How We Care For Our Horses
At African Hoofbeatz, horse care is not a policy. It is the foundation of everything we do. Our horses work in varied environments, from polocrosse and safari riding to retraining and recovery, and their welfare always comes first.
Individual horses, individual needs
No two horses here are treated the same. Each horse has their own background, temperament and physical needs, and their work is shaped around that.
Some are young and learning. Some are experienced competitors. Others are in recovery, retraining or semi-retirement. What matters is that every horse has a clear, appropriate role at that stage of their life.
If a horse does not suit polocrosse or higher-level work, that is not seen as failure. We adjust their path and, where appropriate, help them move on to a role or home that suits them better.
Holistic Care: Veterinary Support, Handling and Daily Routines
Veterinary Care and Monitoring
We take a proactive approach to health, ensuring issues are identified early and managed appropriately. Our daily routines include:
Monitoring movement, behaviour and appetite
Regular health checks and condition scoring
Prompt attention to wounds, strains or changes
Conservative, welfare‑led injury management and rehabilitation
Providing consistent, care is at the heart of our approach. With limited equine veterinary support in our area, early recognition and preventative management are essential. We focus on daily observation, calm handling and an environment that supports both physical health and mental wellbeing.
When a case requires escalation, we work closely with visiting equine vets. Every decision is made with the horse’s welfare as the priority.
Handling, Routine and Environment
Our management approach is based on routines, low‑stress handling and environments that support healthy behaviour patterns.
This includes:
Consistent daily routines to provide predictability.
Calm, controlled handling to reduce risk during routine tasks.
Regular turnout to allow movement, grazing and social interaction.
Behaviour is treated as information at African Hoofbeatz. When a horse shows resistance, tension or avoidance, we look for contributing factors
Retraining Horses With Care
During retraining we focus on:
• Clear handling and consistency
• Building confidence before asking for performance
• Developing physical strength gradually
Retraining horses With patience, empathy and discernment.
so problem horses and ex-racehorses can successfully be reintegrated into ridden roles
Retraining horses for their next career
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