Voluntary work in equine therapy in South Africa

I was at the Equestrian Therapy project near Cape Town, South Africa for four weeks. It was a very nice area outside of Cape Town's center near some nice vineyards. 

project work

The working day begins at 08:30 with cleaning, saddling and bridling the horses that are needed for the first hour. Depending on the day of the week, the first hour starts at 09:30 or 10:00. There are three to five hours in the day, the last one ends at 17:00 p.m., Friday at 15:30 p.m. The horses are then unsaddled and have to be fed.

If an hour is missed, you support the caretaker with cleaning the drinking trough, washing hay and straw or with smaller jobs that arise on the farm. The children arrive shortly before class and still have to put on riding shoes and riding helmets, and we always support the volunteers with this. The instructor assigns the volunteers to be leaders on specific horses and the remaining volunteers are sidewalkers.

As a leader you lead the horse and as a sidewalker you walk next to the horse and support the child with the exercises, talk to him and guide him according to the instructions of the instructor. There are many volunteers in this center, the majority come from the surrounding area and help for a day, half a day or just an hour a week. Everyone is very friendly. The children usually come with their schools, but some also come with their parents.

Lodging

I was accommodated in a small cabin, which fits a maximum of two people, but I was glad that I was alone there for most of my time, as it is a bit cramped for two. In addition to the two beds, the cabin has a small bathroom with a shower and a small kitchen with a stove, microwave and oven. Every Monday during the lunch break I was driven to the supermarket to buy groceries for the coming week.

leisure

After the working day you have the opportunity to go away, but there is nothing "exciting" in the vicinity that is still open at this time. With the Uber/Taxify you need about 20-30 minutes to the waterfront in Cape Town, this costs around 7 euros per trip. Weekends are free to explore Cape Town, Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden and Table Mountain are just around the corner and well worth a visit.

All in all it was a good time and if you like horses (and I don't just mean riding), are not afraid to work with children with disabilities and lend a hand in the yard and stable, it's definitely an experience value.

Report from the riding therapy project in South Africa by Manjana S., August 2019