Staff

Best Mukuva

Trail guide and Yard Manager

Best has been with our Yard since December 2021. He is a very friendly and dedicated person that is always considering the horses and clients’ welfare in everything he does. He is especially great in motivating young or nervous riders- maybe because he has three children himself. When he is not on a Trail, he is managing the Yard or training horses.

Armand Van Zyl

Buisness Owner, Trainer, and Farrier

Armand has been raised around horses for most of his life, and started riding at the age of 5. He is passionate about working with horses, and is always eager to learn more about them. As the new owner of Heaven and Earth Trails and the resident farrier, he is committed to horse welfare and to creating safe, memorable experiences for every guest.

Danie van Zyl

Horse owner and Mentor

Danie has been managing Karweyderskraal Farm since 2005 and his love for horses only developed in 2010 when he and his wife Sonja bought two mares – not knowing they were actually pregnant at that stage. Later that year Sirocco and Allegro was born and they are currently two of “The Dream Team” that numerous riders have come to know.

Horses

Allegro

Born and bred on Karweyderskraal this Thoroughbred X mare is a pure delight to ride and has an inquisitive nature. She’s part of “The Dream Team” with impeccable behaviour, yet some days her cheekiness brings delight to her spectators and we love her all the more for it.

Sirocco

Also born on Karweyderskraal this Boerperd X gelding will enter a warzone with you and not flinch at the drop of a bomb. Laid back and mellow – novice riders adore him, but put an experienced rider on Sirocco and he becomes an intercontinental ballistic missile with power steering(If that’s your thing).

Napoleon

Also nicknamed “Houdini” because of his ingenious ways of escaping from any paddock or gated enclosure. “Nappi” is the third member of “The Dream Team” and willing do anything his rider asks him to. He has phenomenal endurance and power but even the tiniest of riders can control him.

Buck

Meet Buck – the Boerperd X Saddlebred gelding we know very little of, except that he has the softest, kindest eyes of all our horses. We rescued Buck from a drought stricken farm in the beginning of 2017 and since then he has become a very reliable steed with good work ethics.

Juliet

This young mare is a pure bred SA Vlaam from Williston. We acquired her to pull our carriage but these days she helps out with the trails. She is unique for 3 reasons – her excessive flatulence, being our only Afrikaans horse, and my wife Sonja adores her – so be very fortunate if you happen to ride Juliet.

Poker Knight

An off the track Thoroughbred who won a couple of races at Kenilworth and Durbanville. Our own “Chuck Norris” has the greatest character you’ll ever find in a horse. When mustering cattle, Poker will batter through bushes rather than around them. And whatever you do, don’t whisper “Let’s go boy” in his ears, otherwise he will gallop ahead at full speed.

Tibby “A Little Tibsy”

Another Off the Track Thoroughbred, “A Little Tibsy” competed at Turffontein where she did exceptionally well especially in the longer races, before she ended up on Karweyderskraal. She is the fastest horse of the herd but on an outride she will be far behind – dragging her feet and plodding on like a donkey. Kids and novice riders enjoy her for it.

Amirah

Amirah – born in 2014 on the farm– she’s one of our younger team members. Her sire is Amir, an Arabian stallion from McGregor. She has an incredible willingness to learn and work, and she never runs out of energy – very muck like the Duracell bunnies.

Pearly Rock “Rocky”

Pearly is a Thoroughbred that was never raced due to conformity issues, but he has found a loving home at our Yard. Experienced riders enjoy him especially since he is such an independant gelding with a great work ethic.

Maverick

Maverick is a Boerperd X SA Flaam, who joined our team at the end of 2025 as a cheeky, curious, and untrained foal. Since then, he has undergone extensive training, and is rapidly developing into a strong, independent lead horse. Though his training is far from complete Armand believes that he has the potential to become an exceptional “All-Round” horse.

Rosslyn

During the bad 2023floods we experienced, Rosslyn was found wandering on the gravel road after being abandonded by her previous owners. She is blind in her left eye, and had run through a fence during the flood which left her with a serious leg wound. We nursed her back to health over many months and gave her a new home, where she is currently working in the trails as one of our sweetest horses, especially towards small kids.

Cola

We also acquired Cola at the end of 2025 along with her foal Maverick. She is a beautiful small Boerperd, perfectly suited for our younger and smaller riders. Eager to learn, and surprisingly confident for her size, she has a gentle nature and a remarkable ability to sense and care for the children placed on her back. She has quickly become a trusted favourite.