Chuo Cha Farasi

Tracing the magic of the Arabian Horses on the Swahili Coast

2011-11-10T08:24:00.000+03:00

By Nicole walter

This is not the first time I have come to Tanzania, a hecticwork life, safaris, or lazing on the beautiful beaches, been there done that.What lured me back was the prospect of spending time with a passion of mine theArabian horse. And not just anywhere but on the Swahili Coast, peppered withhistory connecting this magical animal to the deserts of the Gulf where I havecome to love them.

As I say goodbye to my friends in Dubai, they share myexcitement but wonder why Tanzania we have plenty of Arabian horses and beachesin the UAE?

I explain that to my knowledge no Arabian horse has set ahoof onto the beaches of the Tanzanian Swahili Coast since the 1800s, when theSultans of Oman ruled Zanzibar. As fervent traders they firmly stamped theirmark onto the mainland’s coast, which is still predominantly Muslim.

I found proof that the Sultans indeed kept horses duringtheir time here - an impossible task on the web - in one of Zanzibar’s StoneTown museums. A painting depicts a romantic vision of the Arabian among cattleand all kinds of other cargo landing on Stone Town’s beach. Another one showshorses racing tails held high, so characteristic of the Arabian.

I wander out onto the veranda of the museum and gettransported back to those times, imagining the elaborate wooden sailing boats(dhows) loaded with the so precious cargo sailing the Indian Ocean from Oman toTanzania.

I try to imagine what the Arabian horse felt on deck of thedhows as the rolling waves rocked the boat beneath them. They probably wideeyed and nostrils flared with heads high in the air wondered what was awaitingthem. Not for nothing they are known as the ‘Drinkers of the Wind’

The Arabian is legendary, the Bedouin attributed theArabian’s endurance and speed to the wind, it is said that Allah himself askedthe wind to create this magical animal and so it was done.

Fast-forwarding into the present, I find myself on UshongoBeach, near Pangani in the Tanga region of mainland Tanzania, eagerly awaitingthe arrival of the Arabians I will look after for a couple of months.

Their transport is of a less romantic sort, a truck arrivingfrom a conservation area near Mount Kilimanjaro, where they used to brave thewild so tourists could experience yet another beautiful place in Tanzania onhorseback.

I spot the truck turning the corner into the resort and jumpto greet it. True to their breed the Arabians descended from the truck andinstead of succumbing to what one would have thought was a tiring trip,immediately ‘drank’ the strong afternoon breeze, their sensitive ears taking inthe sounds of the whistling palm trees constantly moving like antennae, eyingsuspiciously the sea they had never seen before.

Beautiful, I think and at the same time, I wonder how theywill take to swimming. I knew they would be apprehensive of the moving ocean.

But as any Bedouin knows, the Arabian may be sensitive butis a courageous and loyal horse. Once their respect and trust is gained theywill follow almost anywhere.

I was right though, getting into the sea at first meant alot of dancing, beautiful to watch, and doubling the joy as with every daypassing, I could see the trust and the willingness to overcome their fear grow.

Extremely intelligent by nature, these horses understand.“Really, the waves won’t bite,” I murmur as I lead into the first wave givingthem time to ‘sniff out’ what ‘unknown danger’ in their eyes they are about tostep into.

But also true to Arabian Zoreya in particular, she has tomake a little drama before conceding, just because, and I let her just because.My friend Carlos teases me for letting her get away with too much, but she’ssuch a playful character, can’t help but love her antics.

Horses look for a leader. Humans often make the mistake toblame the horse for not listening, but it is rather the other way round. We canlearn a lot from horses about our own characters as the horse, not onlyArabians, will respond to our every move and mood.

Helping Carlos, a seasoned horsemanship professional,acclimatizing the two Arabians and two Thoroughbred horses, which incidentallyalso carry Arabian blood, to their new environment is an invaluable experience.

The fact that I have ridden for the most part of my lifeshow jumping, dressage, western - the lot, although quit for a decade beforetaking it up again recently, certainly helped. But even more so a ‘Speak Horse’course I took in Dubai before coming to Tanzania.

Horses know how to behave, we just have to learn theirlanguage, respect and make them feel safe is on their priority list and we willhave a friend willing to learn and share for life.

Happy horses, is indeed the philosophy of this beach stableand with that happy people. Tanzanian Isaaki has been trained by Carlos tofollow this principle and always carries an openhearted smile. I rarely popinto the stable without hearing him whistling along or humming a song.

Anyone who comes to the stable to ride will spend timesaying hello to the horses first, brush and saddle them, if they already knowhow. It has always irked me when encountering stables that simply give thehorse ready to go and the rider jumps on believing he has to kick a horse intoaction.

Little alarm bells sound and my stomach churns thinkingsomeone could do that to ‘our’ spirited horses. Since when do people do that toeach other, don’t we say hello and shake hands and ask politely beforeinsisting when we meet or want something from someone?

‘Hint, suggest, command, oblige’, is what applies equally tohorses, a sentence I have heard over and over again from true horse trainers.

So, we take the time to introduce and explain before headingout on a ride or a splash in the water. Giving a lesson to a novice is a rewardingexperience I note. A satisfactory feeling overcomes me of doing my little bitto improve the relationship between human and horse on a larger scale.

Ultimately, anyone visiting the stable is taking home notonly pictures with beautiful horses, an elating ride along a beautiful coastand in the bush, but an understanding for a magical animal – knowledge tospread, and for life.

I have grown extremely fond of watching the mares interactin and out of the stable grazing free in the lush gardens. Sometimes I wake upto noises, which distinctly sound like an argument, yes four females does meana fair amount of bitching, as women friends well know, but we do love eachother, right?

Am hearing a kick against the wall, it is Arabian Flora,gentle with riders especially children and beginners, she is expressing herhormonal changes from time to time – with other words Madame is moody. Onecan’t help but forgive her. She carries a baby of a black thoroughbredstallion, which by all accounts is on his way to become one temperamentalhorse.

The night sky though brings universal peace. The stars andmoon shine bright onto the sea and thousands of crabs scurry along the sands.One is a nightly visitor to the stable, where I am compulsively drawn to beforeI can sleep.

I find my equine friends standing or lying down snoozingaway. Avoiding disturbance I refrain from putting on the light and silentlycrawl into Zoreya’s box, smiling as I listen to what I swear is snoring in ahorsey kind of way. Cuddling up next to her, I wish my tent were big enough totake her, like the Bedouins once did to sleep in the same ‘room’. I rest mycheek on her velvety neck and dream.

Thanks to the heat by the beach the horses are shedding thethicker West Kilimanjaro winter coat. Swimming in the sea, rolling in the softsand ending up looking like bread-crumbed calamari followed by a good brush andthey are as shiny as they can get.

Did I mention swimming? Yes, the Arabians have discoveredthat after a wave or two the waters turn calm and they love going for a dip,nostrils well above the water, snorting with joy.

Swallow Fields, the calmest of the four ladies, although allfour are spirited sending and respecting a beginner but testing the ones whoknow more, is less scared of the sea than myself! I am amazed as I watch a waveliterally crushing over Isaaki and herself and she stands unfazed like a rockadvancing head on into the next one. We couldn’t stop laughing.

Tadoussac, an ex-race horse champion, equally takes to thewater like a duck to the pond prompting me to rename her Sea Biscuit, like thefamous racehorse, which warranted a Hollywood movie.

Temperamental, she can be grumpy in the mornings. Isympathise am not a morning person myself. She is a dream to ride. One morningwe set off along what seems an endless beach, lined by palm trees I take in thelow tide scenery. Fisherman and storks are scouring the pools formed by thecoral reefs for the smaller edible creatures of the sea.

I break into a trot and feel Tadoussac’s power between mylegs, her elegant moves. Passing a fishing village I slow down, as the childrencome running, shouting “Farasi, Farasi (Horses)”. I make sure they stay awayfrom the behind and exchange greetings with everyone on the beach. The welcominglocals here have never seen a horse before and are fascinated every time Ipass.

After the village just before the sea ventures inland, Ispot some fallen tree trunks creating a surrealistic landscape ideal for alittle jump or two. I avoid the strong river currents and branch off into thebush, where mangroves, soft sand, palm trees, baobabs and other greenery form afascinating backdrop. A short canter and I don’t need to look at the watch toknow it is time to go home, the sun is rising higher in the sky and I can feelthe heat of the day is about to take over.

I head leisurely back down to the beach and take my horsefor a refreshing swim. I will wait for the afternoon to take Zoreya out toplay. I seek the shade pondering what tricks I could try and teach her.

I get to the stable with carrots in my hands provoking andexcited greeting from the herd carrots are the closest thing to chocolate asfar as horses are concerned. After all got their share I take Zoreya down tothe beach. She already responds to light signs, looks and change of energyrunning and slowing down beside me. I signal her to wait as I walk away.

She looks at me impatiently, distracted by sounds andfascinated by a windsurfer passing invariably jumps then freezes. I laugh ‘dramaqueen’, fine we’ll repeat, this time she listens, waits and then gallopstowards me hoofs digging abruptly into the sand she nudges me.

I decide to jump on, bareback with only a halter we gallopoff down the beach - teamwork is bliss.

The sun is about to set,time for her favourite activity – rolling in the sand, not once, not twice, butfour times. As I sit observing she comes to nibble my hair, is there any betterfood for the soul, I wonder.

A beach experience with a difference

2011-10-27T12:19:00.000+03:00

By Nicole Walter

There are many beautiful beaches in Tanzania, but those to explore on horseback are scarce.

I found such a beach in Ushongo, still unspoilt by mass tourism, near a typical Swahili Coast village, Pangani, along Tanzania’s ex-slave trade route.

As am taking a moment out to get a feel for this location, the calm ambience of the beach, the fresh night breeze, I can make out the twinkling lights of Zanzibar just across the Indian Ocean. But I find am not completely on my own, thousands of little crabs scurry around me.

The crabs donated their name to the quaint Beach Crab Resort and it couldn’t be any more apt. These rather friendly creatures often come to say hello even in the horse stables annex to the resort, where the Arabian and Thoroughbred horses, also running Arabian blood through their veins, reside.

The horses themselves I discovered represent a piece of history. It was the Sultans of Oman, which once ruled the island and influenced the mainland’s coast.

These fervent traders crossed the seas from the Gulf in their traditional dhow sailing boats carrying precious cargo – the Arabian. Thus this coveted breed, known for beauty, intelligence and endurance arrived on the shores of the Swahili Coast among others, used for horse racing. Paintings dating back to the 1800s in the museums of Zanzibar’s Stone Town prove their existence.
Since history saw them disappearing again, the explanation may be that it isn’t easy to keep horses in these climes. Still with professional care it is not impossible and with that today Arabians have for the first time returned.

“The Arabians have adapted extremely well, to what I would dare to call the place they historically belong after the deserts of Arabia,” Carlos Da Silva, Chairman of Chuo Cha Farasi (horse school), tells me.
The company is a local venture teaching Tanzanians the trade of horsemanship for them to run the business of horse training, breeding and riding activities with its philosophy - happy horses as a priority in mind.

Alex and Sonia, a horse lover herself, as owners of the Beach Crab were eager to add riding to their already extensive activity menu and so leased CCF’s horses. Not that long ago they were taking clients out to see wildlife in the bush.

“The horses are really enjoying the less harsh terrain, the beach life,” Carlos enthuses.
I could see his words reflected in the twinkle of their eyes as we take them down to the soft sands of the beach. I knew horses are good swimmers, but imagined they could be scared of the waves.

The Arabians, by nature wary of noises and movement, quickly learnt that after hopping over the first waves the water was calm and perfect for a swim. I couldn’t help but smile with them as I observed their discovery of how good it felt imprinted in their facial expressions and clearly audible approval grunts of the experience.

And to my surprise the two Thoroughbreds literally throw themselves into the high tide, absolutely loving it.
“This was the highlight of my trip to Tanzania,” exclaims a gleaming Sophia, a German guest, as she hops on in the sea and rides out of the water after a beach and bush ride. Her boyfriend isn’t the only one eagerly snapping the moments as the sun sets over the palm trees swaying in the wind. He isn’t a horse enthusiast, but nonetheless just seeing these magical animals having fun in this picturesque setting definitely enhances the holiday pictures.

Enjoying the view a little higher up is of course a step up and holidays the perfect time to try something new. The stables offer riding lessons, or simply mount safely led along the beach instead of going free. Scared? Take a ‘speak horse’ lesson on the ground understanding how the horse communicates.

For the experienced rider, a two-hour beach and bush ride though is a must, there is more than just the different shades of the Indian Ocean to marvel at. Ushongo Beach stretches for kilometres, but the sea makes its way inland as well forming lagoons allowing for a landscape of rich greens, including baobabs, mangroves and coconut palm trees.

I was of course itching to try out this route. We first head leisurely down the beach during low tide when the coral reef creates pools where fishermen and storks hunt for the smaller edible creatures of the sea.

Just before a typical fishing village, we cross over into the bush. The sand trails here are a lovely opportunity to trot and canter, soft on the horses’ hoofs.

As we come back down to the beach the tide has risen and we can take the horses for a splash, walking and trotting through the shoreline’s waters. Yes, it gets a little wet, but after the heat of the bush, despite choosing earlier morning and later afternoon hours, we all welcomed the cooler drops. I actually couldn’t wait to get back to the stable to drop some clothes and take the horses for a swim.

Being able to enjoy horses on the beach in Tanzania is a pretty unique experience, so in my view a reason alone to head to Ushongo. However, if you’re heading with someone who is simply not into horses, don’t fret, there is plenty to do.

Mountain bikes are another way to explore the hinterland instead and the resort has a fully equipped marine activities centre. You can choose between windsurfing, including lessons, PADI approved diving and snorkelling or take out a sea kayak.

I personally have a lot of respect for the sea so stuck to the easiest option, what I would term as a ‘Robinson Crusoe’ trip to Maziwe Island part of the marine reserve. One has to fall in love with this white sand bank, surrounded by a reef, bang in the middle of the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean.

With crabs and birds as the only company and armed with a picnic basket, I left the world behind chilling and snorkelling admiring a variety of colourful marine life.

Landing back at the resort in the late afternoon I could hear cheering intercepted by clicking sounds. A group of guests got together for a match at the volleyball pitch, whilst others were ping ponging the ball over the table.

After dinner activities are a little more restrained, snooker, darts and board games come in handy to pass a rainy days as well.

Talking about dinner. A lovely German couple, Sonia and Alex both ‘old-timers’ in the hospitality and tourism business, run their little resort with love and attention to detail.

Their attitude has rubbed off well on their staff the faces remaining the same over the years. Every time I pop into the bar-restaurant I am greeted with an enthusiastic ‘Karibu’ (Welcome)!

I couldn’t get enough of the homemade fresh bred at breakfast served with fruits, eggs and pancakes. For lunch various well-prepared dishes aimed at international tastes beckon. Sitting on the elevated platform restaurant in the breeze overlooking the ocean life feels just perfect.

The half board deal is well worth it. Ushongo beach only houses few other resorts with restaurants but no external eateries as such. And believe me, you won’t need more than breakfast and dinner. Dinner is a set three course seriously yummy menu, which I finished just because of it and not because I felt hungry.

An afternoon coffee in the tree house, my favourite spot by far, can never hurt although the sense of letting go follows my step as I wander around the lush gardens. Birds sing, monkeys argue and at night you can hear the bush baby’s cry.
Here the airy and comfortably appointed bungalows with high thatched ceilings, built out of local materials, - palm fronds, locally known as makuti, rule.

There are six of them and like the rest of this cosy resort don’t inflict an eyesore but blend into the natural surroundings. A bunch of smaller ‘tents’, little huts made out of canvas are smallish but do the job perfectly.
The campsite, often full with private cars, meaning a couple, with privileged sea view show off it popularity with all kinds of travellers to experience this piece of beach paradise.

For longer stays up to a couple of months even the beach stable team is happy to take experienced riders in, who would like to work with the horses accommodated in a safari tent right in the middle of the resorts garden. If you stay for a longer period you’ll probably also manage to see the turtles hatching a conservation project at Kasa Divers further down the beach.

FACT FILE:

Accommodation:
The Beach Crab Resort
Others along the beach:
Emayani Lodge, The Tides and Ushongo Beach Cottages for larger groups.
For bookings contact:
safari@ecotourism-africa.com

How to get there:
Coastal Aviation (by next summer also landing again on the nearby airstrip used currently by charter air company Air Safari).
From Zanzibar (Kendwa Rocks): Speedboat 1.5 hours operated by Kasab Divers to Tulia Lodge (adjacent to Emayani).
A road trip would take around 8 hours by bus or car from Dar Es Salaam, or 6 hours from Kilimanjaro International Airport (Arusha 8 hours).

Other things to do:
If you’re lucky enough you can witness turtles hatching, a conservation project by Kasa Divers.
Safari to Saadani National Park can be organized.
Visit to Pangani.

BeachRides

2011-10-08T13:45:00.001+03:00

KALLIMACHOS EnglishThoroughbredEntire FOR SALE

2011-10-08T13:08:00.000+03:00

KALLIMACHOS

English thoroughbred stallion

Passport/Registration No: 10031

Date of foaling: 14.08.96

Colour: Chestnut

Sex: Colt

Sire: Hachiman (Zim)

Dam: Marathon

Sire of dam: Murrmatch (GB)

Breeder: Mr. and Mrs. A.L. Grammaticas

Contact:

safari@ecotourism-africa.com

FarasiSafari

2011-05-23T13:02:00.003+03:00

Horse riding in mount Kilimanjaro and Pangani beach
Trails through Baobabs forest
Safari outfitting

Equestrian clinics
Long stays
Philanthropic trips

Emergency services:
Flying Doctors emergency medical evacuation from nearby airstrips at both locations, West Kilimanjaro and Pangani Beach, also used by private air charter companies.

Rates for accommodation and all activities at our tented camps in the Bush and on the Beach, are available on request by e-mail:

safari@ecotourism-africa.com