Wihan is the owner of Soul Equine South Africa which, after many years of hard work, dedication and dreaming, was started in 2018.
Wihan’s love for horses began as a teenager when he started riding and competing on his first baited horse, Strong Intent. Together they eagerly journeyed through many lessons, outrides and jumping courses. Through her, Wihan learnt to appreciate the horse as a sentient being as well as a high-performance athlete, and thus came to understand the time, care and dedication that goes into competition horses and what is required for them to thrive. His passion for our equine companions naturally led him to pursuing a career in holistic equine wellness in order to help them to be comfortable and to perform optimally be it in daily work or competition.
Wihan’s equine education began with the SANEF modules, and he is qualified up to module 4. He is also a qualified Riding for the Disabled (RDA) therapeutic riding instructor, a commitment which is close to his heart. Scratching the surface of equine wellbeing was not enough, so Wihan set out to learn more about various aspects of equine wellness that combine to support one another and build a resilient, healthy and happy equine.
Over the years he has built his knowledge around barefoot podiatry, sport massage, trauma and fascia release as well as saddle fitting.
Wihan is now a qualified Equinology® Equine Body Worker (EEWB), Saddle fitter, and barefoot trimmer.
The Soul Equine service was designed to be a holistic experience for horse and owner. Wihan specialises in Equine Sport Massage and stretching, and incorporates myofascial trauma and scar release, as well as T-Touch wrapping into your horse’s massage session. Extensive knowledge of saddle fitting, more than 9 years of experience in barefoot trimming, and the inclusion of specialised equine supplements into the horse’s diet enables the delivery of a complete equine wellness service to clients. Wihan enjoys sharing his knowledge, and problem solving with clients through regular follow ups and ongoing engagement – this is viewed as an essential part of any horse and owner team’s recovering or maintenance programme.
Wihan works with horses from all walks of life – from the retiree to the happy hacker to those competing and excelling in different disciplines such as show jumping, dressage, eventing, endurance and western riding. Wihan is based in the Gauteng area but does travel to surrounding areas and all other provinces.
Our mission: to assist the horse in its totality while striving for comfort and function that enables him or her to willingly perform and enjoy their work; and to share knowledge with owners and riders that they may build the best foundation for their horse’s health and wellbeing.
About Wihan
I enjoy nature, walks in the veld, hiking and spending time on the beach, my “soul time”. I also enjoy taking long drives and exploring new places. My regular yoga practice is my quiet, meditative time and is close to my heart. This brings a lot of value to my life and flows into my work with horses and people. I also enjoy reading a good book can keep me busy for hours. Most of the time, I love reading informative articles and studying to continue my ongoing growth and development and an equine specialist.
Favourite colour: Blue
Favourite book: The Faraway Horses and the story of the real horse whisperer, Buck Brannaman
Favourite food: a good pizza
Siblings: One brother
Pets: two Jack Russells; one thoroughbred; one warmblood; one cat