Mkulu Kei Horse Trails

Arab X

Born: 1982

14.0 hh

Grey

Sire: unknown.
Dam: unknown.

Experienced Only

Holly a schooled, pretty, Old lady, MAD as a hatter, HOT as hell, and she had no brakes, a hard working mare giving us every ounce of herself she felt like a horse three times her height. Very, very forward moving with a floating action Holly could turn on a postage stamp and she could not stand still. Holly would go anywhere we asked and only had one pace Go, Now!

Holly has had extensive damage to her mouth prior to being in our care! We presume she was ridden with a piece of wire as a bit and had a hard thick layer of scar tissue. Holly could only be ridden, by very experienced riders although she is schooled and totally obedient, she loved to go at full pace at all times, there are not many horses even three times her size that can match Holly at the walk or trot – a power walk or trot. Once you had a foot in the stirrup Holly could not stand still, Cheryl would have loved to have had her as a young horse, they would and still do make magic.

Despite her size a machine not a horse. Cheryl personally used her as the lead horse for many years and has huge respect and love for her.

As a matriarch mare and Cheryl’s soul mate she was valuable to her and for many years her mount of choice and the backbone to our business. Sadly missed as a working horse and a hard act to follow.

A horse that can't retire, I just can’t ride her any longer; she still has loads of energy and now stirs up trouble in the herd. She has been known to move the entire herd to a paddock of her choice. Sadly she cannot conceive a foal.

Now that Holly has accepted her retirement she is happy in her new position of head of the mares and foals.

Born: 1996

14.2hh

Chestnut

Sire: Unknown.
Dam: Unknown

Beginner- Intermediate

Blaze has a short stocky build, sway back and one folded ear from an infection and Screwworm he had before we purchased him. He is a great ride for a beginner rider. Moves conservatively with comfortable paces, particularly his rocking horses canter. Often the horse that is selected to give a rider their first experience at the canter. As Blaze is voice controlled and wants to please he has taken several 5-year-old riders on their first canter.

Blaze started his life called Hitler and I believe was a difficult horse to work with. Blaze, as we have always known him, is a sweet heart and a lot younger than he looks, he aged after contracting African Horse sickness.

A wonderful easy ride but is showing us signs he is tired and now on semi retirement being ridden only by small children.

Blaze contracted African Horse Sickness, a terrible viral disease that kills hundreds of horses in Africa each year. It was impossible in my opinion that he would make it, but he did. He pulled himself from hell in incredible pain back to us.

African Horse Sickness 

This disease is spread by insects Culcoides (midges) however there is evidence that this disease can also be transmitted by species of mosquitoes and ticks.

Horses are the most susceptible host with close to 95% mortality, Zebras and donkeys are thought to be the carriers.

Pulmonary form of the disease is characterised by high fever, depression and respiratory symptoms. The clinically affected animal has trouble breathing, starts coughing, frothy fluid from nostril and mouth, and shows Serious lung congestion causes respiratory failure and results in death in under 24 hours. This form of the disease has the highest mortality rate.

Cardiac form has a longer incubation period showing signs in 7-12 days after infection. High fever is a common characteristic. The disease also manifests as conjunctivitis with abdominal pain and progressive difficulty in breathing. Additionally, oedema, presented under the skin of the head and neck: most notably around the eyes. Mortality rate is between 50-70% and survivors recover in 7 days.

Mixed form Diagnosis is made at post-mortem exam Affected horses show signs of both the pulmonary and cardiac forms of AHS.

TO DATE THERE IS NO TREATMENT

Boerperd X

Born: +- 1993

15.2hh

Bay

Sire: Unknown
Dam: Unknown

Intermediate- Experienced

Captain had a bad start to life. A stallion attacked him as a baby, leaving his body and face smashed and disfigured; he was thin and uncared for. (It is not uncommon for a stallion to take out another stallion’s progeny). Luckily a caring family, found Captain who fed and looked after him, but they could not keep him so he came to us.

Captain has a very soft mouth, ride him with your voice he is totally controlled and obedient. Captain has a sweet, kind, loving heart and wants to be loved. He is a very affectionate horse, a people pleaser with a forward moving stride. He will not go forward if you are hanging on his mouth. He loves doing lead rein rides on the beach with the small children and thrives on the attention.

A very popular horse and extremely loved, we are using him more and more for first time young riders, as he is on semi retirement.

Captain had another unfortunate experience some time back. He rolled on a Puff Adder, a widely distributed venomous snake. The rapid strike and large fangs effectively deliver large quantities of its potent Cytotoxic venom, causing excessive swelling followed by necrosis and tissue damage and often gangrene.

(Anti-venoms are produced from the anti bodies produced the blood of horses bitten by snakes and are used in the treatment of bitten humans).

Captain experiences abscess on the snakebite site on his shoulder, which we drain and treat, with time these abscess will stop. During the formation of the abscess Captain is inclined to be a bit thin.