Gallery Video
MOSSEL BAY NEWS AND VIDEO - Mossel Bay's Alta Mostert-Coetzer (52) leads an adventurous life. She has tried many things.
She has done a professional hunter's course; she owned a beauty salon and underwent training in providing aromatherapy, facials and reflexology; she does American saddler horse riding; she has skydived; cycled competitively; and she is an National Sea Rescue Institute volunteer.
She has jumped from rescue helicopters and saved lives, winning awards for this.
Multi-faceted Alta did a Bachelor of Science in botany and zoology at the University of Bloemfontein.
Now, her latest venture is offering horse riding and horse safaris.
"Since I was a young child, I have been interested in horses," Alta says.
She rides for two hours a day and also trains horses. Alta also offers an outside livery service, grooming other people's horses.
Photo gallery: Alta's adventurous life
One of the most gratifying aspects of her work is seeing the progress autistic children make when they come into contact with horses. "Autistic children don't interact with people very well.
Watch a video below:
'Excellent therapy'
They are anxious people, but they can relate to horses and take control of a horse. It is excellent therapy for them. My horses are well mannered and calm; anyone can handle them."
Alta adds: "Older people, such as a client aged 73, also enjoy the horses. I have had mothers with babies on the horses too. I find my work liberating. People leave here with a smile on their face.
Everyone is stressed and overworked and underpaid at the moment. "
Alta says some people come to her simply to groom the horses.
There are paddocks where the horses can enjoy rolling in the mud. Then they are brushed clean.
Alta's Adventure Horse Safaris is in Aalwyndal, outside Mossel Bay.
She was born in Belville and grew up in Upington. She lived in East London and Johannesburg before coming to Mossel Bay in 2004. She has family here.
"I am used to doing many things," Alta says. "I used to do endurance riding. I got involved with the NSRI, with intense training and volunteering and became a rescue swimmer. I am used to the sea. I have done a lot of training on rocks and waves and swum with sharks. I am also a scuba diver. I am a dive master and I trained to just under instructor level. "I have also done a guitar course. When I was interested in something, I followed my instinct and went for it.
"I have always been active and can do more than a 40 year old. My husband died last year. I could sit in a corner and cry or choose to motivate other people to go on with life."
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