Wild Horse of the South Namib at Garup
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If you're travelling in the south of Namibia, and
you're into equines, the Wild Horses of the Namib Desert will surely be a treat
for you.
You'll find them at a place called Garup, about 20km west of Aus near to the main B4
road to Luderitz. It's well signed and after driving along a gravel road for
about a kilometre, you will come to a shaded viewing point.
Horses are not native to Sub-Saharan Africa and it was the Dutch
who first brought them to the Cape in the 17 century. It would be at least another hundred years before the first white explorer traders crossed the Gariep,
the Orange River, into Namibia, where, at the time, the favoured method of transport
was the sturdy African riding ox. Then came the Germans, whom I suppose, deemed
the riding-ox to be a bit undignified and thus the mass imports of equines.
Records indicate that between the years of
1904 and the outbreak of the Great War the Germans shipped in about 31,000
horses and 34,000 mules through the port of Swakopmund alone.
They introduced stud farms stocked with good blood and soon the horses soon
began playing their part in our country's early years of development. But,
this association with the settlers was to be short-lived as the introduction
of mechanised transportation in the form of rail and automobiles with their
economics soon relegated the horse to being more of an occasional worker.
Many years later stories began to be told around camp fires and over a beer or two in a
bar about remote herds of wild horses having been seen in the deep south Namib
Desert. And then came the question, "How do they survive in such harsh
conditions? In winter the temperatures drop well below zero, while in summer
they can reach the mid-forties. Where do they find water, and what do they eat
in the times of drought?" And, then came the question, "Where did they come
from?"
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Wild Horses On The
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There are several theories ranging from horse
transport ships having ran aground off the Namibian or Namaqualand coast, to
horses that had simply 'escaped' from farms, and then there were those that had somehow been
released from 'military service' either by the Germans or South Africa troops.
Whatever, they have over a period of about 100 years survived and mutated into a
breed that understands the rules of survival of the South Namib Desert and this
raised an amount of scientific interest. The
horses have been the subject of an amount of study over the past couple of
decades and at Garup which lays about 20km west of Aus, a bore hole supplying
water troughs is where a conveniently positioned herd have settled and can be
viewed. My most recent visit was in May 2008, following a good rainy season. It
was mid-day and the horses were not very active, many laid on their sides
resting whilst others chomped busily on the abundance of light
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pastel green desert grass. I watched a plume of dust following a large tour
bus as it trundled its way along the gravel path
to the small parking area. The eager visitors decanted from the bus and
jostled to get a good camera angle. The horses around the drinking troughs, some
2oom away were visibly, neither impressed or shy. The covered viewing 'shed' has
informative posters that explain the various habits of the animals etc. and it
was interesting to read that during hot summer periods, which would experience
temperatures well in excess of 35°c
they last for about 30 hours between drinking water, whereas in winter months
they have been known to go for up to 72hours. The horses supplement their diet
of desert grass by simply eating their own dung in a proportion of about 7 to 1.
The dung contains up to three times more fat (1.99%) and almost twice as much
protein (6,1%) as desert grass.
My previous visit to see the horses was a couple of years ago and was before
the rains. I was travelling along the B4 during early evening as the sun was
setting. The horses were along the roadside playing in the cool of the day, it
was a wonderful sight to see them galloping and prancing, and it was there that I
knew I would have to buy myself a camera with a decent zoom lens. Hopefully that
will be this year.
If you're planning to include 'the horses' in your trip you might consider
staying over in Aus at Either The Bahnhof Hotel or the Klein Aus Vista lodge /
camp site.
On a personal note.
It was shortly after arriving in Namibia during the mid-seventies that I
heard tales of the mysterious and elusive herds of wild horses that roamed
across the vast and empty areas of the deep south Namib Desert. But, it
would not be until the mid-eighties that I would first stumble across such a
herd very early one morning whilst driving along one of those long dusty and
empty roads in a mountainous area of the deep south. The sun had just peered
over the horizon and was shining directly down the road into my face and I
could not see to drive. It made sense to stop and have a coffee from my flask
until it had risen a few degrees, and then I could continue. I climbed out of my bakkie
(pick-up truck) and took my first sip of coffee when I noticed that I was not
alone, and the subject of scrutiny from a herd of about twelve Wild Hoses of the
Namib. Many of the females were heavy with foal. Their stallion shook his
head and took a few steps towards me to check me out. His nostrils flared and I think he
smelled both a man and possibly his first whiff of coffee. I don't know if
you're a 'horse person' like me, but as we looked into each others eyes. I
greeted him with,
"You've got quite a responsibility, mate, looking after a herd in
this desolate place. It's winter time and dry as a bone and the land around
here looks as barren as Hell to me, but I suppose it sure beats having to
wear a bridle or harness. You look a bit ruffled as your coat hasn't been
groomed and now I can even see a couple of scars gained from fights. You horses have been good to
man, and not all of you have been treated with the care and respect you should
have had from us. You've carried our loads and you've died in battle with us,
but here in the wastelands of Namibia you are free and that's how horses should be." He turned, but kept an
eye on me and answered,
"That's a fact, and I'm even freer than you. OK you've been and
you've seen, but go away and don't make too much noise when you do. We're
having our breakfast and you weren't invited." So, I downed my coffee and
drove away, quietly.
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