WILD COAST
WORKING RIDING HOLIDAY
Rider Limitations: Strong intermediate - experienced riders.
Riders over 18 years old only.
Must be able to groom, tack up and have basic horse care skills.
Weight Limit: 90kg.
Season: January - December (all year).
Dates: 2 - 12 weeks duration.
Ask us for available dates.
Flights: Flights must be booked to arrive and depart from East London Airport (South Africa).
Internet: Wi-fi is available at accommodation.
A unique opportunity for horse lovers to truly immerse themselves in the local seaside village life, and experience the joy of being with, and riding horses day after day along the stunning Wild Coast of South Africa.
Riders can stay at a much reduced rate for extended periods of time, in return for helping out with the horses and fully paying guests. Perfect for those taking a career break, (or just a 'real life' break), those looking to travel for longer periods of time, those who work remotely, as well as gap year students or university students on holiday.
Our favorite saying is 'Eat, Sleep, Ride, Repeat', and on the Wild Coast Working Riding Holiday you can do just that! Riders can stay much longer, and immerse themselves in equestrian life!
​
Bring along your spirit of adventure, and love of the great outdoors, and escape to a horse-filled life in South Africa. The horses are much-loved; a mixture of Arab, Boerperd, Thoroughbred and Percheron crosses, many of which have been home bred and are perfect for endurance and trail riding. You will be delighted by how gentle, well schooled and friendly they are.
​
The trail team of horses is kept endurance fit to be able to complete the multi-day adventure trails along the coast, while the youngsters are brought on carefully with ground work and schooling. ​
Escape from everyday life for a while, ride along spectacular beaches famous for their beauty, blow all your cares away, reconnect with your horsey side, and immerse yourself in riding and live like a local in a rural seaside village.
Sandy hooves, salty manes, horses, sunshine, sand and sea!
Digital nomads and students, who work and study remotely are welcome; there is uncapped wi-fi at the accommodation, making this the perfect getaway! Printing and scanning facilities are also available, and a desk is provided on request in your room.
Become part of the Wild Coast family, and make yourself at home. As long as your work is flexible, and can be slotted in around helping with the horses and riding, this may be perfect for you! ​​
MINI BEACH TRAIL
​
​Included in the cost for those who volunteer for 4 or more weeks!
​
A four night, five day jaunt up the coast. Fun filled days of riding, exploring and adventure!
​
Riders adventure up the coast to Wavecrest Hotel or Trennerys Hotel, with a picnic stop along the way. Two nights are spent at Wavecrest or Trennerys, before heading back to Kei Mouth.
​
The trail includes rides along stunning, empty beaches, exploring cliff tops, and paddling in the sea with your horse.
​
Click here for the FULL ITINERARY
DAILY ROUTINE​
​
The below information is a rough guide only, to give riders an idea of what they will be doing.
The routine can vary a lot from day to day, depending on the season, weather and bookings for rides.
​
The horses live out in paddocks, situated at the Kei Mouth Country Club, about 2.5km from the volunteer accommodation. Volunteers and staff will arrive at the yard at 8am and bring in the horses ready for feeding. Each horse has their own feeding stall to stand in.
​
Volunteers will help make feeds, and may also fill and give haynets in winter months when there is less grazing. While the horses are eating, volunteers and staff check them over, and groom. Volunteers assist with tacking up any horses that are on a morning ride, and help riders to mount.
​
Riders may go out with beach rides, or stay at the yard and school some of the horses.
​
Water troughs may need to be filled, and volunteers may help to check and repair fences when needed.
​
After lunch, ride times depend on the season. They may be later in the afternoon in summer to avoid extreme heat, or earlier in winter as it goes dark earlier. Again, volunteers help to bring in the horses, tack up, assist with riders mounting, and may join the beach rides, or stay back and school horses.
​
The horses are fed again in the evening, and turned back out again for the night.
​
The schedule changes from week to week, and revolves around beach ride bookings, and the overnight trails arriving and departing, so there is always something different and interesting happening, and new routes and rides to explore. ​
​
The idea behind the volunteer programme is not to treat volunteers as free labour, and is to give volunteers the opportunity to experience the amazing riding on the Wild Coast, at a much reduced rate, in return for help with the horses in between rides.
​
We want you to get as much out of your time as you put in, and while you may be asked to work hard at times, you will be rewarded with plenty of riding. However, please understand that while the team will try to make sure that you ride most days, this can vary, and you will not go out on every single ride. ​​
VOLUNTEER TASKS
Volunteers are part of the daily routine of caring for the herd of trail horses.
The horses live out year round as a herd (no mucking out), in paddocks situated at the Kei Mouth Country Club about 2.5km from the house where you will be staying.
The horses are brought in twice a day for feeding, grooming and a once over.
​
-
Daily care of the horses, including grooming and feeding.
-
Cleaning tack and equipment, and yard maintenance (fences, feeding stalls).
-
Volunteers will be introduced to barefoot trimming, riding and management.
-
The horses all live out, so no mucking out (hooray)! Although you may be asked to fill and clean water troughs, and poo-pick paddocks when needed.
-
Ground work with some of the younger or newer horses.
-
Exercising and schooling horses.
-
Assisting with fully paying guests, both on rides and at the lodge. You may be asked to help tack up, help riders mount, adjust stirrups, check girths, and act as a 'back-up' rider; keeping an eye on guests on beach rides. You may be asked to help serve meals to guests and chat to them with staff at mealtimes, plus help to tidy dishes away after meals.
​
PRICES
​
Volunteers can stay for 2 - 12 weeks duration.
​
2024 Prices: £375 per week
2 Weeks: £750
4 Weeks: £1500
6 Weeks: £2250
​
2025 Prices: £410 per week
2 Weeks: £820
4 Weeks: £1640
6 Weeks: £2460
​
Included: Accommodation (private bedroom in a shared house), wi-fi, laundry, and all riding.
Excluded: Flights, insurance, airport transfers. Food is not included - self catering with access to a full kitchen to prepare food.
​
A four night, five day Mini Beach Trail exploring the Wild Coast is also included for volunteers staying for four or more weeks. ​(Normal cost: £900).
ACCOMMODATION
​
Volunteer stay at Nguni House, in Kei Mouth.
Named after the Nguni cows, which are famous for hanging out on the beaches on the Wild Coast, Nguni House has 4 double rooms and two bathrooms.
​
Each volunteer has their own private room. There is a maximum of four volunteers at one time.
Wi-fi is available at Nguni House, plus laundry.
The house has a comfortable open plan living and dining room with French doors into the garden. There is also a covered braai (barbeque) patio in the garden which you are more than welcome to use.
The kitchen is an old-fashioned, farm style kitchen, with everything you need to prepare food. Volunteers are self catering.
​
There is a small supermarket close by for groceries, snacks and lunch items, and local coffee shops for other treats and amazing heat and eat meals. Food in South Africa is fairly cheap and it is easy to eat really well for £4.50 per day.
​
Meals are provided if you are helping to host guests at the guest house, or on overnight trails, including while you are on your complementary Mini Beach Trail. ​​​
​
