When we first moved to Montusi, we brought across four horses from The Cavern (the resort from whence we all sprouted). Over time, we brought in other horses and occasionally welcomed both planned and unplanned foals to our herd. At one stage we had about 30 horses galloping about the estate!
A couple of years ago, we decided to embark on a breeding program once again. Having had no “in-house” stallion since 2009, and only one surprise delivery in 2016, the herd was becoming a little grey around the whiskers with no young blood lined up to take over the saddles.
We partnered with Wiseman Nel from Moolmanshoek and brought down one of his older stallions, Caesar, for a season. Sadly the mares didn’t take to Caesar, so we had no pregnancies from his visit. Wiseman swapped Caesar out for an enormous, young, grey Percheron colt called Thunder.
It took nearly a year for Thunder to realise he was a actually stallion and start his romantic approaches to our mares. The transition from dopey giant to assertive show-off was quick and dramatic, resulting in a few minor injuries to the “boss” geldings of the herd.
After a few months, the new hierarchy was in place and Thunder had his ladies under a spell. Over the last little while, we have had three deliveries:
- a brown colt called Marshmallow arrived mid-Easter Weekend
- a jet-black filly called Liquorice dropped in June
- and, sadly, the little colt that came between these two died shortly after birth
The young ones have come into a world gripped by the chill of winter, but their super fluffy coats keep them snug and warm against their mums’ flanks. Having a young dad means a lot of play and mischief as they gain strength and control of their legs.
Mncedisi, the horseman, has spent much time scratching ears and tails and handling the babies so they are accustomed to humans and associate us with all things lovely. This initial groundwork will make training them in four years much easier!
Next time you visit Montusi, be sure to take a little carrot or apple down to the stables and watch the herd dynamics.
We are so fortunate that this horsey family can live in a natural state with healthy relationships and loads of space to graze and roam.
- The Northern Horse operates along some of the most spectacular horse trails in the Drakensberg Berg right from the Montusi Estate. The stables are within easy walking distance from the lodge and all levels of rider are catered for. They specialise in customising trails to suit the rider’s skill level. This includes everything from gentle strolls over flat fields to exhilarating descents into the river valleys and climbs up the escarpments.
