Our focus will always be on individual learning, rather than competitive achievement. How do we aim to do this? Well, no great company can run without a great team!

Cheresa Bognar | Owner

I have been a trainer since I can remember. I trained small animals before I could even explain what I was doing. My dogs became the horses I always wanted, but never had and for the better part of my youth, I was more a part of a pack than of civilization. It is in my blood. When I started Equanimity, I had big dreams about a centre with a visible difference in thinking, an empathic type of communication which has been lost to our society for many, many years. The scary reality, which I face as an entrepreneur and caretaker, is that in the equestrian community, ego is more important than personal development. Ego has a price tag. Ego takes. Ego devours…it destroys. Remove the ego from the situation and you have an opportunity for pure, passionate learning. I believe in taking time to establish boundaries, relationships, trust and partnership between trainer or rider and equine and this means that there must be a give and take in any schooling or lesson situation.

Initially, I started by questioning the system proposed in South Africa, namely FEI and SANEF, now called EQASA. Recently, however, I have discovered a universal truth – every rider deserves the opportunity to access an excellent coach, a willing horse and a pure passion. That may not mean that Equanimity is the right fit for every rider, but our belief in connection with our peers, means that we are also a place to consult if you don’t know where to go. I have a toolbox mentality – drawing on various methods and techniques, and constantly educating myself to ensure that our clients are able to benefit completely from optimal, evolving expertise. In 2020, I sought to better myself by studying again. In order to be able to broaden our offering and fine-tune my skills, I am completing courses in order to qualify as an Equine Behaviourist, as well as an Animal Assisted Interventions and Activities Practitioner. At Equanimity, we try to be honest and self-aware. We know our limitations and are not afraid to help clients on their path, even if that means we move them along to a new trainer. What Equanimity offers is different not because we make promises of achievement or reward, but because we focus on personal development – at your pace, with your horse. We are home for our animals and hope that you will find a place in our journey, too.

Innocent Mudongo | Head Groom

Innocent Mudongo has been our head groom since January 2014. He is a towering Zimbabwean with a bubbly laugh and and incredibly gentle, yet efficient demeanor around the horses and the yard. Innocent makes a point of getting to know each and every animal at the yard and keeps everything neat and tidy for our inhabitants and visitors. Innocent is our first line of defense and he is thorough with his morning and evening checks – keeping us well informed if anything changes in the horses’ behaviour or health. He is definitely a big part of what makes Equanimity so special.

Tinashe | Groom

Tinashe joined us in early 2015 and came highly recommended by our head-groom, Innocent. The two have worked together in the past and make a formidable team. Innocent is such an incredibly hard worker, that any other groom who worked alongside him, ended up taking up all his time, as he would spend all his time guiding and training the new worker. Tina is young, but works very hard. He has patience with all the horses and is dedicated to making the most of every situation. Tinashe always wears a smile and tries to know every client by name. He is a talented keyboard player and his long-term goal is to become a preacher one day.