Christmas on the Wild Coast at Sunray Farm

This past Christmas we had a full house at Sunray Farm.  It was the biggest Christmas that I have ever had to do, and it was awesome!

Staying at Sunray is not like other smart lodges and camps found on safari. When you come to stay with us, expect to make yourself at home!

Sunray Farm Horse Riding Holidays; College groups, families & friends

Merrist Wood College  on a Wild Coast tour

While the weather swings dramatically between the extreme heat of a Durban summer and the chilliness of the start of winter, so Wild Coast Horse Trails vacillates between being wildly busy to sedately not so busy but quietly ticking over.

Nicky, our freelance guide, decided to take a bit of a busman’s holiday in February and March, travelling up north to visit our friends at Horizon Horseback Safaris and Wait A Little Big 5 Horse Safaris. In her absence, suddenly, trails were booked and 14 girls from the UK’s Merrist Wood College descended on Sunray Farm for a week-long riding holiday and cultural experience.

Swimming on the Waterfalls Ride

Visiting the local school

It was a delight to have them share their enthusiasm and energy with us and the local community. With lots of riding, visits to game reserves, an overnight trail and a trip to the local school, the girls were kept busy throughout their stay and returned to England with many happy memories and tales to tell. We know that both they and all at Wild Coast Horse Trails eagerly await their return in 2014.

As the girls departed, so we welcomed a group of four riders, also from the UK, who joined us for a farm stay and trail. With African Horse Sickness still in our midst, we have had to be careful about travelling too far with the horses for fear of exposing other equines to the virus or increasing the risk of our own horses catching different strains. As a result, we have been challenged to develop alternative itineraries and to explore the local area for additional rides. Nevertheless, the riding remained fast-paced, breath-taking and diverse, incorporating everything from a game experience on Endalweni Game Reserve to explorations into the hilly grasslands of the Wild Coast and unforgettable beach canters.

A family horse riding holiday at Sunray Farm.

Hot on the heels of this trail, we welcomed an Israeli family to the farm. Yaacov, Leanne and their four daughters enjoyed a week of getting to know our horses and our ways of working with our equine companions. We have never had such a hands-on group on our farm stay before and Roz and Nicky, who hosted and guided the group, enjoyed a rather leisurely week as the four girls pitched in with the grooming, tacking up, feeding and pretty much any other horse-related task thrown their way!

Julie-Anne’s son, Ashley, has also returned to Sunray Farm after 2 years of working for Perseverance Endurance Stud in Graaff-Reinet. As a competitive endurance rider and an experienced horseman, it is wonderful to have his influence back on the farm once again, especially with the wealth of experience he picked up during his time away.

As well as assisting with the general running of the farm, Ashley has taken on four potential endurance horses and is beginning backing and training them ready for competition. The oldest of the four is our Anglo Arab stallion, Torstone Tashbah – a stunning animal with lots of personality and a rather bouncy gait that puts many a rider off but will provide little challenge for Ashley! The other three range between four – six years old and have been selected on the basis of their conformation, breeding and temperament.

Starting Torstone Taz Man

In addition to these steads, Ashley has been assisting Roz, our yard manager, in the backing and training of some of our younger horses. We are delighted to have some young Percheron/Arab crosses and nice tall Anglo Arabs coming into work and hope to see them excel as strong, solid, weight-carrying trail horses.

As the cooler weather begins to creep in, we are hoping for an end to our African Horse Sickness problems; certainly, infection rates seem to have slowed considerably and our latest patient is well on the mend after a medium-term battle with this lethal virus. Between the Disease Control Africa vaccines and the MMS treatment, we seem to be getting on top of this particular strain and hope that next year will see far fewer cases than the 35 or so we have had to treat this year!

The Wild Coast is fortunate enough to enjoy a relatively mild winter, with temperatures rarely dropping below 20⁰C during the day and 10⁰C at night. Our days are usually dry and sunny, making for some of the nicest riding conditions – a secret few seemed to be aware of … until now! Our trails are booking up nicely and we have a base-stay at Endalweni Game Reserve booked nearly once a month for the foreseeable future (although places are still available should anyone be interested).

We are also looking forward to returning to our pre-AHS haunts further up the coast. In May we will be taking clients on a seven-day beach trail up to Wavecrest and the Kob Inn – an itinerary we have had to abandon during the horse sickness outbreak. This stunning ride takes in some incredible, long beach canters and provides accommodation at some of the best-situated hotels on the Wild Coast – and there are still places available for anyone who might be interested in joining us on this adventure.

We have a steady influx of working riding holiday guests coming throughout the winter so have a lot of work planned for horses, both in terms of keeping them fit and ready for trail, and schooling them in order to enhance their responsiveness and suppleness to provide the best mounts for our trail clients.

Our horses are really the most important aspect of this company as they are the ones that create a riding experience that our guests will never forget. Their hard work, reliability and enthusiasm for their work is really what makes Wild Coast Horse Trails stand out as one of the best beach-riding operators in Africa. Come along and enjoy a unique experience on horses that are full of character, endurance, stamina and sure-footedness.

The mares enjoying the autumn sunshine

Equestrian Gap Year programmes

Brush up on your stable manners with an equestrian gap year programme

Posted: May 30, 2012 |By Nicky Hoseck|

After completing school or university many people decide to 
take a year or so to explore new horizons and get a clearer 
sense of themselves and their priorities before committing 
to a career. For many, this is the opportunity to travel to 
new countries and experience different cultures and people. 
For horse- mad girls (why are they nearly always girls?),
this year is often a chance to rekindle an old passion.

Equestrian Gap Year Programmes are generally not free, but 
they are often a lot more affordable than keeping a horse or 
having regular riding lessons. The added benefit it that it 
gives those involved the opportunity to learn about so much 
more than just horses.

There are many different types of riding holidays available to
people on a gap year. Some might choose to assist with 
teaching children to ride ponies, or even to lend a hand at a 
riding for the disabled establishment. Some of the most 
popular Equestrian Gap Year Programmes are those situated
in Africa. Not only does this give participants the opportunity 
to discover a whole new world and lots of different cultures, 
many of the opportunities also involve riding with game – 
something that is not usually available outside this continent.

Many of the trail-riding companies in South Africa offer
Equestrian Gap Year Programmes and volunteer opportunities
to experienced riders. This often means that volunteers will 
ride out with a guide and their guests, usually at the back of 
the ride, to ensure the safety of the guests so a fairly 
advanced level of horsemanship is generally required.

In many cases, Equestrian Gap Year Programmes will cover a
lot of different aspects of an equine business and volunteers 
may find themselves involved with handling foals, brood mares
and stallions as well as riding horses. As with any volunteer 
placement, there is a balance between the hard work and 
the fun stuff. While you may end up cleaning tack for a 
morning, the afternoon will probably be a great ride through 
the African wilderness.

Very few Equestrian Gap Year Programmes will expect their
participants to muck out stables or do any other very heavy, 
manual work. However, there re always disreputable companies
out there who are anxious to get their share of volunteer 
labour, even if they are not really in a position to offer an 
organised programme. To avoid wasting your time, it's 
advisable to speak to previous volunteers to check out the 
details of what they were expected to do and what their 
experience was like. After all, it is a big investment in terms 
of both time and money.

Once you secure your place at a reputable stable, be sure to
brush up on your riding before you get there – otherwise your 
riding muscles might let you down over the first few days!

Working Riding Holidays at Sunray Farm with 

Wild Coast Horseback Adventures

Learn to ride a horse when you are an adult.

The benefits of learning to ride as an adult

Published: June 12, 2012 by Nicky Hoseck

Learning to ride has many positive benefits

Source: Wild Coast Horse Trails

Learning to ride a horse is more than just physical

Looking for a new challenge – something that will keep you fit and provide with a new way to spend your leisure time? Why not learn to ride a horse? The relationship between human and horse has existed for centuries and the experience of riding a horse has a range of benefits for the rider – in physical, spiritual and emotional terms.

The first time on a horse’s back can be quite unnerving for some but, once in the rhythm of it, it can provide an exhilarating and empowering experience.

Obviously, for many adults, the idea of taking on a new pastime later in life is quite daunting, especially if it means joining a class full of children plodding around a ring on ponies. Fortunately, many horse-riding establishments are aware of this and offer alternatives specifically aimed at adult beginner riders. For example, some riding stables offer a two-week intensive course which caters for adults only and during which participants will learn to ride a horse as well as the basics of horse care, such as grooming and tacking up.

The benefit of packages such as this is, is not only the enjoyment factor, but also the variety of different aspects of horsemanship that are taught. Most packages will offer an arena-based lesson – often on a one-to-one basis – in the morning, followed by an out-ride or trail in the afternoon. This means that participants will be confident both in the arena and out in the countryside at the end of the course.

The physical benefits of horse-riding make it an attractive pastime for those who are seeking an outdoor pursuit that will burn calories as well as toning and strengthening muscles. Research indicates that riding a horse – even at a walk – improves balance and builds strong, flexible muscles as well as developing coordination. The work associated with horses, such as lifting bales of hay or mucking out a stable, also increases strength and fitness.

From a spiritual point of view, many adults that learn to ride a horse find it very calming, especially once they have built a bond with a particular equine companion. The experience of riding out on your beloved horse can prove a great way of relieving stress and winding down from the pressures of work.

Whether you are looking for a hobby that you can share with a close friend or family member, or whether you are seeking a more solitary pursuit, horse-riding can fulfil your needs. Some people prefer to ride in groups, while others are more content when it is just themselves and their equine friend.

Some of the benefits of going on an intensive course in order to learn to ride is that, not only will you gain a new skill and immerse yourself in all things equine, you will also meet friendly people, get to experience life in the countryside – maybe even in a foreign country – and have the opportunity to sample good, home-cooked food and farm-style hospitality.

An intensive riding course, especially one offered in an exotic location, gives you a complete break from your usual, day-to-day life and, with all your concentration focussed on developing your riding ability, it gives your mind a chance to unwind from the pressures of work and home.

Adult learn to ride holidays at Sunray Farm