We encourage local schools to bring their children to visit the farm and over the years the visits have become a great success. Sometimes we have up to a hundred children at a time spending the morning on the farm. During the visit they are shown around all the animals and are given a brief talk on each breed and how to take care of it correctly. The depth of detail varies depending on the age group as we have classes varying from pre-school to final year students. After the walk each child has a ride on a pony. For most of the children this is the first time they have ever been near a horse, let alone ridden it, and for them it is the experience of a lifetime.
We try and combine a learning experience with fun. The emphasis for the visit is to show and educate those not fortunate enough to grow up around animals the correct way to handle and take care of them and the friendship the animals have to share with them. There are many children in this part of the world who grow up with a fear and lack of understanding of the animal kingdom. We would like to try and make a difference from an early age.
Any school is welcome to contact us and arrange to spend a morning on the farm with us and the animals.
THE DISABLED AND THE DISADVANTAGED
We
encourage some of the centres for the less fortunate, such as the disabled, to
come and spend time with us.
At the moment we have a group of disabled children from Cheshire Homes who come regularly for 'equine therapy'. They ride and get to spend some time on the farm. Riding and being around the animals, who are kind and understanding, is excellent therapy and stimulus and amazing results often develop quickly.
There are also several orphanages and refuge centres who frequently bring their children to experience the fun and novelty of the farm and a pony ride. A lot of them are seriously disadvantaged and for them it is such a different experience from what they know. It can only brighten their day and give them something to look back on and savour. Our animals seem to understand and take extra special care of them.
DEVELOPMENT RIDERS
Nyanza has an ongoing program in place for developing and training the local Swazi staff members in horsemanship and equitation skills. We have trained many Swazi riders in all aspects of horsemanship and started them on their path to a career in horsemanship... some are still with us and others have moved on to spread their knowledge and experience elsewhere.
Please see the development section of our riding school page for more details of this project.