It doesn’t take long for us to work out that North Auckland horses have a mortal fear of the moving boulders they call merinos on the Mainland.
When your normally trusty trekking horse is pinging from one side of the well-worn track to the other as these ‘boulders’, well camouflaged in the golden tussock, start moving in their thousands, it’s obvious we are the strangers in this vast and beautiful Mackenzie Country.
The merino sheep outnumber us 15,000 to three on Blue Mountain Station near Fairlie, so it’s a case of total immersion from day one. This is the type of challenge intrepid horse trekkers dream about.
Exploring the country on purebred Arabs is part of life for Warkworth friends Jan Hallam and Joy Bell. I was lucky enough to join them for a 20-day adventure to some remote and stunning parts of the South Island.
The ferry crossing is foremost in our minds as we travel down the North Island. Thankfully, there is not a ripple in sight as we head out into the Cook Strait. We rush back to the truck as the boat slows into Picton, and find the horses snoozing comfortably
We don’t rough it. Jan’s horse truck has all the home comforts; it is fully self-contained and it’s a pleasure to return for a hot shower after six to eight hours in the saddle. The fridge is fully stocked – most importantly, there are ice cubes for a gin and tonic as the sun goes down.
Two of our horses have saddlebags packed with lunch and water each day to explore the 30,000 acres at Blue Mountain. Joy rides everywhere bareback, in a halter. We head out for three to four hours in whichever direction the shepherds point us. The thrill is in having the freedom to explore and experience our country in a way only the locals making a living from land can do.
Riding alongside the wide Orari River and winding into the valley with the wind howling at our tails and the long high country grasses whipping around the horses’ legs, you get a real sense of the scale of the country. The skies are huge, the turns in the track endless. It feels like you could ride on for days. With three nights at Blue Mountain, we quickly get into the routine of life on the road with our horses to care for.
The horses travel well, but regular stops on days on the road are important for the animals. Equally important while heading through Fairlie on our way to Lake Tekapo is a stop at the Fairlie Bakehouse for a Lieber pie.
The shepherds at Blue Mountain all had their favourite, and it was a hotly-contested race between the pork belly and the silverside with mustard and potato. We went for pork belly, and ate them while the horses grazed on the grass verge. They were so good we stashed a few in the freezer for another day.
Our two-night stay on a 14,850 hectare station on the shores of Lake Tekapo was a test in endurance for our horses. The highland lake, at 2300 feet, is in the heart of the Mackenzie Country, and the centre of the South Island.
A former tour coach driver, Jan is adept at finding riding spots that are well off the tourist tracks, and access to this private station was a real treat.
The day dawns so clear and crisp, it’s only the mountain range that tells where the lake ends and the sky begins. We head off into the hills, which are huge and imposing from the valley below. The horses are going to find out what getting South Island fit is all about.
The unique turquoise colour of the lake only intensifies as we climb. After much discussion about where the track might be, and many spring crossings, we finally make it to the top for a well-deserved lunch stop.
Lake Tekapo is beautiful from the shore, but from up here you feel like you are having your own private viewing of the jewel at the heart of the country.
It is at this very spot that Joy decides she must strip off her riding gear and dive into the lake and taste it (delicious, apparently). The glacial-fed lake, at seven degrees, doesn’t keep her in for long, so, we girth up and head in a zigzag fashion down the side of the mountain.
Learning about the lives of the people who work away on this unforgiving land, with its extremes in temperature and terrain, is as enjoyable as the riding. Conversations flowed as we invited our hosts for a meal in the truck. We can see why they love where they live.
We leave Tekapo with a promise to return. There is still a 58km trail along the side of the lake that awaits us.
Over the Haast Pass, and into the West Coast, the pace changes for horses and riders. The intensity of the forest and density of the cloud has us wondering where the riding will be.
One of the most sparsely populated areas of the country, the forests and snow-capped mountains make you feel like you have been been transported back to pre-colonial New Zealand.
Driving a 12-tonne truck loaded with three horses around winding West Coast roads is a challenge. Luckily, Jan is an expert.
We burst out of the forest to see the first signs of civilisation in hours. Thankfully, this is our stop for the next three nights. Our host Ben Monk owns the South Westland Salmon farm at Paringa, and the renowned cafe attached.
As the West Coast weather sets in and riding is called off for the day, we enjoy some of the cafe’s specialities. Salmon chowder and salmon muffins are fresh and delicious in front of the fire. The cafe attracts tourists making the trip along State Highway 6.
Ben’s house is a popular stop for friends, family and deer hunters. The autumn timing of our trip coincides with the roar when stags are actively looking for a mate, making it a busy time for deer stalkers. Helicopters landing on the front lawn to deliver hunters back from the chase are a common sight.
The weather clears, and we saddle up to ride out. ‘Just follow the track along the river,’ we’re told. The Paringa River, 50km south of Fox Glacier tumbles past. Patterns in the stones mesmerise us as we ride along the riverbank.
We cross the river cautiously many times with one goal in mind – to get back to the cafe for a coffee. Cold sets in. The river flows fast, and is not easy to cross. It’s freezing, and when the water rushes past as high as the horses’ bellies and starts to soak through our boots we are glad they are sure footed. They navigate the large river stones and carry us safely to the track on the other side.
Ben’s eyes bulge slightly when we return and tell him about our adventures. Apparently, we shouldn’t have crossed the river below the highway bridge! The locals know how quickly the weather can change.
We can’t leave Paringa without a whitebait fritter from the cafe. They’re caught fresh from the river below. The fritters are three times the size of the bread trying desperately to sandwich them, and delicious.
Aorangi Mt Cook has eluded us in the clouds up the coast, and we are all keen to catch a glimpse. It’s cold and clear in Hokitika as we ride through reclaimed gold mining land onto the beach. There she is, the mountain rising magnificently in the distance. Her snowy peaks are the icing on the cake for the adventure of a lifetime.
Apart from river stones, we take home lifelong friendships, incredible hospitality, a strengthened bond with our horses, and the pleasure in knowing we have seen parts of our country it takes a certain amount of gumption and effort to see.
“So many people say to me ‘Oh I wish I could do that, what incredible adventures you have, you are so lucky,’ but it’s not luck and it’s not impossible,” says Jan. “Just get out there and do it. At our age you start realising life is too short. Plan well, be brave and the rest is simple.”
Trekking Notebook
Do: Before you go speak to locals, horse riding contacts, and research good riding areas. Ask horse-friendly station owners or managers for access, and plan your route. Do a recce to pinpoint rest stops for horses. Visit stations, meet the owners, check access and grazing. Less travelling means more riding.
Do: Leave a detailed itinerary with loved ones including station phone numbers – cellphone cover is patchy or unavailable in most areas.
Do: Plan your menu for horses and riders. Stock up where you can on travel days. Take all the hard feed and hay you will need. We covered 3200 km in 20 days and only ate dinner out once – the call of Hokitika whitebait pizza was to strong to ignore.
Eat: Pies at the Fairlie Bakehouse on the main street in Fairlie. There is often a queue out the door but Franz Lieber’s award winning pies are worth the wait. If salmon chowder and enormous whitebait fritters are more your thing, try the Salmon Farm Cafe on State Highway 6 in Paringa.
Stay: Equestrian Centres are good for overnight travel stops. We stayed at the National Equestrian Centre in Taupo on the way down. Find a paddock as close as you can to Wellington and Picton the night before ferry crossings. Book the 9am ferry to avoid the heat of the day, and hopefully the swell.
Drive: A reliable, self-contained horse truck is a must. The gas hot shower was a bonus, and with 700 litres of water on board, it was well used after a long, cold day. Cleaning the horse area well when you get to each destination enlarges your living space.
Horses: Jan and Joy ride purebred Arabs. Jan’s Zam is 19 years old, a real gentleman, who has trekked all his life. Jan bred Joy’s pony, Missy, who is 10 years old, walks faster than most horses, and is ridden bareback in a halter. I ride Ginny, a paint mare, who at seven, is the baby of the team and still earning her trekking stripes.
- This article was first published in the August 2018 issue of NZ Horse & Pony
