The people & the herd
Meet Our Team
The guides who look after you – and the horses who carry you through the valley.
Staff
Your guides & hosts
Trail Guide & Yard Manager
Best Mukuva
Best has been with our yard since December 2021. He is a very friendly and dedicated person who always considers the horses’ and clients’ welfare in everything he does. He is especially great at 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.
Substitute Trail Guide
Ross Kirby
Passionate about caring for, nurturing, training, riding and always learning from horses. I am committed to providing the best care for horses and memorable experiences for all guests – always ensuring both horse and rider are happy. To be out in nature on the back of a horse is one of the greatest joys life can give. They are truly magical.
Business Owner, Trainer & Farrier
Armand van Zyl
Armand has been raised around horses for most of his life and started riding at the age of five. He is passionate about working with horses and 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.
Horse Owner & Mentor
Danie van Zyl
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 pregnant at the time. Later that year Sirocco and Allegro were born, and they are now two of “The Dream Team” that numerous riders have come to know.
Horses
Meet the herd
Twelve characters, each with a story. Scroll through and see who you might ride.
Allegro
Thoroughbred cross mare
Born and bred on Karweyderskraal, this Thoroughbred cross 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 delights her spectators – and we love her all the more for it.
Sirocco
Boerperd cross gelding
Also born on Karweyderskraal, this Boerperd cross gelding will enter a warzone with you and not flinch. 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
“Houdini”
Nicknamed “Houdini” for his ingenious ways of escaping from any paddock or gated enclosure. “Nappi” is the third member of “The Dream Team” and willing to do anything his rider asks. He has phenomenal endurance and power, but even the tiniest riders can control him.
Buck
Boerperd × Saddlebred gelding
We know very little of Buck’s past, except that he has the softest, kindest eyes of all our horses. We rescued him from a drought-stricken farm at the beginning of 2017, and since then he has become a very reliable steed with a good work ethic.
Juliet
SA Vlaam mare
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 three reasons – her excessive flatulence, being our only Afrikaans horse, and Sonja adores her – so consider yourself fortunate if you ride Juliet.
Poker Knight
Off-the-track Thoroughbred
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 ear.
Tibby
“A Little Tibsy”
Another off-the-track Thoroughbred, “A Little Tibsy” did exceptionally well at Turffontein, especially in the longer races. She is the fastest horse in the herd – but on an outride she’ll be far behind, dragging her feet and plodding along like a donkey. Kids and novice riders love her for it.
Amirah
Arabian cross, born 2014
Born on the farm in 2014, Amirah is 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 much like the Duracell bunny.
Pearly Rock
“Rocky”
Pearly is a Thoroughbred who was never raced due to conformation issues, but he has found a loving home at our yard. Experienced riders especially enjoy him – he is an independent gelding with a great work ethic.
Maverick
Boerperd × SA Vlaam
Maverick 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. His training is far from complete, but Armand believes he has the potential to become an exceptional all-round horse.
Rosslyn
Rescued in 2023
During the 2023 floods, Rosslyn was found wandering on the gravel road after being abandoned. She is blind in her left eye and had run through a fence during the flood, leaving a serious leg wound. We nursed her back to health over many months – today she’s one of our sweetest trail horses, especially with small children.
Cola
Small Boerperd mare
We acquired Cola at the end of 2025 along with her foal Maverick. A beautiful small Boerperd, she is perfectly suited to 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 on her back.
Say hello
Come and meet them in person
Every ride starts with an introduction to your horse in the lunge ring.