Hanchi Horseback Project

Highlights

A unique horseback safari

See the bush from a totally different perspective, going to places others can’t reach.

Expert local guide

The patrol leaders who will be your guides in the bush are fountains of knowledge and will give you a unique appreciation for the local wildlife and teach you how to track animals.

Work with high quality horses

As well as joining in with patrols, you’ll help with the care and livery of the herd in Hanchi’s traditional ranch-style stables.

Safe riding conditions

No lions or elephants occur in the areas patrolled by the reserves horses making it safe for horse riding.

Visit the Rhino Revolution orphanage which is based in your accommodation complex

The Hanchi Horseback Project is run in partnership with Rhino Revolution, an organisation committed to tackling rhino poaching. During your experience, you’ll also get to visit the rhino orphanage and care centre that’s at the heart of the reserve’s work.

Do

As a volunteer at Hanchi you’ll help to patrol a 2000-acre wildlife reserve on horseback, taking part in the following activities:

Anti-poaching guard

Don’t worry, you won’t be expected to confront any poachers! But you will keep a watchful eye for signs that poachers have been inside the wildlife reserve.

• Spot and remove any poachers’ snares
• Look for any man-made damage to perimeter fences
• Watch for animals with snare injuries or other signs of attack by poachers
• Create a visible presence to deter poachers

Wildlife monitoring

• While patrolling the reserve, you’ll also help to monitor the populations of all resident wildlife.
• Track movement and population numbers of giraffe, zebra and other species
• Report any wildlife injuries or concerns to the reserve managers

Equine care

This experience is ideal for anyone with a passion for horses and you’ll get to ride and look after some extremely high-quality thoroughbreds, working alongside experienced horse grooms.

• Help with daily feeding and grooming
• Assist in habituating new arrivals to life in the bush
• Help perform regular health checks
• Join in with mucking out the stables and preparing the horses’ bedding

Learn

As well as gaining hands-on experience, you’ll also learn about some important local conservation issues.

• The rhino poaching crisis and various methods used to prevent further killings
• During a visit to the Rhino Revolution orphanage, you’ll discover how conservationists care for calves whose mothers are killed by poachers
• Hear about Africa’s human-wildlife conflict and the vital work carried out at Hanchi