We opened the new camp with five UK guests on 16 February in our ritual baptism of flood and fire! After one month of very dry, hot weather, the heavens opened as our first guests arrived! A couple of nights later, a hand-painted wall hanging in the lodge caught fire from a candle during dinner (hastily put out by all present!). Why were we not surprised! When we moved from Touchstone to Lapalala six years ago, we got caught in a tremendous storm on our last ride out on Touchstone. One week later when we opened the new camp on Lapalala, a gas geyser burst into flames and nearly destroyed a new tent.

But, bar these birthing pains, the new camp and reserve are wonderful and great times have been had around the dinner table and by the campfire. The night sky is something incredible to see: the air crystal clear at 1500 meters (5000 feet) and millions of bright stars in a canopy above us.

Space and Serenity!

We've since had three weeks of glorious riding and exploring. Our overall impression of the area is endless rolling grasslands, vast skies filled with billowing white clouds, and huge, panoramic views each time you crest a ridge. So much space, so much sky and lungfuls of clean mountain air! Long, steady, fast canters, sometimes for a few kilometers on safe, grassy tracks. Quiet, beautiful rides up into hidden mountain valleys alongside streams and pools. And always wanting to climb up that next enticing peak to see the incredible view from the top!

As we expected, the birdlife is incredible. Great sightings of black and martial eagles and black-breasted snake eagles. Cape vultures soaring. Secretary birds stomping through the grasslands. Jackal buzzards hunting along the ridges. European rollers, blue-cheeked bee-eaters, long-tailed widows - new species every day!

Each ride brings a sighting of indigenous wildlife: troops of baboon feeding amongst the rocks; reedbuck exploding from cover in the valleys; graceful kudu bounding away into the mountains; families of warthog dashing to the safety of their burrows.

And the horses so happy to spend their off days swimming in dams, galloping through the grass and playing endlessly.

Indigo

On Friday 21 February, Indigo, Wendy's Arab mare, suddenly started having seizures after a couple of off-colour days. Quite frightening to witness in a horse, especially as Wendy has never seen this in 13 years. We sought advice by telephone from specialist neurological vets who offered possible causes and treatment. It was a long weekend of 24 hour veterinary care of the mare. We put her on a drip in the middle of one of the nights. It became evident after 48 hours that she had lost her sight (obviously a brain lesion) and Wendy trucked her to a veterinary hospital in Pretoria on Sunday. She spent ten days in hospital with some slight improvements to her sight and major improvements in her general health. She returned to Equus on the 5 March - to the place, people and horses she knows and loves. There have since been further improvements to her sight and every day makes us feel more confident. It could take six months for her to regain her sight, but we are all willing to love and nurture her through this and feel positive she will recover fully.

Blue Cranes on Equus Reserve!

The Blue Crane, South Africa's national bird, is endemic to South Africa and is classified as endangered. We are very pleased that they have been spotted on Equus Reserve. These large, long-legged terrestrial birds have distinctive blue-grey plumage and long wing plumes appearing like a trailing tail. They indulge in elaborate dancing displays with wings outstretched when courting, sometimes involving more than two birds. They occur in pairs and flocks in the Karoo, moist valleys, lakesides, farmlands and hilly grasslands. They prefer higher altitudes and are nomadic when not breeding.

These magnificent birds are under increasing pressure for survival primarily due to the degradation of their habitat - the grassland areas in South Africa - but they are also affected by poisoning, collisions with power lines, illegal removal from the wild, drowning of chicks in water troughs and entanglement in fences.

While the majority of the Blue Crane population is resident in the Cape Province, there exists a totally separate population of under 100 birds in the Alma Valley below our escarpment. These are the birds that have been spotted feeding in our grasslands and roosting in the reedbeds surrounding our dams. We hope in years to come that they will nest and breed in our valleys.

The South African Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) established a Crane Working Group in the late 1980's and through the education and involvement of landowners and land users, we can anticipate the stabilization and actual increase in numbers of Blue Cranes in the next decade.