Though rare, they can be found in a few select places across the country, one of them being Fazenda, located on Mount Kigali in Nyarugenge District. The site offers a variety of outdoor activities and is among the few places in Rwanda where horses are used for leisure and fitness.
At Fazenda, eight horses are under the care of Niyonsenga Innocent, who describes them as calm and intelligent animals that respond to human emotions.
'If you approach a horse with fear, it senses it. But if you come with love, they respond with affection,' he explains.
According to Niyonsenga, horses possess a strong sense of perception, particularly through their eyes and mouths, allowing them to detect how a person feels.
Like other animals, a horse's lifespan depends largely on how it is raised. When properly cared for, a horse can live up to 50 years. Proper care includes regular veterinary attention, balanced feeding, cleanliness, and ensuring they are not overworked.
Their diet mainly consists of grains such as maize, rice, and wheat, with proportions adjusted according to the horse's size and age. At Fazenda, the horses are categorised into three groupsâ€"short, medium, and tallâ€"and begin their training at a young age.
Training involves the use of specially designed saddles to help them grow accustomed to carrying people. Horses are gradually taught to walk with a rider and perform tasks such as running and jumping. Training sessions are held three times a day, but if a horse becomes tired or uninterested, trainers adjust the routine accordingly.
Niyonsenga notes that horses can express discomfort in different ways, including by biting, and that trainers learn to read these signals. The horses at Fazenda are imported from Naivasha, Kenya, and have adapted well to Kigali's climate, though their overall wellbeing depends on environmental conditions.
Horses, as prey animals, have unique sleep patterns that allow for both vigilance and deep rest. They achieve their lighter sleep (Slow Wave Sleep) while standing up, a feat made possible by the stay apparatus, a system of tendons and ligaments that effectively locks their leg joints, minimising muscular effort.
However, to attain essential, deep REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep, a horse must lie down entirely, usually for short, intermittent periods. While lying down is a normal behaviour, any horse found in prolonged recumbency or struggling to rise is usually treated as a medical emergency, as this is a key sign of severe pain, such as colic (severe abdominal pain).
Fazenda's horses are given space to roam freely when not being ridden. They receive regular grooming, including brushing and gentle hand massages to relax their muscles and relieve tension. Their hooves are cleaned every five to ten days to remove dirt and prevent infections.
From the age of two or three, young horses begin more intensive training to wear saddles and carry riders. Some even participate in races, which helps enhance their endurance and performance skills.
In Rwanda, owning a horse is a significant investment. Prices range up to RWF 10 million, depending on the horse's age, breed, and level of training. Comparable horses in Kenya sell for around RWF 7 million, though costs vary based on their maturity and capabilities.
While horses are still uncommon in Rwandan households, they are increasingly being used for tourism and recreational businesses. Niyonsenga observes that the main reason horses remain rare in Rwanda is not a lack of investors but rather limited knowledge and information about horse keeping.
Globally, horses are valued for various purposes. In some European countries, such as France, Belgium, and Switzerland, and in parts of Asia, including Kazakhstan, horse meat is consumed as a delicacy. Similarly, in Mexico, Argentina, China, Japan, South Korea, and parts of Brazil, horse meat is considered a valuable commodity.
However, in most African societies, eating horse meat is considered taboo. Horses are viewed with respect, often used for transport, agriculture, and leisure. When they die, they are typically buried with honour rather than consumed.
The growing interest in horses for recreation and tourism signals their gradual integration into Rwanda's evolving leisure and cultural landscape, a blend of luxury, sport, and connection with nature.
IGIHE
