Natural Horsemanship in Namibia

Module 1: The Foundation of JD Horse Training / Mindset / State of our mind / Body language / The 3 training energies

Module 2: Our tools – Develop feel / Flag work / Ground manners / Be & become equal partners

Module 3: Liberty – Tricks & challenges

Module 4: Bodywork & awareness / Sharpen your eyes and senses

Module 5: ‘Parking’ & riding / Seat training / Riding from feel / Riding in nature

Module 6: Reward-based training / Target training

Module 7: Biomechanics / Healthy movement / Balance / In-hand work / Healthy working on the circle versus lunging

Module 8: Trusting techniques & mindful sharing / Building confidence from true connection

Working/Activity hours: Your helping hands will be required on Monday – Friday: 08:00 – 10:00 & 14:00 – 17:00

Daily Training: Monday – Friday from 10:00 – 13:00

Weekends: Free

Every volunteer gets a private training session per day and is welcome to watch other volunteer lessons or interesting training sessions.

Your daily chores always start with helping the grooms to walk the horses out from the stables to the paddocks and end with bringing them back inside in the afternoon. Around the training lessons & demos, the daily chores vary from paddock cleaning, mini horse grooming, water trough cleaning, keeping horses fit on outrides, assisting with veterinary tasks, feeding, and other caretaking. On Friday afternoons, every volunteer assists with equine-assisted activities and creative classes for the kids from the nearby hostel and village – a rewarding experience!

Although a helping hand is always appreciated on weekends, generally there is no training, and you have the weekend off. You can book a day safari at the nearby Marula Conservation Park to see elephants, lions, and rhinos or head to Windhoek for the day. Or if you wish, you can just relax at the farm surrounded by horses and nature.

Depending on the stage of each horse, the time of year, and your riding ability, the following tasks will be done:

• Grooming the horses
• Preparing feed for the horses
• Walking horses from the stables to the paddocks each day
• Assisting with basic veterinary work
• Assisting the team where needed to clean stables/paddocks
• Assisting with farrrier work
• Brushing the mini-horses and caring for the alpacas
• Tack maintenance and cleaning
• Fitness training for the horses on trail rides on the farm
• Schooling of young horses in keeping with the natural horsemanship techniques learnt
• Liberty & Trust exercises
• Clicker training
• Assisting to teach children the joy of riding

Please note that although you get plenty of time in the saddle and get to enjoy many amazing trail rides in the savannah, the main focus is on building trust and connection, so there is a lot of groundwork before you hop into the saddle. This sets it apart from our other working holidays, and you’ll be rewarded with new skills and natural horsemanship techniques. The different modules build up onto each other and you will translate what you have learned on the ground into your riding style. Most volunteers get one or two project horses to work with during their stay (depending on the length of their journey).

If you only stay for 2 weeks, the focus will be on ensuring you get the best learning experience during the different types of lessons so you may ride different horses during your time. For more experienced horsemen, and those staying longer, you might get one or two project horses that you can focus on, ensuring that you learn to build a strong connection with them. Depending on the horse and their learning, you may be able to be with the same horse on their journey from walking in hand to being backed and then riding them out on the trail. This is an incredibly rewarding journey for those who love liberty training and want to feel the strong bond between horse and rider.

The team prides themselves on finding the right human-horse match, looking at personalities, needs, and training levels. In addition, there are group lessons with youngsters and foals and demos with stallions, so every volunteer will learn new skills along the way.

Sandwerf farm is home to incredible wildlife such as impala, giraffe, waterbuck, oryx, and zebra. They also have some phenomenal bird species and if you’re lucky you might see nocturnal creatures such as jackals, hyenas, leopards and porcupines, which are always a highlight to see on horseback, foot, or drinking from the waterhole. During your time, you’ll be able to go on trail rides in the wilderness, riding along the wildlife trails and in the riverbed, surrounded by nature. There are some great trails that offer the perfect track for long, steady canters. Sunrise rides are always a highlight in the summer months. Seeing wildlife from the saddle is always an incredible experience, and it’s really special to see the relationship between the horses and their wild counterparts.

At present, Sandwerf is home to an Appaloosa Sporthorse stud. In 2025, it will move to a different area of the farm, but volunteers will still get a chance to meet the mares and foals. The breeding stallions will still stay at the training center. For those interested, Annika can teach you about the importance of bloodlines, how the mares are chosen, and how they are cared for during their pregnancy. The weanlings will be moved from the stud to the training center, and you’ll get hands-on experience working with youngsters. This will start with grooming, halter training, and gentle in-hand training. More experienced riders who volunteer for a longer period, may assist with backing the horses under the supervision of the trainers and using natural horsemanship techniques.

On Fridays, it’s all about giving back to the community by introducing the local children to the horses, mini-donkeys, mini-horses, and alpacas that live on the farm. Share the joy of riding with the children of the community and create moments of healing and awareness. For those who wish to help out in the afternoons, or on weekends, the children love learning new things and playing games, and you’re welcome to spend more time with them.

CAMP OUT WITH THE HORSES

You can add a 2-night sleepout in an exculsive bush camp. This entails riding for 15 – 20km a day, with a stop for picnic lunch and siesta in the shade of the trees. You’ll be able to put your new skills to the test, surrounded by open savannahs and Nambiain wildlife. There will be bon-fires, stargazing and story-telling, before falling asleep with the horses tethered nearby.

MARULA CONSERVATION PARK

On weekends, it’s possible to explore further afield and spend a night at a nearby game reserve. Marula unites 4 distinct climate zones, including mountains, forests, deserts, and African savannas, to create a sustainable ecosystem. It has a variety of animals such as lions, cheetahs, elephants, hippos, white rhinos and over 100 species of mammals and 300 species of birds. Game drives in this park offer the chance for incredible wildlife sightings and photography experiences. You can also hike, cycle and picnic in the wilderness.

WINDHOEK

The capital city is only a 45-minutes drive from the farm and has some great restaurants, shops, craft markets and other activities. It’s a great place to stock up on treats, souvineers or enjoy a bustling city, before heading back to the quiet farm.

EXPLORING MORE OF NAMIBIA

For those who wish to stay longer and see more of this incrediblbe country, we can easily arrange a longer private guided trip that includes incredible locations such as Sossusvlei, Swakopmund, and Etosha National Park. A tailor-made trip can be arranged for 2 or more people, and the costs depends on the number of guests. This includes accommodation, meals, transfers and visits to some of Namibia’s best natural wonders.