Equine Sport Centre

In the spotlight: Blake McGivern

Blake first discovered her love for horses at the age of nine, at the beginning of 2020, just as the COVID-19 pandemic began. Ironically, she had once been afraid of, and even disliked, horses.

When she began showing an interest in horses, her mom, who grew up riding, wanted to make sure it was more than just a phase. Every Friday, she took her to volunteer at Dassenberg Horse Rescue, where she mucked out stalls, groomed horses, removed ticks, and basically did anything she could to spend time around them, even though she wasn’t riding yet.

In December 2020, she had her very first riding lesson and was absolutely delighted. Unfortunately, the pandemic had other plans. Another wave brought another lockdown, and she was unable to get back in the saddle until mid-2021, shortly after turning ten.

Despite the long wait, her love for horses and riding only grew stronger. She volunteered whenever she could, researched whenever she had the opportunity, read every horse book her shelf could hold, and watched countless videos about horses, riding, and yard and farm life.

After riding for about a year, she decided to take a break. The original plan was to stay away for a year before returning, but she only managed four months. When she came back, she felt more confident and determined than ever.

After spending another two years at her first riding school, she and her parents made the difficult decision to move. Leaving behind the horses she had grown to know and love was incredibly emotional, but it marked the beginning of a new chapter in her riding journey.

In February 2025, she moved to ESC, and she states couldn’t be happier. She had once been an extremely nervous rider, constantly overthinking every possible worst-case scenario. Today, she can honestly say that trying new things has become one of her favourite parts of riding, even when she isn’t very good at them yet.

She feels incredibly lucky to have parents who support her interests and are always willing to drive her to lessons, shows, and volunteering days whenever needed. Their encouragement has played a huge role in helping her pursue her passion, and she is deeply grateful for it.

Along the way, she has had the privilege of working with some truly amazing horses, and even finding her heart horse. She has also been fortunate to learn from her instructor at ESC who has helped her grow as a rider in ways she never could have imagined.

What began as an unexpected interest has become a meaningful part of her life. From mucking out stalls and volunteering at a rescue to facing her fears in the saddle, every step has helped shape her into the rider she is today.

Weekday lesson availability! 🌟

Ready to ride? Email [email protected] to claim your spot!

From city mom to Horse Mom!

From the moment Lana could talk, it was all about horses. For her Mom and Dad, it was a completely foreign world. They are city slickers and knew next to nothing about these beautiful four-legged creatures! Mom tried everything in her power to get her to play with dolls and Barbies, but no... she wanted horses. Luckily, at that stage, they were just toy horses. These days, of course, that horse dream is getting a little more expensive!

Without a doubt, Lana’s favourite day of the week is her day at the farm. Mom drops her off at 8 am and only pick her up at 6 pm, and her first question will always be: "Can’t I stay a little longer?" Some days, Mom really feel sorry for Chantal and Uzel! The horse farm is simply her happy place.

Mom often jokes that maybe they should start homeschooling Lana on horseback, because if she tackled her schoolwork with the same focus, determination, and enthusiasm she applies to anything horse-related, she’d be a genius!

But beyond all the driving around, early mornings, mud, dust, boots, and the demands that keep a horse mom constantly on the go, there is something special her Mom sees happening. Mom sees this little 10-year-old horse girl growing. She see her self-confidence, her sense of responsibility, and her love and respect for animals developing. She see her learning to persevere when things get tough, to try again, and to be brave.

And then Mom realises: even though she never planned on being a horse mom, she wouldn’t trade it for anything. For amidst the horses, the farm, and those muddy boots, their little girl is finding her place, and increasingly becoming the strong, confident young woman she is destined to be.

A 10-year-old horsewoman, boots and all.

Almost spring! 🌼🌻🌷🌺🌸🪻🌹

Let's highlight Jessica Ann Canter!

Jessica has been in love with horses since childhood, but it was only in 2022, when she started her legal articles, that she had the opportunity to begin riding. She did an outride at ESC, absolutely loved it, and started taking lessons soon afterwards. She has had a fall or two along the way, but nothing keeps her away.

She has now been riding with ESC for just over four years, and it has been incredible to look back at how much she has grown. She went from knowing nothing about horses or riding to competing in shows, doing a bit of jumping and dressage, and thoroughly enjoying a good canter on an outride. Her goal has never really been about competing, but rather about the horsemanship.

What she loves most about ESC are the people, the horses, and the community culture. It has become a little family that she is incredibly grateful to be part of, and her passion for horses and riding has only grown over the years.

When she started at ESC, she was a candidate attorney working through her articles. She is now a fully qualified attorney practising litigation and conveyancing in Cape Town CBD and acts as ESC's Legal Representative. It has been a challenging few years, but having horses and ESC as something completely separate from her professional life has been such an important part of that journey. Ultimately, ESC is her safe space and her escape. It is the place where she can grow, switch off from everything else, and just exist as exactly who she is.

Lunging a horse is for more than just burning off extra energy. Working on the circle gives your horse the chance to learn how to carry themselves correctly without the weight of a rider, while giving you the best view of their movement, mood, and biomechanics.

A well-schooled horse starts with a solid foundation on the ground! 🐴✨

Danica Robson in the spotlight!

Danica started riding at the age of seven in Johannesburg, where she rode for 11 years before moving to Stellenbosch at 18 to study.

During her early riding career, she primarily competed in show jumping, while also occasionally participating in other SANESA disciplines, including Working Hunter, Performance Riding and Handy Hunter.

Over the years, she represented the Gauteng West team for eight consecutive years and qualified to represent Gauteng at SANESA Nationals on six occasions.

Most of her competitive success came in the 1.00 m and 1.10 m show-jumping classes. She qualified to represent Gauteng at the South African Junior Championships, where her best results were an Individual Silver Medal and Team Gold. She was also ranked among the Top 20 riders in South Africa at her competition height for four consecutive years.

Some of her career highlights include:
- Winning a leg of the FEI Bronze Tour in 2017.
- Winning the 1.00 m Spring Fair Championship in 2017.
- Winning the 1.10 m President’s Cup in 2020.

When she moved to Stellenbosch, she began riding at ESC during her first year, taking weekly lessons. In her second year, she leased Sharp Peg and was introduced to eventing, competing in two events with Sharp Peg. During her third year, she moved her horse, Foxy, down to Stellenbosch.

Her first event with Foxy was also his first-ever eventing competition. Together, they progressed from the 85 cm class to 1* level within just two years of their first event. Their final competition together was the Adult Western Cape Championships in George last year, where they finished second in the 1* class.

She continues to be actively involved at ESC, where she assists as a work rider. Her experience, consistency, and understanding of horse development have played a significant role in Foxy’s progress, and she has been a large part of the reason he and other horses at ESC has developed into such a good horses.

We love to see the mares having a good time! 🐎🌱