Sinethemba “Hope” Sneshuda Ncwadi has dedicated his life to caring for horses, and the love he gives them is shown in one wholesome photo.
Meyerton, South Africa (08 June 2022) – Sinethemba “Hope” Sneshuda Ncwadi has been working at the Highveld Horse Care Unit (HHCU) for over ten years now and loves his job. The horses he cares for show him love right back every day.
Hope was brought up in a township called Everton in Gauteng. He didn’t have much of an education but growing up with his brothers; he got to see the work done for the horse carting community. He used to watch as the HHCU Outreach team worked with cart horse owners, teaching them how to properly care for horses and donkeys. Eventually, he even managed to help on a few of the cases.
When Hope turned 19-years-old, he approached HHCU to ask for a job. They were happy to offer him employment, and he started as a groom at the stables.
Over the last ten years, Hope has worked his way up through the unit, and today he is responsible for caring for the horses that need medical treatment. He works with all the Equines that come to the Medical Block, ensuring they get the proper treatment for what ails them.
Sadly, in 2018, Hope lost his 5-year-old daughter, and it is thanks to the horses that he has a newfound purpose. It is through working on these injured and broken animals that he has been able to find peace in his own heart.
Despite having such a love for his equine friends (and they, him), Hope has never actually ridden a horse. Being around them is enough. Outside of working with the horses, Hope takes care of his four dogs, a sign that he is deeply invested in the care of all animals.
Working at HHCU has been a blessing to his life, but in return, he has saved many horses, seen them and helped them. He is one of many incredible souls that work at the HHCU.
The Highveld Horse Care Unit is one of the largest equine welfare organisations in South Africa. The organisation was established in 1991 and has grown from strength to strength since then. The organisation has an incredible outreach team that engages with the cart horsing communities throughout Gauteng, ensuring horses are cared for and treated humanely. They also provide training to cart horse owners to ensure the horses have a good life.
Each year, the team will assist around 8000 horses and donkeys. Those in need of serious help, are stabled at the organisation and in a year, they can stable up to 600 animals. The facility can care for around 35 horses a day. HHCU do rehome and adopt out horses too.
They work beyond Gauteng too and provide outreach clinics in several surrounding provinces, travelling around 200,000km a year to reach as many horses and donkeys as possible. Owners are taught to properly shoe their horses, harness repairs and cart manufacturing. In underprivileged areas, they provide deworming, dental, gelding and farrier clinics.
If you want to find out more about the HHCU, you can check out its Facebook and Website.
by 