Latest News - End of Year 2008

A busy year here at Limpopo Valley Horse Safaris. Most exciting sightings of the wild dogs released in May with many good sightings of them from horseback and they even followed the horses a couple of times for a kilometer or two.. Luckily they made a den very close to Fort Jameson's and we were lucky enough to see the 14 pups growing up. They have since moved off and are covering the large distances they are know for, although they still come back to this area on a regular basis. Most recently our Two Mashatus ride saw them from horseback on an impala kill in November.

The lions have been very active around our Two Mashatus camp this year; we even had a couple mating in our new dinning area. Lots of interest in us and the horses has kept us all on our toes or hooves this year. The Majale pride is still disbanded but we have seen several male lions back in the area which is very healthy for the resident lions and lots of fun.

Some fantastic leopard sightings too, in particular West and his guests witnessed a very spectacular fight between a haeyenas and leopard near the Kgotla. We are very lucky to see these normally timid cats on a regular basis. Elephant sightings too have been magnificent, lots of baby's this year and plenty of rain has seen them very happy throughout the year.

What's new here at LVHS?

Well we have finally moved our stables closer to the border at Pontdrift. It was quite a process and here are some photos of the new place and the moving of the horses. Due to improved fencing the horses can spend more time out in the field, only coming in to eat and sleep! We are planning to build a nice clubhouse with dinning facility and shower/changing room over January. Basically this means more riding time for everyone. Pictures to follow soon... .

New horses too; pictured below is young Mars a 4 year old 15.3 hands appaloosa cross who is a very sweet horse and has done his first couple of safaris in November.

Also two very stylish bays on loan to us; Loenza a 5 year old, 16.2 hands quarter horse cross whom I am dying to event and Maverick a 5 year old, 15.2 hands Friesian cross who is the most smooth horse I have come across for a while!

Sadly we have sold Baron, a dun Boerpherd to a younggirl in Johannesburg as we felt he was a bit fragile for thebush although
such a sweetie... Some of you may remember him for his fantastic bucking ability when we first broke him in, he still holds the record for depositing the most staff! After Impi of course who has finally matured and is really settled down to work very nicely as part of the team...

Another excellent addition is Little Foot an 8 year old 15.3 hands Percheron cross in training to be west's guide horse. Bred in Kwazulu Natal he came a long way to be a LVHS horse!

Thanks to the addition of overhead fans for all the horses we had limited patients with African Horse sickness this year-what a relief Strider also had 6 months off as he had to go and have his annular ligament operated on by Terry Casey in Johannesburg, I am happy to say he has made a full recovery and is looking better than ever.

Cor and I have also managed to fit in a one day event at Inanda Country Base, both horses did really well and Coolmore even came away with a rosette!! His second event and what a star for a bush horse!!

Young master Jamie is also thriving in the bush and delighting all of the staff and us by keeping us entertained 24/7! Currently in the UK for a hopefully white Christmas and New Year he is not quite so sure about the cold weather!!

We have also had the best of luck to have had Christa shoot and produce a very nice DVD for us in June, as well as Shem and Villiers who have taken some excellent photos this year. Anybody who would like a copy of the DVD or a 2009 or 2010 Calendar with the new Photos let me know and we can post one to you!

Thanks again for all your support it is always nice to see old friends and we hope to see many new ones too in 2009...

Happy New Year from the
LVHS Team

Previous Newsletters

Christmas 2009 Newsletter
June 2009 Newsletter
Mothabaneng Village Tour
End of Year 2008 Newsletter
May 2008 Newsletter
Spring 2008 Newsletter
December 2007 Newsletter
July 2007 Newsletter
April 2007 Newsletter
November 2006 Newsletter
October 2006 Newsletter
June 2006 Newsletter
March 2006 Newsletter
December 2005 Newsletter
May 2005 Newsletter
November 2004 Newsletter