cape buffalo. A vast variety of birdlife was also present.

WAL, owned by Philip and Gerti Kusseler, specializes in horseback safaris for experienced riders. Great care is taken to ensure guests are kept safe while the wildlife is approached in a respectful manner. The owners also pride themselves in the fact that most of their employees have been with them for as long as 20 years – a testament to the relationship they have with their support staff.

Located on a 35,000 hectare reserve, WAL offers several safari options. All rides start at the WAL base facility, a well-maintained, comfortable site. There, we were housed in spacious raised wall tents equipped with wood floors, full bathrooms and comfortable beds. The facility includes an in-ground pool, massage studio, two dining areas and a fully stocked bar. For our ride, the “Big 5 Ride & Dine,” we stayed 4 nights at base, then rode to 2 different private estates where we spent 2 nights at each before returning to base for 1 more night. At all the facilities, we were treated to 3-course meals. We ate VERY well during the safari and were served several local specialties such as boboti (similar to shephard’s pie) and Malva pudding (a pudding cake). We also had the opportunity to sample several game meats during our stay.

Groups are kept to a maximum of 7 guests. WAL requires that riders must be comfortable maintaining a two-point position for several minutes during the controlled gallops on dirt roads and open trails. At times, the horses, while very well-schooled, did shy or offer an exuberant buck therefore an independent seat is essential. Upon arrival, Joe delivered a very thorough safety briefing on the expectations and procedures during rides, then we were taken for an afternoon outing where our riding ability was confirmed. These processes and requirements all ensure the riders, horses and wildlife stay safe – something the staff at WAL take very seriously. Our group consisted of two eventers from the US, two experienced riders from France and a seasoned rider from the UK.

Aside from the wildlife, the stars of the show at WAL are the horses. A mix of Shire crosses, Friesian crosses, Warmbloods, Thoroughbreds and Boerperd crosses, the string of 30 mounts ranged from 15h-17h and with one exception, were all geldings. New horses to WAL spend anywhere from a few months to several years being schooled by Gerti, a grand prix level dressage rider, and by the guides out on the trails before being used by guests. They are comfortable with the wildlife while remaining responsive and lively to ride. The schooling they have in lateral work such as leg yields proved to be very handy as we navigated our way through the very thorny acacia bushes that dot the landscape and line the trails. Many rides took us through the local river and all of the horses readily waded in, often after they had navigated through the very heavy reeds and tall grasses lining the shores.

During our stay, Joanne and I each rode 3 different horses. With rides lasting up to 3 hours or more, with many brisk gallops on each ride, a new mount was provided for morning and afternoon rides. Each of our horses had distinct personalities and always felt forward and happy to be on the trail. Since we had only one horse each with us at the out camps, rides there were held in the morning with the second outing in a game truck, led by Claudia, a very knowledgeable and charming guide.

The horses at WAL receive the best of care. When not on a ride, they enjoy group turnout in large paddocks while spending each night in spacious, clean stalls in the secure barn (needed to fend off predators). Each horse has his own dedicated tack which is cleaned after every ride and a saddle fitter attends several times a year to ensure the tack is always comfortable. Saddles were top-quality Stubben or Bates, and bits were matched to each horse’s needs. After every ride, the horses are bathed, checked closely for any injuries, soreness or tack lesions. Shoeing is on a strict 5 week rotation and routine vaccination and deworming programs are followed.

Seeing the South African wildlife from horseback was the perfect way to enjoy this trip of a lifetime – we’re looking forward to returning one day soon!

Close encounter with a rhino Joanne on Peroni and Elisa on Coopers

Jason Domeij Dave Domeij

Personal Real Estate Corporation

250.717.2214 DaveDomeij.com

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