Julie Miller's Great Horse Treks of the World (New Holland Publishers, 2004) devotes several pages of text and photos to Equus Horse Safaris and the Waterberg. Here are some excerpts from the chapter South Africa: Waterberg Wilderness Adventure:

In South Africa they call it a 'monkey's wedding' - the magical moment when the sun shines through falling rain. No one seems to know why it's called that, but when I turned in the saddle to gaze upon this glorious phenomenon, it felt like I was witnessing a sacred event, the conjugal union of Mother Nature with her lover, Africa. A shard of afternoon sunlight had pierced the angry storm clouds, bathing the verdant pasture and its dramatic escarpment backdrop in a warm golden glow. A vapour mist was softly falling, glistening on grassy husks like diamonds twinkling in the breeze, while across the inky sky, a double rainbow formed two perfect arches, a colourful decree announcing the passing of the storm.

The pioneer conservationist Clive Walker once commented, 'The Waterberg is like an indelible ink - once experienced, never to be erased.' There are few moments of pure perfection etched in my memory, but that stormy afternoon ride in the northern wilderness of South Africa is a permanent vision. At that moment, I believed I had found my paradise. There is no better combination, in my mind, than magnificent scenery, good company and kind, willing horses. Add to that amazing wildlife and you'll begin to understand why South Africa is one of the premier riding destinations in the world.

For visitors venturing into the 'Dark Continent' for the first time, South Africa is a great place to start; it is well serviced, politically stable and easily accessible. For most tourists it is also comparatively cheap with a favourable exchange rate against most major currencies. Despite its relative urbanization, the country's main attractions lie beyond its cities - amazing scenery, world-class national parks and of course the animal life of the African plains.

In the remote northern province of Limpopo, the Waterberg Mountains offer breathtaking panoramas of vast African plains stretching for miles across a boundless horizon. This rugged range runs for 150 kilometres (93 miles) east to west, covering around 14,500 square kilometres (9,010 square miles). The name Thaba Meetse, in the local Sotho language, means 'mountains of water', referring to the diversity of habitats found in the area.

Here, space takes on new meaning - the open vistas overwhelm, liberate, and inspire. This land, once eschewed as a hostile place of exile for troublesome politicians, is today a veritable horsy heaven offering some of the best riding in the Southern Hemisphere. Several highly regarded horse-riding establishments are based in this part of the world, and it has become a magnet for adventure-loving tourists from all over.

A personal desire to restore the Waterberg region to its pristine, naturally wild state is the motivation behind Equus, the oldest established horse safari company in South Africa. Owner Wendy Adams is a passionate naturalist with a genuine, contagious enthusiasm for all creatures, and a deep love of the African landscape. Wendy recently moved her entire horse-riding operation from a concession with the Lapalala Wilderness to her own patch of paradise, a 950 hectare (2,347 acres) property at the top of the Kransberg peaks, the southernmost escarpment of the Waterberg range.

While she may have lost the opportunity to ride among big game such as endangered black and white rhino, for Wendy there is nothing more rewarding than owning her own land. Not only is it less stressful, the black rhino were volatile riding companions to say the least, but she now has direct control over decision making and environmental change. Wendy's first mission was to tear down all the fences, creating a free-range environment for her horses, and the indigenous wildlife, which becomes more prolific every day as the animals become accustomed to the sight of horses and riders. There are daily sightings of kudu, reedbuck, duiker, warthog and hundreds of baboon. Fresh leopard and hyena spoors are also regularly seen, and bird life is abundant, particularly near the central lodge overlooking a tranquil lily pond. The largest colony of endangered Cape vultures in Africa breed in the nearby Marakele National Park and these birds can often be seen soaring on thermals above the ridges on the reserve.

Equus also has traversing rights on more than 4,500 hectares (10,845 acres) of neighbouring land where guests can observe zebra, wildebeest, impala and ostrich. With her neighbours' support, Wendy's goal is to work toward a local conservancy - a large protected area with no fenced boundaries, allowing game to wander without restrictions between properties. In the meantime, Wendy and her guests act as an antipoaching patrol in the area, reporting on any unusual sightings or any animals in distress.

The Equus Reserve falls within the UNESCO Waterberg Biosphere Reserve and incorporates over 414,000 hectares (1,023,000 acres) in the Limpopo Province. There are 320 such designated reserves around the world that establish an ethic of responsible land management. The endeavour is to tread lightly on the earth, to live in harmony with the natural environment - a philosophy fully embraced and qualified at Equus.

It is not only the wild game that benefits from these gentle environmental practices. Wendy's 20 or so horses are arguably the happiest creatures in the world, sweet-natured and enthusiastic with an unprecedented willingness to please. Her herd is a mix of Boerperd, Friesian, Arab and Warmblood crosses, all well trained, forward going and responsive. Riders are encouraged to ride English style in comfortable South African McClellan saddles. With magnificent open trails, the going can be fast with delightful kilometre-long canters demanding a reasonably high standard of riding ability.

The Boerperd is a South African breed whose origins can be traced back to 1652, when the first horses arrived at the Cape of Good Hope from the Dutch East Indies. These horses, featuring Arab, Thoroughbred and Javanese pony bloodlines became known as the Cape Horse, which is renowned for its hardiness and resistance to tick-borne disease. Some of these animals were exported to Australia in 1788, forming the rootstock for the Australian Waler breed.

The Boerperd, as the Cape Horse came to be known, cemented its reputation during the military campaigns of the Boer Wars when it was praised for its endurance and level-headed behaviour in battle. Today, this stocky, sturdy little horse with its hogged mane and rounded quarters, is a wonderful trail horse. The animal is reliable, surefooted and unfazed by other creatures sharing its grazing lands. To ride these honest creatures through an unspoiled African landscape is truly a journey of discovery. Every rock face and grove reveals a hidden treasure - a family of baboons barking a raucous challenge, the pricked ears of a curious reedbuck ready for flight, and the exuberant display of a long-tailed widow bird flitting around a spreading acacia bush. Even the diligent effort of a tiny dung beetle intrigues as it hauls its smelly burden, making a crucial contribution to the African ecosystem.

The highlight of any riding trek in the Waterberg, however, is the opportunity to simply pause and absorb the endless panorama. Under the shadow of the Kranz, which is the southernmost escarpment of the Equus Reserve, Africa lies before you - a vast patchwork of farmland and wilderness, an ever-changing kaleidoscope that encapsulates the complexity of this timeless land. This is Africa at its most majestic - silent, austere, a sentinel - truly a landscape of literature and dreams.