Fun with Percheron horses

The Heavy Draft Horse Foundation non-profit company at Outeniqua Moon near Ruiterbos is about preserving and saving Percherons, the heavy draft horses who are at the edge of extinction.

The foundation's four watch words are: Conservation, Confidence, Courage and Compassion. These are the four Cs and if they dictate all actions and all the thoughts of the foundation.

During the year, apart from entertaining guests staying in the Outeniqua Moon Lodge and taking people on paddock tours and carriage rides, the Heavy Draft Horse Foundation does charitable work with disadvantaged communities, offering informal therapy with children and adults who have been abused or are on the autism spectrum and have lost confidence in themselves and life. The magical, transforming power of the horses teaches confidence, courage and compassion, a foundation spokesperson says.

Every year Outeniqua Moon treats the Boskaboutertjies crèche children to a Christmas party. The parents of the children from the crèche’s all work in the area, and some of them work for Outeniqua Moon and The Heavy Draft Horse Foundation.

The party is Outeniqua Moon's and The Heavy Draft Horse Foundation's opportunity to give back to the community. The aim is to give the children a magical experience with the gentle, giant Percheron horses.

On Thursday, 5 December the children visited and had lunch and homemade chocolate cupcakes and cookies, crisps and sweets. The beautiful top quality Christmas crackers were provided by the Spar in Hartenbos.

The children had a carriage ride to the viewpoint. It was pulled by the Percheron mare, Themba-Gazi, and they rode around the garden on Greystoke, the old stallion. Then they sat on the biggest horse in South Africa, Shadowfax, who is also one of the biggest stallions in the world.

They kissed the horses and fed them carrots and had a fun time and finished the day with a swim in the 25 metre-long pool.

The children with Shadowfax, who is the biggest Percheron stallion in South Africa.