South-Africa-horses

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Horse Rehabilitation - South Africa

Location

Eastern Cape

Start dates

Flexible, any date throughout the year

Duration

1 – 12 weeks

Availability

Spaces available

Cost

1 week: £599
2 weeks: £899
3 weeks: £1199
Extra weeks: £225
Professional roles - 2 weeks: £275, extra weeks: £225

Discounts

£35 per person for friends / partners

Work hands on with over 40 horses
No experience required
Enjoy riding along the Indian Ocean coast whilst watching whales and dolphins
Volunteers with professional skills also needed

Project details

Introduction

An exciting opportunity to work hands on with horses on the South African coast. The project is designed to care for previously abused or neglected horses. As well as the rehabilitation side of the project, you will also have the opportunity to help out with beach and bush horse trails.

You will get to enjoy the Indian Ocean, the beaches, the dolphins, the dunes and of course the horses!

The project allows you to work closely with the horses on a daily basis. You do not need to be a very experienced rider; having the basics of walk, trot and canter are a bonus. The project accommodates all levels of riding experience and will tailor your activities accordingly.

We also offer placements to volunteers with professional skills (vet, equine dentist or farrier) who would like to utilise these at the project.

While at the project you will benefit from your experience and can use it for your future in the equestrian world, or you can just put it down to a great life experience!

Read what past volunteers have said about this project in our South Africa Horse Rehabilitation reviews.

A typical day

Although each day varies, the routine is based on:

7am: Morning duties include food preparation and feeding of the rehabilitation horses, checking water and the physical condition of the horses. Volunteers then choose between riding on a beach trail and assisting with the preparations for that, or working in the rehabilitation centre with assigned horses. This work could include dipping, grooming or working with individually allocated horses.

2pm-3.30pm: Grooming and attending to the rehabilitation horses.

3.30pm-5pm: Food preparation and feeding of all horses on the farm and at the beach. Checking water and visual checks of the horses.

Please be aware that although there is a daily routine in place, this could all change, for example due to bad weather conditions, in such a case, volunteers will be involved in tack cleaning whilst watching a DVD!

The location

You’ll be living in a cottage close to the Indian Ocean coast which is located in the Eastern Cape. The farm is 236 hectares and is home to over 40 horses. You will be living approximately 7km from the beach and walking distance to the farm.

How you can make a difference

By volunteering with us, you will be helping to care for and giving some much needed TLC to horses that have suffered abuse and neglect in the past. Your time with the horses will be improving their quality of life.

Volunteers who are staying for at least 4 weeks and who have sufficient experience will also be given the opportunity to dedicate some of their time to working with a young, inexperienced horse which provides the chance to make vast improvements. Volunteers who are staying for less than 4 weeks will not have enough time to do that; however there are still lots of interesting projects and horses waiting for you!

With over 40 horses to care for, volunteers’ hard work really helps to lessen the load and consequently, their help is invaluable. Your fee is also an important source of funding for the project, so that the work can continue.

What's included

A comprehensive information booklet and pre-departure support
Travel advice and assistance
Being met on arrival at East London airport
Accommodation (shared room)
All meals
Return transfer to East London airport at the end of your stay
Ongoing support, help and advice from our local team

What else to budget for

The following items are not included and estimates are given as a guide for your budgeting: flights to East London airport (£600-£800), travel insurance, personal spending (£20-£50 per week).

More details

Background information about the project

This is a family run project. The owners have been providing horse trails since 1998. In 2000, they moved onto creating a rehabilitation centre. Since then they have provided a home to numerous horses in order to save them from abuse and neglect. The rehabilitation centre has a very good reputation and the SPCA (the South African equivalent of the RPSCA) contact them with new cases that they have found.

The objective of the project is to rescue and rehabilitate horses so they can once again believe in people. The motto of the project is “horses working for horses”, and this is exactly what happens. The income that the beach and bush trails horses generate funds the horses in the rehabilitation centre.

Support and induction

As this is a family run project, you will be in contact with all the family; Georgie, Penny and Asha, they will be your points of contact and will support you throughout your time at the project.

You will be trained in all aspects of the basic care routine regarding everything from riding lessons, grooming, dipping, medication, trail guiding, basic veterinary work, working with youngsters, backing, mouthing and lunging of youngsters. Some of this training will depend on your previous experience with horses, which you can discuss on your arrival.

Other volunteers

There are usually between 2-4 volunteers at the project at any one time, there is a maximum of 6. Volunteers are at least 18 years old and can be from all over the world.

Volunteer accommodation and food

You will be staying in a cottage which has a TV, washing machine, stove, microwave and fridge. There is also a braai (BBQ) area. There are email facilities for volunteers to use within reasonable times. You will be provided with three meals a day. On Saturdays there is usually a braai and a few drinks and Sundays are usually a traditional English Roast (time permitting)!

Free time and travel opportunities

Volunteers normally work 5 days per week, with 2 days off. There are many activities available for you in your free time. You can visit Transkei, or a private game reserve where you can interact with elephants and lion cubs. The local pub boasts the most magnificent view of the Indian Ocean. Or why not make the most of your location and learn to surf, take a stroll on the beach, sunbathe, swim, play volleyball, or quad bike around the farm.

Challenges

As this is a physical project, volunteers should be reasonably fit and healthy and able to carry out all duties required of them.

You should be able to work well within a team and be adaptable to living and working in a group.

Where your money goes and the PoD Charity

PoD is run as a non-profit organisation and does not receive any external funding. We charge a fee for all our placements to cover the overseas costs of volunteering and the costs of running our organisation in the UK. Fee levels are set to match costs (on a non-profit basis) and any surplus monies are distributed to the overseas organisations and charities we work with via the PoD Charity.

For over 10 years PoD has been providing volunteers to help charitable projects around the world. The PoD Charity was established in 2010 to build on this success by also providing financial assistance. Find out more and get involved in fundraising for this project through the PoD Charity.