Horse transformation
From shutdown to soft eye
A horse with a complex pain history slowly returns to trust and willing partnership.
Story coming soon
THE AMANA METHOD · HOLISTIC HORSEMANSHIP
A living method for restoring trust, peace and partnership between humans, horses and all of creation.
A sanctuary in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands where animals are not forced into obedience and humans are not pressured into performance.
Mooi River, KZN MidlandsNear Nottingham RoadRiverside cabins, cottage & campsitesHome of the Amana Method
A glimpse of Amana at Waterhoek
Quiet, connection and farm life.
Mist lifting off the river. Horses grazing freely. Rescued animals living out their days in peace, and people learning to slow down beside them.
This is the rhythm of the farm and the heart of the Amana Method, where trust is earned gently and every creature has its place.
Where to begin
What brings you here?
Choose the path that fits your visit.
Accommodation
Book self-catering riverside cabins, an eight-sleeper thatched cottage and eight private campsites, surrounded by walking trails, fishing dams and rescued animals. Come for the stay. Leave with more peace.
View accommodation
Retreats & Events
Book retreats, gatherings and events in a peaceful setting with natural beauty, animals and firelight. Bring people together somewhere that gives them the space to slow down and reconnect.
Enquire Now
Meet the Animals
Meet the horses, donkeys, cows, pigs, chickens and dogs that call Waterhoek home. Many are rescued or being rehabilitated - each with their own story, personality and place in the family.
Meet the Animals
Learn the Amana Method
The Amana Method is a holistic approach to horsemanship rooted in relationship, trust, consent, nervous-system regulation and calm leadership - helping people and horses learn to listen, connect and grow together.
Learn the Method
Amana Sanctuary
A place for people to find rest, connection, healing and transformation. Come to recover, reconnect with God and yourself, learn alongside animals, or find direction in a season of change.
Discover the Sanctuary
Farm Experiences
Gentle, grounded experiences with horses, animals, nature and farm life — created for guests, families, groups and visitors who want to slow down, connect and experience the Amana Method and the farm more deeply.
Book a farm experienceFrom Donna
Amana is more than a method,
its a way of being.
Read Donna's StoryWhen I began Amana, it was not simply to teach horsemanship. It came from a longing to create a place where people and animals could heal, grow, and be truly seen.
Over the years, horses have taught me that real leadership is not force. It is calm presence, consistency, gentleness, and truth - the kind of leadership that regulates before it corrects, that builds relationship before asking for performance, that holds boundaries without withdrawing love.
You do not need to believe what I believe to belong here. My heart is to create space: where animals are treated with dignity, where people can slow down, where young adults can grow in confidence and maturity, and where peace becomes something practical.
In images
Life at Waterhoek
From river walks and firelight to rescued animals, wide skies, cabins, campsites, play areas, and communal gathering spaces, Waterhoek is a place best understood through images.
Stories
The proof is in the animals, the people, and the peace that remains.
Amana is building a living archive of transformation stories - guest reviews, horse transformations, before-and-after videos, physical rehabilitation progress, owner reflections, mini-documentaries, Academy participant stories, and retreat testimonials.
Some of the most powerful stories involve horses with complex physical or behavioural histories - including pain patterns, chronic stress, shutdown, aggression, colic-related distress, head shaking, or conditions such as Kissing Spine.
These stories are shared carefully as lived experience and case studies, not as a replacement for veterinary care or formal medical claims.
The purpose is simple: to show what becomes possible when animals are met with patience, skill, dignity, and deep listening.
Animal rescue
The donkey who joined the meditations
A rescued donkey finds her place in the rhythm of the farm and the lives of guests.
Story coming soon
You are welcome here
Come and experience Amana at Waterhoek.
Stay for a weekend. Book a horse connection experience. Apply for the Academy. Bring your group for a retreat. Or simply begin by meeting the animals.