Africa by horseback: an epic horse ride from KwaZulu-Natal to Cape Town

Posted on 15 March 2012

Touted by many as harebrained, Barry Armitage nonetheless pursued his dream. He managed to stitch together a support team, secure interest and support from TV production company Cooked In Africa, and rope in his brother-in-law and friend, Joe Dawson, to become part of the initial series, The Ride of the Peacemaker, which aired on SABC 3 in October last year.

They’ve subsequently completed The Mongol Derby, which is often referred to as the world’s toughest horse race.

For their latest adventure, they turned things down a notch and opted for a slow epic from the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands to Cape Town. The Ride Into the Unknown wasn’t made expressly for TV; instead the team undertook the 2 000-kilometre journey to raise funds for equine charities.

Says Barry of their adventures: ‘At first glance it’s simply a Boy’s own adventure, but this concept really picks at the scab of our heritage, helping us to understand the things individuals did that shaped our country, challenging us to get a better idea of our past and hopefully informing a better future.’

You’re following historic routes through a modern landscape – has this changed your perception of South Africa in any way?

That’s a big question, as it’s what The Ride is all about: how epic historic journeys shaped our landscape physically, socially and politically. Into the Unknown is the first expedition where Joe and I have had the opportunity to take a slow journey on horseback and really appreciate our beautiful country.

When travelling by horse there’s no barrier to absorbing the energy of a place or person as there is in a car. Now I have a deep knowledge of and respect for its natural treasures.

You’ve ditched the stopwatch for your current ride – how has this affected your experience?

It’s definitely more enjoyable than our usual 03h30 starts and hectic schedule.

You’ve also been relying on the kindness of strangers in what many consider an unsafe country – have you proved them wrong?

We’ve never had an incident of any sort. People across the country have been warm, friendly and generously hospitable. There are one or two grumpy drivers though, normally those driving high-end gas guzzlers.

How do you keep horse and rider healthy, happy and motivated?

This ride is leisurely compared to what we’ve done before. After the first week we were riding fit and, barring a broken toe from my horse standing on it, we’ve held up pretty well. The four horses have one day on and one day off and now manage the 30- to 40-kilometre stages with ease. Injury from incidental things is more of an issue: rubs developed from bites, scratches or beach sand getting into the tack is an ongoing concern.

There’s no home to go to at the end of the day except where the resting horses are waiting at camp for the night, so it’s interesting to see how the horses bond as a unit and with Joe and I on a trip like this.

What charities are you supporting?

We’ve been supporting the Cart Horse Protection Association in Cape Town for a while now. They do fantastic work with the carting community in the Cape Flats. We wanted to throw our charitable net a bit wider going forward, to encourage people outside of Cape Town to donate to equine charities and are now working with the Highveld and Coastal Horse Care Units.

Which has been your favourite ride so far?

I can’t answer that. The Dick King ride (retracing the 10-day, 950-kilometre ride from Durban to Grahamstown that ultimately led to the annexation of Natal by the British in 1843) was astounding. We didn’t know what we were getting into and it was a life-changing experience. That journey has spawned more incredible experiences, each different and special. They’re all my favourites.

Mongol Derby: The Ride of the Golden Horde will be screened on SABC 3 on 16 April 2012. Go to www.theride.co.za.






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