As we come to the end of Women’s Month in South Africa, it’s the perfect time to reflect not only on what women have achieved in our country, but also on the unique ways we connect with the world around us.

For many, that connection comes in the form of horses—majestic, intuitive, and powerful creatures that seem to understand us in ways few others can. 

Here on the Wild Coast, riding isn’t just about the landscape (beautiful though it is) or about covering ground quickly—it’s about the quiet conversations between horse and rider, the way the rhythm of hoofbeats mirrors the tide, and how, for a few magical hours, everything else falls away.

How Women Dominate the World of Horses

Of course, our male riders—though few—share a similarly special connection with their horses. Yet they remain a very small minority. At Wild Coast Horses, nearly 74% of our riders are women, a trend that mirrors statistics worldwide. For example, one study notes that in both the USA and Great Britain, over 90% of horse owners are women.

Similarly, three out of four students enrolled in riding schools across Europe are female, and four out of five equine veterinary graduates are women. Clearly, the bond between women and horses isn’t just anecdotal—it’s evident on every level.

How To Acquire Strength Through Influence: A Woman's Guide

So what is it about women that makes us fall so completely in love with our equine companions and remain so steadfastly passionate about equestrian activities?

From a psychological perspective, some argue that it stems from an innate desire for strength. Diana S. Fleischman, Ph.D., notes that while men can rely on physical strength to assert power and influence, women often employ subtler strategies. 

They seek strong allies, and endeavour to establish them through psychological influence. In this sense, horses become “a superstimulus for the dynamic of acquiring strength through influence.”

In other words, much like Daenerys harnesses the power of her dragons to extend her own influence and establish herself as a formidable leader, women channel the strength, presence, and responsiveness of horses to enhance their own confidence, authority, and self-assurance.

To achieve this, we draw on inbuilt resources such as intuition, empathy, and finely tuned awareness—qualities that allow us to communicate with horses in ways words never can, forming a partnership that is both empowering and transformative.

Dancing to the Beat of a Different Drum

As novelist Jane Smiley notes, "What’s unique about riding is that the horse is always right there.” And she doesn’t just mean physically. Our aim as riders, and as women, is to have such a connection with the horse that their character, desires, intentions, and willingness to cooperate are always present, encouraging us to be fully in the moment, feeling and responding to every nuance in a dance of cooperation and mutual understanding.

On the Wild Coast, this dance is set to a soundtrack of crashing waves and pounding hooves. The horses, living a natural herd life without shoes or stables, are emotionally open and willing to connect in ways that horses kept in more urban environments might struggle to do.

With their needs for food, care, social interaction, and freedom of movement fully met, they can engage with their riders on a deeper level—mirroring our emotions, responding to subtle cues, and inviting us into a partnership that is as intuitive as it is exhilarating.

Discovering Strength And Presence On The Wild Coast

To ride the Wild Coast, you need a combination of focus, strength, and courage. Meeting these challenges is part of the appeal, both of horses and specifically of the Wild Coast itself. It teaches us to go beyond our physical limitations and discover a deeper strength that lives within us but that we rarely acknowledge.

We also get to build and exhibit our physical strength as we work with this powerful 500kg animal to achieve something beautiful like a long canter along a disused airstrip, or crossing a wind-blown river in the middle of what feels like nowhere. 

We get to master our balance over toe-curling steep declines, exercise our spiritual strength as we practice patience in the face of a horse’s hesitation or moment of doubt.

Riding on the Wild Coast challenges us on every level—physically, emotionally, and spiritually—reminding us that empowerment comes not just from completing a 200km-journey, but from discovering what we are capable of when we connect with an intuitive animal like a horse and learn to trust both it and ourselves.

Connection, Community, and Camaraderie in the Saddle

Of course, there are a few other connections you make on a Wild Coast Horse Trail, be it with the environment, the local culture, your fellow riders, or just the self that you came here to rediscover.  

Women riders, in particular, often thrive on camaraderie, support, and shared joy. The friendships formed on trail—laughing together along the beach, encouraging one another over challenging terrain, or swapping stories over dinner—enhance our connection with the horse itself. In a supportive, like-minded community, we feel freer to trust our instincts, celebrate our victories, and deepen the intuitive dialogue that makes riding here so magical.

Conclusion

To horse lovers like you, the idea of a special connection between women and horses won’t exactly come as a surprise. What might be surprising is just how deep and transformative that bond can be—especially on the Wild Coast. 

Here, women discover a partnership built on trust, intuition, and subtle communication with a horse that’s been allowed to develop his instincts and live as close to a wild life as possible—a partner capable of connecting on a deeper level and guiding you to discover the person you’ve always wanted to be.

The Wild Coast isn’t just a place to ride—it’s a place to remember who you are.