Nicky Hoseck

Wild Coast Horses and
the Ride of the Peacemaker

With a garrison surrounded and defeat looming, one man set out alone on horseback — 10 days, 950 kilometers, and a race against death. His mission wasn’t just about endurance; it changed the course of history. By securing reinforcements, he saved the British garrison at Port Natal from defeat by Boer forces.

But beyond delivering a military victory, his actions paved the way for negotiations that helped prevent further bloodshed. This critical moment earned him the Zulu nickname Mlamulankunzi, meaning “peacemaker among bulls.” It’s this legacy of courage, diplomacy, and endurance that inspired adventurer Barry Armitage when he decided to recreate the Ride of the Peacemaker.

More than 150 years later, two modern-day adventurers set out to retrace his route — and test their limits against time, terrain, and truth.

The Man Who Dared To Ride In King’s Hoofprints

To adventurer and historian Barry Armitage, King’s story was the stuff of legend and soon became a challenge he couldn’t resist.

Always fascinated by the history and culture of his home country, Armitage persuaded his then brother-in-law, Joe Dawson, to accompany him as he set out to see if King’s legendary journey was even viable – especially in a country that had seen considerable urbanisation since the days of King and his colleagues.

After extensive reading and research, Barry concluded that much of the stuff written about King was far from the truth. “King never spoke about his journey and his companion, Ngondeni, only opened up some 50 years after the fact,” he explains.

What we think we know about King’s excursion, then, is mostly conjecture and exaggeration.

Armitage is taking nothing away from King when he says he believes the journey to be around 100 km shorter than the widely accepted 950 km and if you’re to believe anyone, it should be him – after all, he’s ridden it!

When Maps Run Out: Navigating the Ride of the Peacemaker

The South Africa Barry and Joe were confronted with couldn’t be more different from the one King traversed, but the pair still experienced some of the same challenges faced by King all those years ago.

Admittedly, navigating busy roads probably wasn’t something King had to contend with. Still, when it came to the basics of riding, such as chafes, rubs, tired muscles, and aching knees, King’s experience was probably very similar to that of our modern-day adventurers.

With concrete evidence of King’s journey in the form of maps and other documentation in short supply, Barry was forced to rely on his own unswayable sense of navigation and what historical documents and maps he could scavenge from the archives to piece together a plausible route.

Once actually out on the trail, however, it became more about trusting his instincts, and his horse, to guide him across what had become a vastly different landscape.

A Harder Road: Steel Hooves Needed In An Urban Landscape

While Barry was optimistic about completing the journey, he wasn’t sure the urbanised landscape would offer a level playing field. As his loyal companion Joe explained, the very nature of their mission was “to match [Dick King’s] feat in modern-day South Africa and see what the new challenges were.”

To even the odds slightly, Barry and Joe set off with four or five horses, unlike King, who started the journey with just two, although Barry assures me, he picked up a few other mounts along the way, enabling him to give the legendary Somerset a little breathing space.

Even with a string of horses, the challenges of riding on hard roads soon raised their ugly heads and before the pair even reached Butterworth, it became clear that their horses lacked Somerset’s legendary “hoofs of steel.” The hard road surfaces of modern South Africa were far more punishing than the grassy terrain Somerset would have crossed in the 1840s and the horses were feeling the strain.

Adding to the issue, when the horses weren’t being ridden, they were transported by vehicle—a process that proved almost as exhausting as travelling on foot. As a result, the horses required more downtime than Barry and Joe had anticipated.

With these challenges mounting, it soon became clear that the only way to continue was to give the horses a couple of days’ rest—time to recover, get used to their new shoes, and regain the strength needed for the road ahead.

Wild Coast Horses Boost Pace of Pioneering Ride

At this point, Barry and Joe started looking around for horses that could maybe cover a day or two of the journey while their horses received some expert farrier treatment and much-needed rest. This was a major setback and meant the pair were now trailing King by hours if not days.

Keen to help and eager to see her horses take part in such a historical event, Julie-Anne Gower, the owner of Wild Coast Horses, agreed to provide as many horses as were required to get them back on track.

First off were Tassenberg and Time Warp, two young homebred Anglo-Arabs on the brink of exciting endurance careers. While the pair made up some significant ground, Time Warp’s restless nature soon riled Joe who was eager to replace him with a different model… until he saw Jack!

Short Strides, Big Heart: Not Your Average Endurance Horses

Jack was the least likely participant in the event. A 14.2hh pinto pony of unknown breeding and a very long history of teaching children how to fall off over show jumps, Jack had a short trail career due to his tendency to go everywhere at either a walk or a slightly too-speedy canter.

Paired with his best friend, a mature Cape Boerperd called Captain, Jack helped the pair gain ground, even though he did it with some very short strides – something Joe was far from keen on! Riding a pony that feels like a sewing machine is rarely an experience one celebrates!

Nevertheless, with Jack and Captain only too keen to prove they still had fuel in their aging tanks, they steamed along the busy roads to the local farming town of Komga, quickly putting Barry and Joe back on track to complete the journey in good time.

The Heart Behind the Hoofbeats

That’s not to say these were the only equine heroes of the adventure. One horse that particularly stood out was a Boerperd named Pat. Among the original horses that left Durban, Pat proved himself to be what Joe described as “a true Boerperd of the best sort.” In other words: honest, strong, hard-working, fleet of foot when needed, yet relentlessly level-headed.

Like the other horses that participated in the Ride of the Peacemaker, Pat grew into his role. Throughout the journey, he learnt to swim and became unfazed by traffic and almost everything else. It was this adaptability that most impressed the adventurers. Joe told me:

"Their willingness to take on challenges outside their knowledge was impressive and humbling."

Thanks to the willingness of their mounts and their own indefatigable determination, Barry and Joe completed the epic journey in roughly 10 days - matching King’s impressive record. Would they do it again? Well, in a way they did. Shortly after completing the filming of The Ride of the Peacemaker, the pair went on to replicate another historical ride, Chasing the Ghost of Harry Smith all the way from Cape Town to Grahamstown - a challenge that you’ll have to read about somewhere else!

Keeping the Legacy Alive

In participating in this historical achievement, our Wild Coast Horses proved that trail horses are more than just sure-footed companions -they are resilient, adaptable, and capable of rising to the challenge, even in the face of modern-day obstacles.

From the green enthusiasm of Time Warp to Jack’s unlikely determination and Pat’s quiet strength, each horse played a vital role in keeping the Ride of the Peacemaker on track.

Their contributions echo the enduring spirit of Dick King’s legendary journey and remind us that, even centuries later, the heart of a great ride still beats strongest beneath a brave horse and a determined rider.

Ready to ride into history?

Join us on the Wild Coast and experience the spirit of the Ride of the Peacemaker for yourself.

Saddle up today