Horse Riding Leapers Diary

Ellie Stourton

Dear Guy,

When I first arrived, I found the absolute solitude difficult to handle. Coming from the middle on London were you are always surrounded by strangers and traffic and noise to a place where you would go for weeks at a time and not see anyone but the people who worked on the ranch takes some getting used to.

But once you’ve got your head round that, you begin to love it. Everyday I would go riding, either escorting guests or just with Nyaga the syce, and you knew you could just let the horses run and there was no danger of meeting anything, apart from the occasional zebra! Everything about Kenya was intense, the smells, the sounds, the taste of everything.

Nothing is ever in half hearted or in tame measures out there- when it rains there is a monsoon like downpour, if the suns shinning, then you literally won't have a cloud in the sky.

I've never seen skies like the ones in Africa. In the day you'd get massive stretches of azure blue, or maybe full and brooding with black storm clouds or at night just miles and miles of stars. I'd never seen the Milky Way or Orion until I went to Kenya. You are suddenly so aware of being alive. I would find myself beetling along on the horses, grinning like an idiot just for the sheer joy of it all.

In a place like that, breathtakingly beautiful, savage, brutal and unpredictable all at the same time, you suddenly get a sense of how small you are in the great scheme of things.It was fantastic working in a place where it was so small and you had a regular turn over of guests because you got to know lots of different people well in a short space of time.

Everyone would come with a different perspective on life and a different story to tell and a new piece of advice and that was really fascinating. I used to be quite shy, but I began to positively look forward to meeting new guests!

Everyone I met in Kenya was so sweet and so hospitable, they all made me feel so welcome, especially my bosses, the Francombe family, who I owe so much to.Its really hard to explain, but it actually scares me to think that I might not have had this experience.

I only decided to take a gap year right at the last minute and I came on board with the leap at a very late stage and the entire experience has changed my perception on life, on what I want, and not to mention put me in touch with so many fantastic people. Leap, its one of the best things I've done. There are parts of it that are tough, and lots of things that will take getting used to but it is so worth it in the end.It was amazing, truly amazing. I think I have left my heart and soul well and truly behind in Kenya.Hope that’s a help, Hugs Elliexxxxxxxxxooooooooooo

Dear Guy,Was fantastic to talk you yesterday- really I can't thank you enough for sending me to Ol Malo- its such a special place and I am already becoming depressed being back and I miss the francombes like anything! Am suffering serious Ol Malo withdrawal symptoms.

It's weird, you walk done the street in London and you look around you and you wonder how we can think things like matching cushion covers are necessary- there’s just so much needless stuff everywhere- buildings, signs, concrete, pavements, eight million coffee places.

When I was abroad, I was always amazed at how something natural, like the stripes on a zebra or the way the sun hit Mt. Kenya in the mornings could be so perfect that back home it all seems rather hollow. Give me the plains and the smell of the rain any day over the kings road. oh dear, am sounding very much like a pretentious gap student, but London is really horrible! I miss the ranch. Anyway, I won't burden you any further!Love Elliex

Abby Jones

Overall our 2 months at Horizon was very enjoyable. Both of us have loved the riding, seen plenty of game, had fun getting to know and looking after the horses and eaten enough food to sink a ship!

Our fondest memories have been chasing Rhinos at night time, seeing giraffe up close and in their natural environment; the crazy antics of the warthogs and members of staff trying to catch one; playing volleyball (and winning); getting very competitive on the polo cross pitch; watching hippos graze on the lawn from the stoep; being thrown in the dam by the guests on a sundowner; the amazing earthshaking thunderstorms; riding Naked (!); watching the horses galloping along the dam wall at lunch time; Zip the adorable collie; Rory the adorable toddler; visits to the creche at Boschdraai; the prize giving and Gum Boot dancing at the local school... to name but a few things...All in all though our 2 month stay at Horizon was an amazing time.

We had great weather, great horses and great company. I hope that the staff at Horizon and the people of the surrounding area have benefited from our stay as much as we have.ThanksAbbegail and Simon

Candy Brown

Hi Guy,

The place is beautiful and the weather is gorgeous. Am in more of a routine now and yesterday we sat down and discussed what I would be doing. I will be helping out with the horses and the rides as my main priority but as there is a lot of building to be done in the next 3 wks they haven't taken on guests so it will probably be more diy than riding but that's ok.

Have done other things like help with the feeding the wilderbeast etc and have seen so many great animals including a giraffe today. I went riding this morning and am going again this afternoon.Everyone is really nice and has made me feel really welcome. We all went out to a local restaurant on Wednesday - very diff to London and had a dvd night last night. All in all it's brilliant and I am happy to be here and helping out with everything.And the weather is hot!! Sitting in my hat has we speak and drinking lots of liquids!

My brother is probably telling my mother my news so don't worry too much about that.Take Care Candy

Jules Valdinger

Hi Guy,

First of all, so pleased you both got the flowers and they were a success! I got the message you had called to check I arrived safely so thanks for touching base. Well...... I made it to South Africa in one piece. Hallelujah. Considering the state I was in on the Friday night before I left, this was quite a feat.... I did indeed spend most of Saturday recovering and Sunday panicking and packing so was somewhat surprised to find myself arriving at Jo'burg airport on Monday morning..... (particularly as the guy I sat next to on the flight on my right was an 18 year old bloke who had never been to Africa and was so excited he chatted at me the whole night, sweet but good god and on my left, big burly Zimbabwean who was quite scary...)

I arrived in one piece and stayed at Ant's Nest for a couple of days with Ant and Tessa before moving up to Ant's Hill on Thursday. I have hardly seen Ant but he seems very laid back. Tessa is nice but the vibe at Ant's Nest is very hectic and it was a little hard to adjust for the first few days as they were all very much in "too busy to think about anything but what we are currently doing" mode.

Was pleased to get up to Ant's Hill though as Paul and Daleen who run it are just fantastic. They have a 6 month old baby and a 6 month old puppy who are both just too cool for words. I've been there since Friday (am back at Ant's Nest now for a couple of days) and it is an amazing place. We have had a lovely couple of families at Ant's Hill for the last few days and we did an Easter Hunt for the kids yesterday. I had to come up with a quiz for all of them.... and trust me, it is at times like that which really makes you appreciate Google! Instead of just typing in "wildlife quiz for kids"

I spent hours reading books the night before trying to find facts to test them on. Have to say though, it was amazing stuff .. never knew so much about poo and other random stuff!One of the black staff at Ant's Nest asked me if there are many blacks in London and seemed very surprised when I said yes. We also then had a bit of a debate as she thinks HIV is a punishment from God to the Africans for doing something wrong and that He is fed up with them. Crikey.. Considering I don't speak Africaans or Sotho, I am definitely sticking out like a sore thumb but they are all very patient with me.

Nearly all the staff speak English but everyone naturally chats away in Africaans or Sotho so they are slowly... and I mean very slowly... trying to teach me the basics of both!I've only been out with the horses a couple of times so far but I have to say, that there is not much that could beat galloping along in the sunset with 180 degrees of sky, through the bushes and between the trees. It is incredibly cathartic.

The guides are already trying to get me to be able to read tracks and know what plants do what which is seriously interesting but I am a little on information overload! I am back at Ant's Nest to learn how the horse system works down here and then transfer the information up to Ant's Hill... I have been doing primarily lodge management so far, so hoping I can get stuck in with the horses soon. They had another woman here for a year before me who left relatively recently and she was helping a lot in the lodge at Ant's Hill so I wonder if they are trying to slot me into that mould.... Not too worried about it at the moment as I know it will take a couple of weeks to get used to the whole system and then hopefully concentrate more on the horse side of things.The food is amazing.... have been eating buffalo carpacchio, wildebeast schnitzel, impala fillet etc and will need an entire jumbo to get me home if I don't start doing some serious riding.Hope this email finds you well and that you and the family had some decent time out together over the Easter break.....Bye for now... Take care, Love Jules x

Vicki Mercier

Hi Guy,
 
I can't remember whether I got the email you sent me! I haven't started looking on my email until recently!! If its important would you mind sending it again?

I am very happy and my living conditions are great! I am in a house with Tessa's dad and one of the guys that work here!! Everything is good and i don't have any problems with anything!!
 
Just come back from a game ride and I got so close to the rhino it was surreal!! I would send you some pictures but i forgot the cable for my camera to the computer!!
 
Best Wishes
Vicki