Drumbeat Autumn 2017

While for many the title above might not seem a big deal, it will be for anyone who knows me. Usually when I talk about ‘going for a ride’ it’s on a mountain bike. I’ve always told anyone who asks that I prefer a steed that doesn’t try and think for itself. I rode a horse www . aardvarksafaris.co.uk l P12 REPORT BY RICHARD Why then, did I find myself on a horse? My daughter and wife ride regularly. My daughter has her own horse which they both hack round our local lanes and woods. We’d chosen Ant’s Nest for our first family safari in a while because of the horses and the chance to ride in Africa. My son and I don’t ride. I can, but don’t really like it. But my son tried it once and found out-of-control-trotting incompatible with male genitals. He hasn’t got on a horse since. So, how did we find ourselves on horses, about to ride through the African bush? The simple fact was that after two days at Ant’s Nest with my family, it seemed like the right thing to do. Daughter Megan and wife Jo had chosen to ride for each of their morning and afternoon activities since we’d arrived, while Leo and I had been kept happily away from the horses with other activities on the reserve. Eventually we reached our destination, a game drive vehicle with a coolbox of drinks. The horses were untacked and set loose to make their own way back to the lodge, while we took off hats and hopped in the vehicle. Did I enjoy it? Yes. While the next activity on the reserve for Leo and me was mountain biking, the two of us joined Jo and Megan for a final ride before leaving. Ant’s is a brilliant choice for families with kids of all ages. My two are 18 and almost 15 but there were grandparents in their 70’s and a girl of just four years old while we were there. The horses are a big part of life on the reserve and most people will ride at some stage of their stay. There aren’t any elephants or lions which allows sensible beginners to enjoy themselves safely. But if you don’t want to ride there are plenty of other things to enjoy as Leo and I found – even if you do eventually surprise yourself and find you’re on top of a horse at some point! However, their tales of long canters, sitting really close to giraffes, and having rhino follow them on the game trails, had sparked an interest in my son Leo which overrode his desire to father children in the future. A tight pair of underpants later and he was astride Chilli while I sat on top of Mzanzi. We rode for about two hours and spotted rhinos, warthogs, zebra, roan, wildebeest and giraffes along the way. None of them were phased by our presence since the smell of the horses overrode our own scent and gave the wildlife confidence that we were no threat to them. Megan and Jo peeled off occasionally with Pippa, one of two guides riding with us, to enjoy a bit more speed than would have been safe for Leo and me. They would then loop back around and meet Fred, the other guide, with the two of us.