Our mission:
Our mission to keep these magnificent creatures free-roaming and at a respectful distance from humans. They have proved that they survive incredibly well on their own – in their Vlei.
Educating is the most important part of our mission.
- Look – don’t touch
- Keep a distance of at least 100 meters
- Do Not Feed
- Let them roam free!
Help us protect one of the last remaining herds of Southern African wild horses.They are a National Treasure.
Who are the volunteers?
We did it!
On Sunday the 18th of February 2024 at 07h00 in the morning, we released the Fisherhaven herd back to their original home and back to safety. It took our very small team (with our ever devoted husbands) the best part of 24 hours to move them and after all of these months of planning – it was seamless. The herd arrived calmly and without any injuries.
They are currently roaming right where we hoped they would, away from humans so they can settle into the environment and hopefully start a new chapter in their lives.
Although the proceeds from my annual calendar sales raise enough money for the annual expenses on the scale that we have needed, this move was a mammoth undertaking that came at great expense, and although we have received some donations from incredibly generous people we are still short and would really appreciate any help. We need to fix fences, put in a cattle grid and put more signage up to educate people to ADMIRE FROM A DISTANCE. If you are able to help, our banking details are:
Horse Watch
FNB Hermanus
Account number: 628 064 84242
Ref: Your cell phone number so that we can thank you and keep you updated.
We have taken many videos of the move which I will make into one and share with our subscribers, as soon as I get a chance to put it together, as well as the full story.
Thank you for stopping by,
Leanne Dryburgh
PS: We have applied to become an NPO, and will keep the page updated
About the photographer
As a young girl I spent hours in my Dads darkroom watching the images magically appearing – dreaming of becoming a photographer. I spent most of my youth swooning over Life and National Geographic Magazines. In 1989 my dream became a reality when I was accepted to study a 3 year diploma in photography in Durban. I have been behind the lens ever since. My camera is an extension of my core. My being.
I began my career as a Wildlife Photographer in the Okavango Delta of Botswana, and sold those images to help support and create awareness for the Endangered Wildlife Trust. I started my family which made going back to the bush tricky. I love people and specialised in Portrait Photography which rolls into weddings, boudoir, lifestyle etc. I currently live with my photographer husband Peter Hassall in a small wooden home, under an old Milkwood Tree on the Bot River Estuary in the Western Cape of South Africa.
I became aware of The Wild Horses when I moved to the Overberg in 2013 and in 2016 on a long walk near our home, we stumbled across a lone injured stallion. I got hold of the ‘Horse Watchers’ and learnt that it was Brassy, who had separated himself from the herd to heal after challenging another stallion. I joined the Horse Watch Group, and have been involved ever since. It was easy for me to pick up my camera, and very quickly I realised that a Zoom lens is imperative as the minute you go close, their dynamic changes.
I became interested in their bloodlines, who belonged to who, what their history is, and slowly started meeting people who had studied the horses many years before me. It was an honour for me to meet Prof. Frans van der Merwe who studied them deeply since 1972 and to have him share his deep knowledge with me was incredible. I will always be enormously grateful.
I had a recent encounter with a woman who is 102, and grew up on the Farm Ysterplaats where Arabella is. She remembers free roaming horses from her youth. I am in the process of producing a book on The Rooisand Wild Horses which includes all of this information.
I hope you enjoy my photographs as much as I have enjoyed the journey of capturing them.
With commitment to keeping them free-roaming forever,
Leanne Dryburgh
