A Visit To The Elephants At Elephant Whispers

 My youngest daughter, Jessica and I took  her visiting veterinary students to see the elephants at  Elephant Whispers in Hazyview yesterday.

 

And just like at my riding school,you first sign a indemnity form before you even really set foot on the property...

 

 

Walking through the little museum there I saw this picture of a man I have much respect for..Mr Richard Branson..mmm.... he was there visiting the elephants at some time. I would love to sit down and have a chat with Mr Branson one day!!! Would be VERY interesting I am sure!

 

 

There were about 38 Italian visitors with us there on the day!

I saw a lot of Roman noses...it's true!

 

 

The oldest elephant there having a quick wash down before the lecture began....so funny to see a 36 yo elephant bull weighing 6500 tons parked in that flimsy little crush!!

 

 

Amazing to see even the young ones patiently and obediently standing in their designated spots calmly waiting for the lecture to finish!

 

 

A close up of Thembo the older bull...he was hair raisingly beautiful!! 

A magnificent creature if ever I saw one!

I got real up close and personal with him a little later...one of life's moments for me for sure!!!!

 

 

Going through their paces for us on voice command only by the lecturer..these animals are superbly trained by professionals ...no force used here!

 

The lecturer told them elephants to back up to their enclosures and they obeyed immediately at great speed...I could now see why Hannibal used them to cross those mountains, huge big animals moving at great speed and so stealthily...

 

 

Check my pedicure...

I was fascinated by their feet...they use them to pick up vibrations through the earth...amazing...

 

 

 

The head groom giving us huge amounts of info and showing us how to correctly feed them horse cubes!!

 

 

My beautiful daughter Jessica feeding them elephants!

She knows  no fear...

 

 

My turn, I wanted to stay and chat to Miss Elephant all afternoon!!

I told her to come live with me.

I will feed her carrots all day long!!

..Until they told me how many carrots it will take to keep her happy!!....

 

 

 

They then had one of the elephants lie down so we could pat it and kiss it and cuddle it  and squeeze it....

 

 

Look at those feet   this was such a cute moment for me....

I told the lady next to me that Miss elephant had less callouses on her feet than me....She thought I was being funny...luckily she didn't take a good look at my wintry heels!

 

 

 

Amazed ...that's the only way I can describe what I was feeling there...

 

 

I gave Little Miss a kiss just before this pic was taken!!

 

 

They showed us how an elephant's skin absorbs water...couldn't believe my eyes!!

 

 

Themba coming up already saddled to have a chat with us!!

We were all overawed by his presence...

 

 

Put your hands on his legs so Themba can feel where you are and don't accidentally stomp on you or...even worse...stand on your toe!!!!

It looks straightforward to pose like this under an elephant bull...but it isn't....

You have to move out from under him to the side the grooms tell you and pretty lickety slick too...otherwise he feels you up with his trunk and one of his teeth might butt you on the head when he lowers his head!!!

 

 

There you go! My pic of a lifetime!!!

He kept on shifting his weight around on his legs and my nails dug into his skin to be sure he knows where I am!!

 

 

The elephants patiently lining up for their riders...

 

 

Some of the students from Belgium. Britain and Holland waiting to mount up!

The girl on the left showed me a pic of her as a tiny little girl eventing on her pure bred Welsh B gelding in England after hearing from Jess that her Mom breeds them!!!

Amazingly...the very same bloodlines as some of the mares I have!

 

 

..And on arriving back to our vehicle in the car park...it has been broken into and my handbag stole with my id books,wallet with bank cards,cell phone...the lot...the thing I hate most about Africa...The bastards didn't get any money.....and the phone was dying anyway...

The End

 

An Update And Snippets Of Our Adventures From Our Side Of The World.

Hallo all,been too long since I last posted but here's a peep as to what we have been up to lately!

 

Two Welsh B part bred foals that I have just weaned...

 

 

Cules, Minki and I went visiting the 2000 year old Baobab tree near Rubbervale train station one Sunday morning and had loads of fun there..

 

The tree is so big 5 grown men can go inside quite easily...It is completely hollow inside!

 

 

We started revamping our kitchen using Matumi wood from a tree that had died about 60 years ago on our farm!

 

 

Graffiti scribbled on the inside of the Baobab tree .

 

Spraying on the resin/varnish mix on the kitchen tops...

 

 

The piece of wood that had to be cut out where the kitchen sink went in was made into a butchers block by Cules!

 

 

Thoroughbred broodmares being checked over and dipped...

 

 

Minki making it clear she will not be left behind when we started climbing up the old Baobab tree!

 

 

On a friend's Game Farm....This Hippo made his way back to this dam after being swept away by the floods earlier this year!

 

 

Feeding one of the Rhino bulls...

 

 

Minki and Cules VERY high up in the Baobab tree...I was so scared she would wriggle herself out of Cules' grip as she smelled the vervet monkeys close by!

 

 

All three of us up in the Baobab tree....these are the things we get up to on a Sunday morning!!

Ok,ok,I will admit my knees were shaking and my teeth were chattering from fear!

 

 

 

Feeding the Sable youngsters..

 

 

Cules starting the fire at my youngest daughter's house on their Game Farm..

Eldest sister is in Canada at the moment for another 5 months!

 

 

We had a lovely time last night, visiting our daughter Jessica at their lovely home in the African bush...

All the girls are Scottish Veterinary students doing their Practical with the vets on the Game Farm.

The one holding her head is my Jess!

 

 

Students collaring an elephant bull in the Selati...

 

Abandoned old station house at Rubbervale train station....

 

 

Another pic of the elephant bull being collared,Cules stole three tail hairs for me!! I am sure the bull doesn't miss them though...Elephants do have a very long memory!

 

 

A lovely old wood burning stove I chanced upon and bought seeing as it is winter here!

I have always wanted one and found this one just across the road from us at our next door neighbour.

The End

Da Foals Have Started Arriving!!

Huge amounts of excitement in my life a.t.m. as the Welsh B  mares have started foaling! Already there is a slight nip in the air most mornings and I hope the foals will be safe from the dreaded African Horse Sickness. The 6 month old foal should be weaned from his mother soon,but I am holding back as his immunity system will go down from stress the moment I wean him and A.H.S is at its peak just now..

 

Rowan Yours Truly with her filly foal by Roly House Of Stars.

I named the filly;

 Stonecroft Your A Star. 

Her half brother (same Dam), just cleaned up in the Riding Pony Classes at The Horse Of The Year Show in Johannesburg this week!

 

Myself and too muddy Thoroughbred mares after being dipped for ticks.

Anabar Reef on the left and Dearly Me on the right.

Another thoroughbred mare is due to arrive on the farm soon,she is a well known, ex show mare named Charmed Circle,who has bred a few Show Winners herself.

Yes the chubby one is Moi...blame it on the Festive season!

 

 

Cules and his latest toy...he had to acquire it, as our first Hunting Safari is happening this coming weekend!

The name of our outfit??

You guessed it!

A little African Magic Hunting Safaris.

Look who is peeping through the small window in the back.

Hallo Minki,yes I did get your good side!

 

 

Minki and Bella having a good ole time....

 

 

Buttermilk buckskin filly foal,

Stonecroft Seren Nimbus, 

...having a stretch.

 

 

Six months old colt foal, Stonecroft Heartsease.

Due to be weaned soon..

The words "I want my Mommy" will have special meaning to him one of these days.

The End