Okapuka Horse Safaris

12/08/2022

Today is World Elephant Day.
These photos were taken in May of this year when my guests and I went to Etosha National Park for the day. We thoroughly enjoyed seeing these young elephants splashing around in one of the waterholes in beautiful Etosha.
Did you know that Etosha is just around the corner of our new setup? And did you know that we do these trips on a regular basis? So defintely worthwhile I say!

29/07/2022

A nice and chilled little canter 🏇 with Ben from France on our good old Bob Marley. You frown or smile when reading his name? Well, apparently he was born with dreadlocks😁. Bob is an Arab-cross (Arabian x somethingunspecified) and with us for the last 10 years or maybe even longer. He has done -and still does- superb work for us. I simply love this food-focused creature.
In the back is our groom Hendrik on our young Egyptian sired gelding MAI Scapa of Namibia (RHR Sunset Cowboy x Zhahara Al Shama). Scapa is doing well and will be a wonderful safari horse. And secretely I hope an endurance prospect too. The future will tell.

25/05/2022

Encountering African wildlife during a wonderful ride on Africa Day with Marianne from Switzerland.

Video taken at our new place close to Etosha National Park. More information will follow soon.

29/04/2022

Life could be so much worse!
Enjoy your weekend. 🥂

03/04/2022

03/04/2022

PROGRESS = HAPPINESS❣

Containers finally arrived after weeks of rain making roads inaccessible to heavy trucks. It may take a while to unpack and find space for all that's in there. And there's a lot, a serious lot of stuff and more stuff.

Slowly but surely we're getting there.

16/03/2022

It has been very quiet on our FB page these last months. And with good reason. A lot of thinking (no, not drinking 😛), some more thinking and even loads more thinking about the future of Okapuka Horse Safaris. Some big changes are the result of all this. Over the next few weeks I will reveal what is going on. Please stay tuned.

25/04/2021

Last Friday morning Jaqueline and I had a lovely chilled ride and came across some giraffe.

Making you a tiny bit jealous? Come and join us!

15/04/2021

Early this morning our Straight Egyptian mare MAI Nathifa (Baraka Magic Star x Joni Tiamar) left to start her new life as a broodmare in South Africa.
She will be missed dearly, not just by us but by many who were fortunate enough to ride her on our safari rides or on endurance competitions.
We know she's going to an extremely good home where she will be treasured and hopefully produce some gorgeous babies.

19/01/2021

My beautiful office this morning while riding with Anne Sophie and Swann. Both ladies were already on board when they heard the news of the new lockdown in France. All I can say is that they're very happy to be here.

24/12/2020

17/12/2020

I was walking Wardet this late afternoon. She is recovering from a bad hoof injury and cannot be worked. The plan was for her to be under saddle by now, but due to C-19 and her injury it will have to wait another few months before we can start again. Anyway, today was her introduction to giraffe. Despite being nervous and pretending to be a giraffe, she took it fairly well.

21/11/2020

Very early this morning we went for a ride. We met some very grumpy and highly agitated white rhinos and decided to keep our distance. Luckily they decided to charge to LandRover and not the horses.

13/09/2020

BREAKING NEWS BREAKING NEWS BREAKING NEWS

Now that Namibia has opened its international airport and the first flight (Ethiopian Airways) arriving is a fact, Okapuka Horse Safaris is ready to welcome you. In order to celebrate this more than excellent news OHS offer you the following:
* 10% discount on a stay of 7 or more consecutive nights (accommodated in air-conditioned rooms)
* No transfer costs (Windhoek International Airport / Windhoek to OHS & v.v.) when staying 7 or more consecutive nights
* Valid for all bookings confirmed and paid for by October 31, 2020
* Holiday to be taken between October 1 and December 31, 2020

Having giraffe 🦒 stare at you with those big beautiful eyes and long lashes (every female’s envy), being up-close-and-personal with a bunch of juvenile springbok 🦌 (not quite the correct emoji), maybe having a canter with a few zebra 🦓 or watching rhino 🦏 form a safe distance, having a glass (or 2) 🥂 of chilled white wine for sundowners, and some good trots and canters on beautiful Arabian horses 🐎.

If you need to re-calibrate your time, your space and your soul what are you waiting for? Let us share the beauty of this little piece of Namibia with you.

Namibia’s main rules of entering the country:
* Inform the Namibian Embassy (Berlin, Brussels, Washington etc.) of your intention to travel to Namibia (dates, accommodation, further itinerary if travelling through the country)
* Proof of pre-booked accommodation
* A negative SARS-COV-2 PCR test not older than 7 days upon arrival in Namibia (issued by a laboratory that is certified in the country of issue to issue SARS-Cov-2 PCR test results)
* Another negative PCR test is only mandatory when staying less than 5 days at the same accommodation

NB! Please be aware that, depending on your country of origin, you may have to go into quarantine/(self)isolation once returning home after your wonderful holiday at OHS.

Okapuka Horse Safaris welcomes you to Namibia; a country where social distancing comes natural.

06/07/2020

It was full moon last night 🌕. Briefly thought about going for a full moon ride until I went outside to take the photos and realised it was seriously cold. Quickly changed my mind and sat in front of the fireplace. 😁

21/06/2020

June 21, celebrating World Giraffe Day. 🦒

It is almost every day that we encounter giraffe while out on horseback. And every single time we do it is not only majestic and awe inspiring, but a privilege to see these stunning animals up close and personal.

28/05/2020

Another celebration 🎉🥳, and no excuse needed 😉. As of Tuesday, June 2 Namibia will go into lockdown Stage 3. Slowly, slowly catches monkey 🐒.
Home-made (and therefore fresh) Pina Colada🍸 and a Berry Daiquiri🍹. Gosh, they do taste like ........ MORE❣️

26/05/2020

Episode 2 - DOGGOS (no resembling emoji available)

Today it's Doggos's turn to be introduced.
In 2009 I went to look for a puppy at the SPCA as it would be easier to introduce to the cats and v.v. However, after seeing several lovely puppies I decided to go for a slightly older dog as the puppies would find a forever home within nano-seconds. There were 2 dogs that captured my eye; a bitch and a dog, in adjacent kennels. I took the dog, called Benno, to the cattery to see how he would cope with cats. There was no reaction; he sniffed, sniffed some more and ignored despite some of the cats throwing a serious hissy fit. That's my dog! Upon bringing him back to his kennel the lady in charge asked if I wanted to bring the bitch to the cattery. No, was the answer, as I would have to make a choice if she would have the same reaction. And 2 dogs was not an option. After 10 days I fetched Benno. I so did (and do) not like the name and chose a new one ...... Doggos (wanted to call him Dog, but thought it a bit 'rude').
Ten days later in the latish afternoon I picked up Doggos and drove him home. After a lot of sniffing and exploring in and around the house and stables he found his bed and decided to go for a early night. When one of the cats wanted to snuggle up to him, he got so pi**ed off, started growling and chased the cat. You cannot imagine how upset I was. When all calmed down we told him in a very angry tone of voice: 'You do this one more time and I will show you what it's like to be chased, chased by a big, very big cat ....... a lion!' Since then, all is peace on the southern front; it was the one and only time. Occasionally he chases one of the cats, buts now it's playfulness. And on a very regular basis Doggos and the cats sleep together.

Doggos cannot stand being locked up. He escaped his kennel multiple times by climbing the fence and when locked in the house he destroyed whatever he could find. I quickly found out that by leaving him outside on the stoop he would patiently wait for me to come back from the safari rides or town. Having said that, he does go for his jollies but always makes sure he’s back before I am. It’s only when rain, thunder and lightning are threatening he’s allowed to join the safari rides.
In his younger years he often joined me on short endurance training sessions, easily doing 20km. Once he even followed me on the first 4km of an endurance competition before he was caught out!

Doggos must be around 12 / 13 years old now. His eyesight and hearing are failing him, his joints are troubling him, making him less active and therefore gaining weight. He sleeps (and snores!) a lot and prefers to sleep in one of the cat beds. He has difficulty jumping into the Landrover and it will not be long before I will have to make a special plank to make it easier for him. He feels horrible when he can’t make the jump and falls on his back. His expression says it all.

He has a special bark when snakes are around, he is scared of thunder and lightning, he hates rain and he hates the cold, he is extremely jealous when the cats get (too much) attention, he’s afraid of the horses except when on rides, he’s a good guard dog and loves chasing warthog and cars (read: tyres!), he loves treats and knows he will get one when he smells coffee in the early mornings (a cookie for you and a coffee for me), he is the sweetest, most loving dog one could ever wish for. He is a happy chappy.

Doggos is my shadow; wherever I am Doggos is. He is devoted and the best friend (wo)men can have. Love this Dog(gos) to pieces.