Each morning starts with feeding the horses. Since they are free-running on the farm during the night, this sometimes means jumping on the back of a bakkie and start your day with a drive to look for them. Since the open farm is not just the home of the horses but also of all our game, you might already have your first sightings! As soon as the horses are fed, you will get back on the Bakkie and join our farmworkers on their daily morning routine. Depending on the season this will include providing food for animals on various spots on the farm, check fences and for animals.
Back on the farm and stable side you will enjoy a short break, have a coffee, before getting your horse day started.Each day includes a general check of all our horses. With some of them you will have more interactions, for example working in the round pen. There are poles and lunging equipment to enable a suitable training session for the individual horse. Lunging and Ground work help the horses to build up fitness, develop muscles and find balance in all gaits. It will also build a relationship and trust, which we believe will forever support the horses education. Especially with the background of our horses, which often included painful, frightening and negative human interaction, the interaction from the ground is a basic key to help them to regain their trust.
Our herd also include horses which are more experienced and much further in their rehabilitation process. We mainly use them on farm work, trail rides and as training partners for the youngsters. It will be part of your volunteer work to go on trail rides and look for the animals. As a game farm we also need to manage the animals and their habitat. With your trail rides you will be part of monitoring and documenting animal activity in the field. Where have you seen the buffalo herd last? Has the number changed? How are the wildebeest herding at the moment? When last did we spot the giraffes? Important questions when running a game farm and a great opportunity for our volunteers to experience the African farm life. Next to feeding tours, horse training and riding you will also join us on our game drives and learn more about the flora and fauna. Watch the buffalos grazing in the field, giraffes browsing off some of the trees and listen to the sounds of the animals conversing.
You are not a “Horse person”? Khaya Hanci gives you the unique opportunity to interact with horses and learn about leadership, body language and basic understanding of the horses needs. Your days on the farm will focus on farm work such as checking fences, attending to water troughs, monitoring animals, managing alien plants on the farm and helping with the general maintenance work. Next to activities on our farm, our volunteers also participate in the presence program on our neighbouring farms, including a Big 5 Wildlife Sanctuary. For at least once a week you will be joining the manager and be part of wildlife and conservation work on a BIG 5 reserve. Next to buffalos and animals you already know from our farm, you will get the unique experience of what it means to manage a herd of elephants, various lions and monitor the activities of leopards and more animals.
Unfortunately every day will come to an end, but luckily your accommodation right on the farm offers you the perfect way to end a day. Light a fire, have a braai (Barbeque), sit back, watch the sun go down and the stars coming out!
Combining all those impressions we are sure that you will get the unique African experience which we love so much!
