Mkulu Kei Horse Trails

A community development program aimed at imparting horse riding skills to under-privileged black local youth in the Eastern Cape township of Morgan Bay on the Wild Coast South Africa.

Eastern Cape is a poverty-stricken province in South Africa that has limited permanent job opportunities, the general community in the township relying on the hotel and seasonal tourism trade.

We at Mkulu Kei Horse Trails wanted to give back to the area and started our youth development project 12 years ago. The aim is not only to teach the less privileged kids how to ride horses, but with education teach a sustainable employable skill opening them to potential job opportunities either locally as stockmen or in the bigger cities grooms and stable hands. Those children with potential, a commitment to find sponsors to train and educate them as jockeys, trainers, riding guides and farriers. Empowering the children at grass level with employable skills that would better their lives in the future and encouraging better work ethics and motivate intolerance to alcohol. Through education encourage the children see and work with animals in a more humane way, by educating and knowledge of kinder methods.

At Mkulu Kei a platform to master the English language and develop leadership skills. Through education and motivation we believe that already as community developers our development youth in the project are empowering not only themselves, but that it is rubbing of on the other children and adults in the township.

We at Mkulu Kei horse trails are very proud of the impact it has made to the young boys (Xhosa girls are culturally are too busy running the home to attend) our leaders at the stable are in turn making a difference to their community. By getting the education of a sustainable professional skill these boys are already encouraging and motivating youth and community development.

Financially sustained by Mkulu Kei horse trails through our working gap volunteers and donations from our riding clients this project keeps the youth off the street. Their leadership skills come with good work ethics - no work no pay, no school attendance no horse riding. This Mkulu Kei community initiative has already made an impact on young lives but it will be in the future that the real difference will be seen in full.

"A real ride to many places at any paces"

Mkulu Kei Horse Trails Horse Riding Development Program, improving the lives of a community by education and teaching horse riding.

The aim of this motivational project is skills transfer to local under privileged children. Empowering the children with employable horse riding skills that would better their lives.

Donate your time as a riding volunteer and with your affordable daily rate you will make a difference.

Mkulu Kei Development Project

Riding horses on the beach Going for an out ride Talking to clients

Having fun with horses Enjoying their riding No work no riding

Talking to horses Comfortable with equines Development boys

Development riders Work to ride More boys

Putting away tack September and a stallion Learning to trot

Safety first Brushing horses Sept & Alex 1st day

Grooming the horses Crossing the stream

Festive fun Sliding off More boys Hacking out

Mates a boy & a stallion Relaxed in the saddle Helping a client

8th 10th March 2010 four of our best development boys went on an over night trail.

The donation Four very excited kids Packing the saddlebags

On the Pont One tired kid Crossing the Kei River

October loved the electricity One happie chappie Time out the saddle

Trail mates Playing snooker The game is on

Which knife and fork? Bathed & ready for dinner A bit over whelmed

Bathroom fun The boys with the camera Breakfast

Learning to eat with utensils Diving for a spoon Enjoying the pool

Swimming in a pool Great hit the swimming pool Getting their faces wet

Bigger boys really enjoyed Caring for the horses Our picnic lunch

Picnic On top of the world More sights

Jacaranda shipwreck Passing the Jacaranda Rolling hills to ride

Riding on the waters edge Stunning riding Testing riding skills

Trail riding Debs on a volunteer holiday Beach riding

Horse riding adventure Fast canter Horse rides

Long canters New paths to explore

Big thank you At the table Not sure of the pool Mussa learnt to swim

Mussa's happy dance Alex Mussa October

September Table manners Look at that face Explaining bathroom

Bath time Two older boys Sharing lunch Riding adventure

The motivation was to work on the boys social skills and allow them to experience new things. How can we expect the boys to use the bathroom correctly if they don't have one at home? As a jockey they will be expected to be comfortable eating at a table and know which knife to use.

You too could pass on your equestrian knowledge and experience, with our volunteer working exchange gap riding holiday opportunity. Take a break from your studies or office and pass on your horse riding skills at Mkulu Kei Horse Trails.

While you are having fun riding horses on the beach in the South African sun, playing with your horse in the sea you are giving an underprivileged black child the chance to better their lives. Your daily rate helps to finance the development project. See riding development program.

See You in the saddle Soon!

Aimed at local under privileged black children between the ages of 6 years to 16 years from the Morgan Bay township. Our development project is making a difference to children who would probably never learn to ride a horse or pony and then they would never learn the finer equestrian skills to be a horseman.

You could be here volunteering on your coastal horse-working gap exchange riding vacation and making a difference in the lives of a rural black community.

This is a totally different opportunity to join a exchange working gap holiday experience in a family business, the more you put in the more you get back.

Ever thought you would like to canter your horse along a beach, or play in the waves?

The sound of the horse's hoofs on the sand or splash of the water will live with you forever. Combine your dream on a working holiday. Take a gap break at Mkulu Kei Horse Trails. As a volunteer while you are riding your horse on the beach and having fun, your daily rate helps to financially sustain this project.

This is a project Mkulu Kei Horse Trails is proud of and sponsored by Mkulu Kei with your help. We use your donations towards the general running of the project. This includes giving the children pocket money, T-shirts, school supplies and on occasion food and school shoes and we have had a number of children parties (with chips, sweets and cool drinks) something they would never experience.

As we are trying to help September not only with his riding skills but his social skills too we have taken him out for meals at the hotel. And it is our intention before he goes to jockey school to experience an overnight trail. How to be socially correct. How do you know how to eat at a table or use the bathroom if you don't have one? Once September has his sponsorship we will concentrate on the next child with potential.

Please we require donations of children jodhpurs, riding boots and riding hats. I would like to upgrade the children's dress code for pride and safety reasons. (6 years-16 years) Second hand or new.

Please help me to help the talented development children. Contact me personally. Cheryl

Tel/Fax: (+27) 043 8411 525 A/H

Cell: 083 632 7298

During the day please contact me on the cell, I am probably horsing around.

Signal can be irregular, please leave a message or phone me on the landline in the evenings.

E-mail: cheryl@mkulukeihorsetrails.co.za

We at Mkulu Kei Horse Trails, the two and the four legged would like to say a big Thank you to all our visitors for donations to wards the development project.

You could be here as a volunteer riding a horse on the beach on your horseback working riding gap vacation and making a difference in the lives of a rural community with our development project. As a paying volunteer not only your time and equine skills but also part of your daily rate is used to sustain our development project.

This is an opportunity to join an exchange working/gap holiday experience in a family business; the more you put in the more you get back.

Ever thought you would like to canter your horse along a beach, or play in the waves?

Come Ride with Us. . .

The sound of the horse's hoofs on the sand or splash of the water will live with you forever. Combine your dream on a working holiday. Take a gap at Mkulu Kei Horse Trails