Uncle Jim and his Horses.

The Horseman and his Mule.

            My mother’s Randall brothers, Douglas, Jim and Arthur (who was known as Paaitjie), were all great horsemen and Uncle Doug eventually went on to become a South African Horse Judge at shows.  His special breeds were Hackney Horses and Shetland ponies.

Douglas Randall

Jim Randall

         Uncle Jim, who was living with us in 1941, loved his horses and they would be given special food such as teff grass and crushed mealies.   They were fat and shiny and he would spend hours grooming them with a brush and a curry comb.   It was a splendid sight to see him mounted on one of his horses and to watch the horse’s actions.   He was a very good horseman and was in full control.



Paaitjie Randall



His wild horses

          Whenever he let them run loose on the farm he would have problems catching them again as they did not want to go back to the stable.   He would corner them and expect my sisters and me to stand in a semi circle while he tried to put halters on them.   The horses would bolt, and we would scatter and he would shout at us and send us to fetch the animals time and again.   Because I was a boy, he would insult me and call me a girl, or a sissy.   But what chance is there for an eight year old boy against a big fat horse?   I never got over my fear of horses.

So we thought of a way to pay him back and the next time that he was in the far corner of the stables, Bertha crept up to the zinc door and hit on it with a big stick as hard as she could.   By the time that he had calmed his startled and terrified horses and came out to find who had done this, we were long gone and as innocent as babies.   He dared not blame us!

Mare with a mule foal

At one time he had a well-bred mare which he took to be mated by Mr van der Merwe’s prized stallion.   Everyone waited for the ‘royal’ birth, but the day that it was born it had the long ears of a Jackass!!!  

 He was disappointed and disgusted with his little mule and Mr van der Merwe had to refund all his stud fees.   There were donkeys on some of the neighbour’s farms and the Jacks were always looking over the fences.   Have you ever heard a mule call?   It sounded as though it was mocking him and he sold it as soon as it was weaned.

Donkey Jack looking over the fence

A mule is a cross between a donkey and a horse.   It has been said many times that mules are stubborn, however, that isn't really the case.   Mules are more intelligent than horses and as such will not work themselves to death nor do anything they think is dangerous.

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