Hello, Bonjour and Salibonani from Cawston Wildlife Estate, Northern Matabeleland where I help for about 2,5 months with the horses. Unfortunately, not only one of our horse has tick bite fever (see this blog post), but also I am affected by it now. A couple of days I thought I am getting the flu, until I remembered the tick bite I had. So, I had to go into town again to see a doctor and get antibiotics. That’s why I have to miss out another amazing safari in Hwange National Park. Hopefully it will be better soon and I can go back to riding again, to enjoy my last month here in this fabulous bush.
Golden hour in the bush
Meanwhile, I lunge some of the horses, especially our beloved Zhovhe that still isn’t too happy when a sand bag is put on his saddle. He still isn’t fully broken in and there is a long way to go. I am just hoping he doesn’t have any back issues.
Zhovhe and me watching the giraffes at distance
Zhovhe waiting to get started
Trotting around and around
Last weekend I got to shoot with a rifle for the very first time ever at the shooting range here in the reserve. Quite an exciting thing to do and I have to say I do like it. The targets I was shooting at were about 25 m at distance. Didn’t look too far compared to my very first shot I did a couple of weeks ago trying to hit the tomato (read this blog). I am quite proud, as I always hit the bulls eye as well as the stones. Just my second last shot was the only time I missed one of the stones, so I am very happy with my first trials!
Safety first!
Aiming for the 25 m bulls eye
Afterwards, we went for a magnificent sundowner on the ridge on the other side of the reserve that is a 20 mins drive away from the homestead. This time, we were finally on time to watch the sun setting on the horizon behind the trees. All the other times, something happened and we were just too late to indulge in this magical moment. The braai that evening was just a lot of fun and I wish for every single Sunday being like that, welcome to my kind of paradise!
Watching the sunset
Enjoying our fireplace
Next morning, was about the best and cutest start of a Monday, I could ever imagine in my life! We had put one of our three pregnant mares into the stables for the previous night and during early morning hours we found that mare, Donha, running up and down in her stable. So, we put her quickly in a paddock on her own where she started to give birth shortly after. All of us were just standing next to poor Donha, watching closely if everything went alright. One more amazed than the other. 45 mins after, a cute little female girl is now a new member of our family. Another 45 mins later, the foal managed to stand up and wobble around, trying to find some milk. This was quite a mission and took until the early afternoon when it got finally some milk. By now, it’s just a lovely little beauty, jumping around and growing healthy. We are all now waiting for the second foal to be born, which could come every day from today on.
Donha giving birth to a little girl
First moments in life
Step by step to see the world
My new lessons learned while helping in Cawston Wildlife Estate:
- Having the magnificent chance watching a foal being born, is just about the best way to start a Monday ever in life!
- If you feel like you ran a marathon while feeling as if you have the flu, you might have been infected with tick bite fever.
- Always count your pills the pharmacy hands you over, otherwise you might end up with half what you paid for.
Cheers to wandering the world and the wonders of our lives, hope to see you soon – bye bye, salut and lisale kuhle ∞