January 24, 2007
By Ndaba Dlamini
YOUNG Yazi Khambule sits on a gambolling pony and folds her arms across her chest in a show of confidence; but then she grabs the reins as her steed does an about-turn on the green turf.
It's a bright Saturday morning and five-year-old Khambule, one of 15 children attending horse-riding lessons at the Soweto Equestrian Centre in Mofolo South, Soweto, says she is "enjoying herself thoroughly". She started riding lessons when she was a mere four years old.
"She was so scared of horses the first time her mother brought her to the school to do some horse-riding lessons, " says Enos Mafokate, the centre's founder. "She was totally scared of horses but because of my patience and her zeal to learn, she managed to overcome her fear and she is now one confident young lady on a horse."
Looking like a miniature showjumping champion in her black riding hat, pink swimsuit, cream jodhpurs and black riding boots, Khambule has competed in several showing class championships and her dream is to become South Africa's best show-jumper "one day".
A boy called Fentse Phumo leads Khambule's pony "so that the horse won't run away with her", Mafokate explains. "Horses are intelligent animals and they can tell that she is a child. The horse won't be controllable when it perceives any show of weakness in the rider. Look at Anele over there, he cannot control Tikky because he hasn't followed my instructions."
Learning to jump at the Soweto Equestrian Centre
Mafokate shouts to a hapless young Anele Maholwana to keep the reins short and dig in his heels "to show the horse who is the boss".
"These horses sometimes get stubborn. They need some form of discipline or they will become completely unmanageable," Mafokate says, vaulting on to Tikky and tapping his crop to send the horse cantering around the riding area.
Located in the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) complex, Mafokate started the riding centre when he discovered how badly horses were being treated in Soweto, especially by children. His mission is to send a message to people that animals deserve to be loved, not abused.
Teaching the basics
Mafokate teaches the basics of horse riding, show-jumping, dressage, showing and vaulting to 11 boys and four girls ranging in age from four to 19 years and, because of his love for children and horse riding, he most of the children are taught for free.
South Africa's first black show-jumper, he is patient with his young charges, occasionally stepping in to show the children riding techniques or how to handle horses. All the children call him "malume" (uncle).
On the eastern side of the riding centre, four boys are busy exercising their horses and doing some show-jumping sequences in an arena. "Bring in Thaba Zimbi," Mafokate shouts to one of the older boys, 19-year-old Tebogo Motsele.
And Motsele leads in a huge chestnut stallion, puts one foot into the stirrup and easily mounts the horse. But in a split second Thaba Zimbi has Motsele down on the dirt and in one swift movement Mafokate has the spooked horse by the reins.
"He has been out of action for some time now and he is very reluctant to be ridden," Mafokate explains, handing back the reigns to Motsele, who is massaging his hand. "Don't handle him with kid gloves and don't fall off this time," Mafokate warns.
After a few minutes and watched closely by Mafokate, Thaba Zimbi is back to his former self and jumping with glee a horizontal pole placed on two drums. Twenty minutes later, Mafokate ends the training session and gives instructions for the horses to be hosed down to cool them.
"There is a competition on 4 February at Kyalami and another one on 10 February in Benoni. Usually we train on Saturdays and Sundays but when there is a competition coming up, we also train during the week."
The best students to come out of the centre are Mafokate's grandchildren, Kabelo Arthur Mafokate (16) and Katlego Arthur Mafokate (17). Between them they have won several championships and are destined for "greater things", the proud grandfather says.
Kabelo has participated in more than 50 showjumping events since 2003, coming first and winning trophies and shields in 44. Katlego is also faring well and has participated in 15 events, winning two of them.
The children at the centre are not only given riding lessons, but are also taught how to care for horses. They groom, feed, saddle and unsaddle the horses and each child seems to have a certain chore that has become a routine.
The riding centre at the PDSA is lacks equipment and sufficient space for show-jumping training. However, Mafokate says that a bigger, modern equestrian centre is in the pipeline.
"The equestrian centre will be built at the Moroka Elka Stadium in Moroka later this year. We will need US$3-million - or approximately R21,4-million - to build the centre. It will comprise of a show arena, practice arena, stables, a picnic area and a guesthouse."
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