Ubuntu Horse Trails

16/08/2024

What so Olympic Athletes do when the Olympics are finished? Well, they come horse riding in South Africa ofcourse! What an honour and a pleasure to have .0619r and join us for a beautiful stroll through the vineyards! and thanks for signing my b**b Sima!

09/07/2024

Feeding ponies in torrential rain with Rudi, never a dull moment…

In a game of ‘Mud paddock survivor’ who would you pick to be on your team?

African Sky is very pretty for sure, but i’m not sure she’d survive in the wild! We are testing some new slow feeder hay bins & man, I have to tell you, Darwin would have voted her off his team on a food challenge!

Gallileo on the other hand, on an esacape challenge, i’d want him on my team! Small inconvenience of a fence, gate, electric fence? not a problem!

Fererro is the only one of them all to stand under his shelter, so I’m guessing the common sense challenge would win him immunity!

Orion & Azzy have to be close contenders for Ultimate title, but don’t discount the streetwise Tequila! She’s the swiss army knife of the herd!!

Who would you back for Mud Paddock Survivor 2024??

11/06/2024

Our UK followers,
If you can attend this, you really should 😍

01/05/2024

On this Workers day, i want to shout out to the workers who make our little corner of the world a better place! Roedie Grobbelaar, Norman, Anesu, Storm, Orion, Tequil, Azzy,Lillly, Tank, Dreamer, Sky & Lancelot. You guys are the best!

29/04/2024

Just dropping some pictures here that made me smile! Quite literally inlove with my life & I have so much gratitude to the horses who make it what it is.

20/03/2024

Looking forward to this clinic over the weekend!

Come and join us if you want to learn more about empathetic horsemanship!

Heartfelt Horsemanship

Just some things to discuss regarding this weekends clinics in Cape Town , and clinics in general.
One of the growing trends I have seen is a reluctance for participants to be watched working in front of others.
There is a very real, very genuine fear of judgment.
I get it. Social media has opened the floodgates of criticism, and it has definitely carried into the real world.
Firstly, let me assure you that I will never force anyone to work and learn in front of people. I know the best learning happens through doing, not watching, but if you have this concern I am happy to be the one to work with your horse, while you observe.
I have videos available on my patreon page, for this very reason, as well as to remind other participants of what we cover in clinics.
Spectating has become very popular, and I ask that if someone elwe is working with their horse we are kind and respectful of their efforts, and I will ask every participant if they are comfortable with photos or video being taken. If they are not, please respect this wish.
I am more than happy to have photos and videos taken while I am working, so you can still film reminders for yourself.
Also, there have been a number of spectator queries that haven't secured their booking for this weekend. Please remember booking is essential and limited.
I will be closing booking by tomorrow evening and on the day bookings will not be available.
This is to ensure we don't end up woth unmanageable numbers, but Sundays clinic also has a catering option, so it is critical we have clear numbers..
There are both spectator and participant spots available for both days.
Drop me a Whatsapp on 0724703358 to book.

28/02/2024

We’re doing a fun social ride on Sunday 3rd of March, followed by lunch at the Vredenheim winery.
If you’d like to join, either on your own horse, or one of mine, Please get in touch on Whatsapp
+2799624627

Ten am, 2 1/2 hour ride.

21/02/2024

I’m love this tribute to trail horses!
A good trail horse doesn’t just happen… It take years of patience, hours in the saddle and an open heart.
I want our horses to be able to do everything, that’s why we hunt, practice dressage, play mounted games, but then they have to be able to come back to trails for beginners. It is a big ask…
We really think the horses love the variation❤️

15/02/2024

Its been a busy season here in the heart of the Winelands! Not getting to posting so much these days, but here is a little taster of a ride we did a few days ago!

04/01/2024

All the trail ponies have had a mini break & spa day today & tomorrow, with the very special JJ Terblanche coming to give them each a treatment.
JJ is a Body Worker ( among many other things ) & works with a tuning fork to release the facia, help the lymphatic system & generally help the horses release tension, stiffnes.
Seeing the difference in the horses is mind blowing! See in the one picture how all the horses gather around him while he’s working? ! This man’s energy is so grounding! I could listen to him for days! Luckily i get to do it again tomorrow!

29/12/2023

Rolling into the new year!!

Lilly enjoying an old fashioned roll in the hay after a hose down today!

29/12/2023

04/12/2023

Good morning!

I am going to host a social ride on Saturday the 16th, 10 am start

Where? Vredenheim estate

It will be a 2 hour ride, roughly.
Mostly a walk, but we can split up for a few nice canters.
Please bring your ponies & drinks for a halfway stop.

Followed by lunch at the restaurant.

Paddocks will be made available for the horses.

Costs: R200 per own horse. R800 hire horse.
Lunch for own account.

All funds raised in aid of the Cape Hunt Club.

Rsvp : https://wa.me/message/S6C4H64O4HHIN1

Louise 0799624627

30/11/2023

We have been fairly busy with the good things in life… Riding good horses across beautiful landscapes & drinking good wine!

28/11/2023

Copied & pasted....not sure who to give credit...

Have a bad ride? Rough day working at the barn? A saddle you want just financially out of reach?

I'd like to take this time to remind you that...

Hunter/jumpers: we ride horses in circles and jump sticks for a living and then we let some person tell us our horse did, or did not, jump the sticks as pretty as another horse.

Dressage: we trot in circles and let someone tell someone else to write down whether or not we are circley enough for the circle club

Eventers: we decided jumping out of an airplane without a parachute wasnt exciting enough, so we run at mach speeds towards walls, ditches, and small lakes to see who can do it fastest.

Barrel racers: we spend all of our time fine tuning our ability to turn 3 times faster than anyone else

Ropers: we catch calves that are technically already caught

Steer wrestlers: we wrestle an animal that didnt even know there was a wrestling match coming their way

Team Sorters: even on our worst day, we didnt spend as much as the cutters.

Reiners: see dressage, add speed.

Cutters: we let several people tell us were better, or worse, at not letting calves hang out with their buddies.

Team penners: we take caught calves, and make them a little more caught

Mounted shooters: because weve used this skill ever in the last 200 years

Endurance: we take 10 times as long, and 10 times more money to get somewhere an ATV could've brought us.

Western Pleasure: we poke around at wine sipping speeds in the equestrian equivalent of a ball gown.

Trail riders: cheers. Yall have it figured out 🤣

It's not that serious yall, so just have fun!

Pc Rachel Ann Photography

16/11/2023

It is ‘World Horse appreciation day’

So it is only fitting that it’s this young man’s birthday today!
Happy birthday Gallileo! I’m so proud of this boy i bred. He’s got the most beautiful personality!

Moments like these I miss my beautiful friend Marelise Krige so much, jy sou hom gelove het maatjie!

11/11/2023

Super fun morning riding on the most pristine beach imaginable! Love my office on days like these!

29/10/2023

Probably why RG Snyman is my favourite Springbok🥰🥰

Well done Bokke! You made us proud!

07/10/2023

10 days after having a river run through our home, we are back home & having a braai in our beautiful courtyard. It has been an incredibly tough week, but we have been overwhelmed with kindness.
To all of those who have help clean, sent food, wiped up tears, thank you! You mean the world to us! Melanie Taljard jy is die beste❤️

04/07/2023

What’s in a name? Why Ubuntu Horse trails?

Ubuntu is an African concept which loosely means ’I am because of you’
It refers to the collective consciousness of all creatures on our planet, that we’re all connected and we should look after each other because we can only prosper if we ALL prosper.

Boyd Varty explained it beautifully in his TED talk back in 2013. Take a look, it’s quite entertaining!

"In the cathedral of the wild, we get to see the best parts of ourselves reflected back to us." Boyd Varty, a wildlife activist, shares stories of animals, h...

03/07/2023

Welcome to the herd! Another new face & she’s already krept into our hearts!
This is Lilly-B. She is a 7 year old Quartehorse and is just delightful!

29/05/2023

Next up in the series of ‘new faces’

This guy is called Dreamer. ( Aka Junior, Aka Louis, but we feel Dreamer is the right name for him )

I don’t really have any pictures that do justice to how amazing he is. ( that may be because I always dibs riding him & I’m also the photographer 🙈) He’s a Boerperd gelding, 7 years old. He’s a more advanced ride, but is coming along nicely & is STUNNING!!! He’s a heart thob & he knows it!!

27/05/2023

Next up in our line of new faces, please allow me to introduce Lancelot.
Lancelot is a gentle giant, warmblood gelding. He is settling in well and already an absolute favourite choice as the ‘husband horse’

25/05/2023

We have a couple of new faces to introduce!

After years of begging, Roedie has finally agreed to come and work with me! He is an incredible horseman and brings with him a heap of charm, experience in both English and Western riding, and horsemanship skills quite incredible for such a young man. ( he also looks good in jods, but lets not make him blush )
Welcome to the team Roedster! We are so excited to be working with you👏👏
Roedie Grobbelaar

24/05/2023

Isn’t autumn just flippen amazing? I love the crisp clear days, the grasses, the trees changing into their pajamas for winter, and the glorious sunsets!

We are all settled in at our new home & we’re enjoying finding new trails and discovering what’s around the next corner.

Following the track of our lives. Like Boyd Varty says: I dont know where I’m going, but I know exactly how to get there.

So blessed.

18/05/2023

Thank you Nikita for these awesome pictures!

And my crew for being excellent models! It’s easy to get nice pictures when the backdrop is so spectacular & the horses are so happy!

15/05/2023

Getting ready for the drag hunting season with . A few pics from the Heritage day ride last week. I took African Sky on her first outing & she was very very good! She will do a few of the shorter hunts this year, starting with bye day hunt next weekend 👏👏

15/05/2023

The view from my bed at the FABULOUS in Philadelphia! We attended a clinic Paul Parker & Joshua Munick. Absolutely fabulous weekend!

20/04/2023

Ubuntu Horse Trails is up & running folks!!
I cant tell you how excited we are to share this beautiful space with riders from all over the world!

We are heading into winter down here in SA, but the days are warm ( mostly around 20° C) the wine is good, the food is excellent & the horse riding is spectacular! Dont let winter put you off !!

11/04/2023

Some sneak peeks at some of our new trails!! Trust me, it’s going to be amazing! The horses are settling in & going well and the views are incredible! What a privilege! After a quick birthday ride for last night, we simply cant wait to welcome guests back next week👏👏