Current Development in Botswana
Equestrian sport is one of the oldest and most widespread sports throughout the world. In many areas horses were the only form of transport and were indispensable to mankind for both their ability to transport and to labour in the fields. In time gone by people grew up with horses necessarily a part of their lives, now we live in a mechanized world and in many instances have to especially invite horses into our lives.
A deep love of the horse is inherent in many people and the joy and exhilaration of working in partnership with a horse is profound.
In Botswana we use horses at the cattle posts for herding and monitoring our cattle and the Army and Police have formed ceremonial units and units of mounted riders to patrol our borders and for anti-poaching measures. Our land supports the provision of horseback safaris, which are renowned for their excellence.
A small, but significant, body of competitive riders is present in Botswana and we compete in the four main disciplines of Show Jumping, Dressage, Eventing and Endurance with participation on a smaller scale in Showing and Vaulting. We compete both within and outside of Botswana in all these disciplines.
Our vision is for the development of an Equestrian Facility with an area of about 40 hectares, or more, stocked with at least 10 experienced ponies and horses, a staff of grooms and our development officer, who acts as the qualified instructor and yard manager. With this facility we can really start to develop the sport within Botswana. The area required can vary according to the grazing quality of the land. The horses must be permitted to exercise freely and graze in order to remain fit. The facilities required for the actual sport can be contained in a much smaller area but access to safe and plentiful grazing is imperative.
With or without this facility we will do our best to continue to penetrate the population, taking equestrian sport as far as we can go. We have expanded tremendously in the recent five years and we will continue to give our members and the public in Botswana some excellent shows and entertainment.
To read the full document, please follow the link below......
Development Document 2005
and also....