Animal farm

Scenic views towards the tourist accommodation area at Mohaka River Farm.

To say I'm nervous on a horse is an understatement. As soon as I sit on one, memories come flooding back of that fateful day 30-odd years ago when the pony I was riding started trotting. I screamed in terror for it to stop, and my high-pitched shrieks made the pony race for the low branches of a nearby forest. One skinned nose and ruined ego later, I vowed not to set foot (or rump) on a horse for a very long time.

Then miraculously, despite my obvious lack of equestrian genes, I managed to give birth to a horse-mad daughter, and my days of avoiding horses abruptly came to an end.

Fortuitously, we discovered the treks at Mohaka River Farm. Under the guidance of the endlessly-patient and encouraging Fleur Lattimore, apprehensive novices such as myself can, amazingly, start to feel like actual horsewomen. And with a vast variety of terrain and horses available, experienced riders will be in their element too.

We first experienced Mohaka River Farm one blustery spring weekend, when a horrendous storm cut short our planned holiday in Taupo. Instead, we pulled off the highway midway to Napier, the rain cleared, and we found ourselves helmeted up and gazing at Joy, a former competitive trotter horse, and Java, a rehomed Kaimanawa horse. Fleur reassured us that both were sure-footed and safe to ride, then gave an easy-to-follow riding tutorial.

As I mounted Java, I mentally ran through the essentials — heels down to maintain balance, reins short so the horses can feel when you want to turn or stop, lean forward going up a hill, lean back going down, and most importantly, according to Fleur, smile. How hard could it be?

We started out across farmland and soon turned off into the neighbouring pine forest, for a serene hour on horseback. My horse didn't bolt, the views were gorgeous, even the sky played ball and remained a glorious blue. I decided then and there that I had to return.

Six months later we again took the familiar turn-off from SH5 and headed for the 113-hectare farm. Fleur greeted us warmly and introduced us to Toffee and Indie, our sweet- natured horses for the afternoon.

This time we headed downhill, along a narrow track with fat, juicy-looking blackberries growing alongside. We forded a creek at the bottom then headed towards the sparkling Mohaka River. Fleur showed us a good spot to see eels, and as we walked alongside the river, we kept our eyes peeled for kingfishers, whio and a heron known to inhabit the area.

When we headed through farmland back to the corral, I realised I'd been having such a lovely time I hadn't thought about being scared. My photos showed that I'd done a terrible job of keeping my heels down, and I obviously didn't master the art of keeping the reins short because Toffee stubbornly insisted on stopping to eat at frequent intervals. But Fleur's calm manner quickly made me forget my fears.

Mohaka River Farm is owned and operated by six families whose goal is to live self-sufficiently and sustainably on the land. Their various enterprises include a beef farm, horse treks, holiday accommodation, crafts, a saw mill and restoring historic barns. Wherever possible, they incorporate family- friendly tourism opportunities into the mix, including school holiday programmes where children can learn skills such as woodwork, weaving, lino-stamping and needle-felting.

Following our horse trek, we joined a group of holidaymakers watching teenagers Zara and Taliah hand-milk Sunshine the cow. A New Zealand falcon surveyed the scene from branches above us. As the creamy milk gushed into a milking pail, the girls explained they expected to get about 8 litres from Sunshine. We were in awe – until they said another cow was known to produce 28 litres.

Soon afterwards I felt like we'd been transported a couple of hundred years back in time to the American Wild West, when farmer Peter Macfarlane took us for a ride in his oxen cart.

“Walk up! Walk up!” Peter called to Moonlight and Storm, and the 1½-year-old Shorthorn oxen smoothly pulled the cart past a paddock where other oxen looked on.

Shorthorn cattle were the first cattle brought to New Zealand and are hard workers. Once Moonlight and Storm develop their adult muscles they will plough the fields. But in the meantime, Peter says, the cart rides are “a good opportunity to give them some practice working with us”.

Having my first ever oxen-cart ride was the biggest novelty of the trip — however, for many children visiting the farm just seeing cattle up close is a new experience. I had to stifle a laugh as a small boy on our cart watched the oxen poo then earnestly asked his Mum “How come they don't use the toilet?”

The hands-on animal experiences didn't end there. Eddie Rimmer, who co-runs the accommodation venture, kindly let us hold some cute month-old yellow ducklings — another first for me — and then some snuggly warm chicks that were born in incubators that week. The ducks were so friendly they ran towards him when he called them.

Perhaps the nicest thing about Mohaka River Farm is leaving the traffic noise behind and assaulting your ears with the sound of crickets, bird chorus, the rushing Mohaka River, and the mating calls of deer from the neighbouring property. Feed your soul by sitting around a fire pit-roasting marshmallows or breakfasting at a camp site or on the deck of a chalet while watching the mist rise above the river.

The farm has several walking trails, ranging from a couple of easy, flat 30-minute riverside tracks, to a one-hour farm loop for those of medium ability. There are a couple of biking tracks too, and it's possible to fish and raft on the river.

We set out on the 1.5km “River Bend” trail, to a sharp bend in the Mohaka River, stopping en route to graze on wild blackberries and clamber over fossilised rocks at the river's edge. The next day we tackled the Punga Grove walk and after ascending and descending a hill, we found ourselves on a secluded and remote stretch of the river — an idyllic spot for a picnic or swim.

As I sadly loaded our car on our final morning, some other enthralled visitors excitedly told me about glow-worms they had seen the night before. I was disappointed I'd missed them, but perversely also happy — because it means I have an excuse to return to the tranquillity of Mohaka River Farm.

' Camp sites, chalets and horse treks can be booked at