Are You Man Enough to Ride the Wild Coast?

When I wrote about the connection between women and horses on the Wild Coast, it came from my heart. However, at some point during that process, my head popped up with a strange realisation - the apparent absence of men!

Sure, we get a handful of male riders scattered through the year, some travelling solo, others matching their partner’s passion for horses, and still others trying their best to get into the swing of things to spend more quality time with their loved one.

But still, when we look at the statistics, one thing is startlingly obvious - over 90% of our clients are women!

So what’s going on?

Why Aren’t More Men in the Saddle?

Women run this horse-riding show, even if the statistics in professional riding don’t reflect it. As we mentioned before, women make up around 90% of horse owners in both the US and the UK. They are also more likely to get riding lessons and pursue equine-related careers, like veterinary and farrier roles. 

Ok, so we get it. Women love horses! But really, men make up such a small percentage of riders, we’ve considered starting a conservation programme for the poor devils!

Look at the images from virtually any horse riding operation in Africa, and you’ll see it’s mainly women in those saddles - not men! 

Where are you guys? And if you’re not learning to ride so you can discover the beauty of Africa and the freedom of a gallop on our untouched beaches, what the hell are you doing?!

Or maybe it’s something deeper than that - maybe you’re scared?

What Are You Guys Actually Afraid Of?

What could be putting men off joining us on a Wild Coast Horse Trail? I could be wildly off-point here, but let’s address a few of my imaginary concerns anyway:

• Looking uncool in a helmet? This could carry more weight than you might expect, considering the percentage of men who do actually choose to ride without a helmet, despite our best efforts at persuading them otherwise.
  So, if that’s what’s stopping you - come along anyway! Honestly, all you have to do is sign an extra indemnity form declaring your intentions and accepting full responsibility, and we’ll let you ride in a Noddy hat and pyjamas if you want, although a cowboy hat and chaps tend to go down better with the girls!

• Scared of being overtaken or outridden by a girl? Get over it! It’s going to happen anyway! Not only are our guides very experienced riders, but they’re also smart enough to give themselves the fastest horses, so no matter what you think might be going on in that beach gallop - if you win, it’s because they let you!

• Worried the horse might expose your weaknesses? I’m afraid to tell you - that’s inevitable. The only way to avoid it is to drop the ego, trash the bravado and just be true to yourself.

• A little nervous about the first beach canter? That’s okay - it happens to the best of us. Just trust your horse, trust your guide, and trust that the Wild Coast has a funny way of turning fear into freedom. One moment you’re questioning everything, and the next you’re flying down an empty beach thinking, “Oh wow… I can actually do this.”

• Concerned you’ll be the only guy in the group? Chances are, you probably will be! But honestly, when else do you get the undivided attention of so many women? You’ll also have approximately zero competition when it comes to impressing anyone. Plus, riding with women is great for the ego — we’ll clap for anything. Even staying on.

• Afraid you’ll have to talk about your feelings after a magical beach ride? Relax — no one’s asking for a TED Talk on emotional vulnerability. But be warned: sunsets, surf spray, and a good horse can soften even the toughest bloke. If you accidentally blurt out something sincere, don’t panic. The wind will probably drown it out anyway.

All in all, those things that might be putting you off could prove to be amongst the biggest benefits — the laughs, the humbling moments, the unexpected connections, and the realisation that bravery isn’t about pretending you’re fearless, but showing up anyway.  

And once you’ve made peace with all that, you’re ready for the best part of the whole experience: embracing the adventure, leaning into the challenge, and discovering just how far a good horse and an open mind can take you!

The Wild Coast: This Is What Bravery Looks Like

Riding a 500kg animal over 200km of windswept coastline on the edge of Africa takes courage — the kind men claim to have in spades. After all, isn’t adventure supposed to be your thing? 

The Wild Coast is the perfect place to prove it, because out here the challenges are real, the stakes are tangible, and the rewards are far better than anything you’ll get from a weekend of “man vs. braai tongs.”

This trail gives you the sort of tests men secretly love: holding your balance down a thigh-burning descent, keeping your cool while your horse sizes up a river crossing, and digging deep when the wind decides to treat you like a human kite. There’s no room for fake toughness here — only the solid, grounded bravery that comes from showing up and giving it a go.

The Wild Coast pushes you in all the ways men swear they’re built for: physically, mentally, instinctively. It’s adventure with teeth, bravery with purpose, challenge with a payoff. And once you realise how capable you are out here, the next test doesn’t just look doable — it starts to look downright irresistible.

The Men Who Ride the Wild Coast (And Their Secrets to Survival)

Make no mistake — we do have male riders join us on both our trails and our longer working riding holidays, and when they do, they bring all sorts of surprises with them! Inevitably, you get the guy who tests our guides with his ego-driven determination to always be first, even though it makes abundant sense that the guide should, ahem, guide the way?

Then we’ve had the quiet, oh-no-I-couldn’t-possibly gentlemen who insist they’re barely up to the task, yet secretly have as much — if not more — riding ability and experience as all the women put together.

And then you have the absolute gems: the cheerful chaps who arrive with zero expectations, zero bravado, and zero clue what they’re doing… yet somehow bond with their horse so deeply that by the time it comes to say goodbye, they’re professing undying love with tears in their eyes!

Honestly, the Wild Coast doesn’t judge and nor do we. As long as you’ve got the skills and experience to stay in the saddle, the humility to listen to your guide, and the good humour to laugh at yourself when your horse outsmarts you (it will happen), you’ll fit right in.

The Real Truth — It’s Not About Being Man Enough

Riding has never been about being tough — it’s about the connection with the horse and, on the Wild Coast, about turning up without bravado or big-man energy, but with humility and an honest willingness to just be present. It’s not about how many miles you’ve clocked, how many times you’ve hit the dirt, or how loudly you talk about it afterwards.

The Wild Coast rewards softness, listening, connection — the kind of traits you can’t fake, flex, or bluff your way through.

Come On, Guys — Saddle Up

So, guys, we know you’re out there — we see you in the showjumping arena, on YouTube, the racetrack and the endurance circuit — so why don’t we see you on the Wild Coast? Isn’t it time you brought those riding skills somewhere they’ll actually be tested by wind, waves, hills, and horses with opinions? 

Come find out what the women already know — that this coastline can make a hero out of you… or at least give you a story that doesn’t involve a beer tent.

If you think you’re tough enough to ride the Wild Coast, come show us.