Our sundowner drive was a perfect opportunity to experience the beauty of the Gondwana Sperrgebiet Rand Park at dusk and to see the elusive and enigmatic feral horses of the Namib Desert as they conglomerated at their favourite watering hole in Garub Pan, west of Aus.
When we arrived, we parked near the wooden shelter at the end of a gravel road. We waited for the sunset and the arrival of the horses. For a few minutes, there was nothing to see but the barren plains of Garub on this eastern fringe of the Namib Desert. Once again, I felt so small in the middle of this harsh, arid landscape.
Our guide assured us that the horses were coming and gave us a brief backgrounder. He said that their origin is shrouded in mystery. Normally wild horses are not found throughout southern Africa, as the climatic conditions are not typical for horses to live in. Horses were only introduced by European immigrants with the colonization of southern Africa. Thus, the question arises where these horses came from and why they chose to settle here, despite the fact that temperatures soar and food is scarce and hard to find.
Different theories attempt to explain their presence here. Some say the herds stem from the bombing of the Union of South Africa troops stationed in Garub in 1915 and the turmoil scattered the frightened horses. Others think they came from the mayor of Luderitz’s stud farm where he bred work horses for the mines and racehorses for the then-flourishing town. After the mayor lost his fortune in the war and the stables were left ownerless and not contained in fences, they scattered in search of grazing lands. Still, others say that a shipload of horses escaped from a German baron’s vessel that got stranded at the mouth of the Orange River. Thus, they are called, “feral” for they are believed to have once been a domesticated breed that is not native to the region. The term, “wild,” on the other hand, is used to refer to native species living in a wild state. We do learn something new everyday!
In no time, we heard hoof sounds and soon enough, a herd of about 20 to 30 horses came galloping towards us, not a lot compared to their total number of around 250, but enough for us to still be fascinated. Oblivious to us, they went straight for the troughs to drink their water.
We watched as the majestic stallions, graceful mares, and lovable foals frolicked for a while, then galloped their way to the horizon, hooves kicking off the desert dust, towards the setting sun. That vision was so enthralling, almost like a dramatic ending to an epic movie.
As we drove back to our inn, I felt so privileged to have witnessed an exclusive tradition, an undisclosed ritual that only a select few, who make the effort to trek here, are privy of. Mother Nature does keep so many wonderful secrets and I felt so blessed that she shared it with us.
We had a sumptuous three-course dinner at the inn’s restaurant and went stargazing in our “backyard” before we turned in for the night.
Photo Credit:
klein-aus-vista.com (cover photo), wildhorsesandmustangs.com, myproperty.com.na
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