Nicky Hoseck

Why 12 Weeks on the Wild Coast
Could Change Everything

Alice Ross had no idea that a six-week escape to South Africa would become the turning point of her life. More than a decade later, she’s built a thriving equine bodywork business—and it all began with a horse named Tamborine, galloping down a beach on the Wild Coast.

How One Horse-Mad Teen Found Her Way to Africa

I remember when Alice arrived on the Wild Coast, she was a gawky 18-year-old with a quirky sense of humour and surprising talent in the saddle, although she’s since told me that it wasn’t always like that!

“I had riding lessons for five or six years and probably fell off at least once a week, if not twice,” she laughs. “I had my own filing cabinet of accident report forms of me falling off every pony under the sun!”

Despite struggling with her confidence, Alice stayed committed to riding and always knew she’d end up doing something horse-related with her life. It’s hardly surprising that, on completing her A Levels in the summer of 2012, she decided to delay her place on a veterinary physiotherapy course simply so she could spend more time in the saddle.

With an unshakable love for animals and a hunger for adventure, Alice set out to combine travel with her passion for horses. That’s when she found Wild Coast Horses—a place where she could ride daily, gain hands-on experience, and, as it turned out, uncover the wildness and magic of Africa.

A six-week working riding holiday sounded like the perfect fit—and even her mum was in favour.

When the Wild Coast Steals Your Heart

While the idea of a solo riding adventure appealed to Alice’s courageous side, when the realities of flying halfway across the world dawned on her, she found herself “being absolutely terrified.”

“Loads of people had scared me about how dangerous South Africa is, so I got myself really worked up before I got there.”

But once she landed in East London and started meeting the team, Alice’s fears quickly faded. “I was just in heaven because there were seven crazy dogs running about everywhere!” she recalls.

Her first six weeks passed in a flash, filled with unforgettable moments and daily adventures. But it was during a mini beach trail to Trennery’s that everything truly clicked.

“I remember thinking, I never want to leave. The landscape was wild and beautiful—and the horses were just magic,” she sighs.

Sadly, she did leave, and it was a heartbreaking experience. On arriving home, she sobbed to her mum, “You don’t understand, Mum, the sky is so big there!”

Fortunately, it wasn’t long before an opportunity arose for Alice to return—this time for a 12-week working riding holiday. That decision would prove to be life-changing.

The Moment It All Made Sense

During those three months, Alice met Richard Maxwell, a respected equestrian professional from the UK, who introduced her to a completely new approach to horsemanship— one that included the Masterson Method.

Although it would turn out to be a life-changing moment, Alice admits that, at the time, her motivation was entirely about riding. “I didn’t jump onto it because I really wanted to do the technique, even though I thought it was fascinating,” she laughs. “It was more of a cunning way to stay in South Africa so I could ride horses for longer!”

Nevertheless, enrolling on a Masterson’s Method course in the UK meant Alice could still live and work in South Africa, completing the required case studies there, while studying remotely. It didn’t take long for the bug to bite. During her very first weekend course, Alice saw something that left her, as she so eloquently puts it, “gobsmacked.”

Jim was demonstrating his techniques on a big grey horse, and halfway through the session, the horse lay down and went to sleep.

I’d never seen anything like it in my life. How this horse responded to such gentle work blew my brain, and from that point on I was hooked!

Responding to the Flow of Energy

Alice’s time at Wild Coast Horses not only introduced her to influential people but also opened her mind to a different kind of energy flow and a deeper connection with horses—two key elements that now form the foundation of her business.

She recalls the special bond shared on trail, where the horses trusted her with their lives and looked after her in return. “The energy connection you have with horses in South Africa is just completely different,” she says. “I experienced a level of connection I’d never known before.”

Puzzle was Alice’s first lead horse when she took charge of a trail for the first time, and though she wasn’t sure where she was going, Puzzle instinctively knew the way—when to canter, when to trot—and Alice felt completely supported.

“These little horses would do anything for me, so I wanted to be able to do something for them,” she reflects. “I wanted to give back to them in my lifetime, because they give so much to us.”

Releasing Tension And Balancing The Bucket

After 10 years as an Equine & Canine Bodyworker, Alice has developed her own unique approach, which begins with an assessment of the tension, either emotional or physical, that a horse holds in its body in a rest state. From that point, Alice works with the horse not only to prevent injury and improve performance, but to make them the best emotional and physical body they can be.

Explaining it in more detail, Alice likens the horse’s tension to a bucket of water. “Think of it like this,” she says, “If a horse’s ‘tension bucket’ is about 60% full while resting, any added pressure—a loud noise, a change in routine, or an emotional trigger—can quickly fill it to overflowing. When that happens, the horse may react by breaking down, becoming spooky or reactive, shutting down, or withdrawing. My work focuses on identifying these tensions early and helping to reduce the load so the horse can remain happy and balanced, both physically and emotionally.”

It may not be easy work, but it’s extremely rewarding—especially when horses that simply can’t function finally let go and find peace, freedom, and, quite literally, a new lease of life.

More Than a Career: A Journey of Friendship and Growth

While I’m writing this blog to illustrate the profound effect a working riding holiday can have on your life, I can’t help being extremely proud to have joined Alice for part of her journey and to have been privileged enough to see her blossom from horse-mad teenager to professional bodyworker and, more simply, a person with a really good heart.

Wild Coast Horses didn’t just shape Alice’s career—it also gave her two of her closest lifelong friends.

“Having that shared experience, knowing the same horses and living that incredible life together,” she reflects, “it sometimes feels like a dream. But the fact that we all got to live it together is special. I wouldn’t change a thing. It was all magical.”

How a 12-Week Riding Holiday Could Change Your Life

There’s something transformative about spending time with horses, especially in a place as raw and breathtaking as the Wild Coast. You arrive unsure of yourself, maybe even a little lost, and somehow, through the connection with the horses, the quiet power of the herd, and the untamed beauty of the African wilderness, you begin to find a whole new you.

A 12-week riding holiday isn’t just about improving your riding—it’s about discovering new layers of confidence, clarity, and connection. You’ll learn from the horses, from the land, and from the people you meet along the way. And like Alice, you might leave with more than just memories—you might find lifelong friends, a new perspective, or even a brand-new path you never saw coming.

Ready to Take the Leap?

If Alice’s story has sparked something in you, maybe it’s time to say yes to your own Wild Coast adventure. Come ride with us, challenge yourself, connect deeply with horses, people, and nature, and see what 12 weeks on the Wild Coast could do for you.

Ride. Connect. Belong.

Growth doesn’t happen by chance—it happens in the saddle.

Come ride into the version of yourself you haven’t met yet.