Where It All Began: The Birth of Standfast Horse Treks

It started with a ride.

One summer afternoon back in 2018, I saddled up and went out for a ride with my whānau. Nothing fancy, just us, the horses, and the whenua beneath our feet. We were boosting down the beach, wind in our faces, wild and laughing and then came the quiet. The kind of silence that only happens when you’re out there together, hooves in the sand, breathing the salt air, nothing else in the world pulling at you.

That unfiltered joy. That feeling of being alive and together. Memories of riding as kids came flooding in of my dad, my siblings, the adventures we had growing up.

I looked around at everyone’s faces, the laughter, the peace, the joy exuding from them and I remember thinking, “We could sell this feeling.”
Not the ride itself, but the wairua of it. That raw, grounding connection that only comes from being out there, together, with the horses and the land.
And I wanted to give that same feeling, those same memories, to others.

We Just Said, 'Let’s Do It'

We gathered up all the horses we had. No big budget. No business plan. Just heart. We threw on the saddles and opened the gate and Standfast Horse Treks was born.

That summer, we were booked out. Two, sometimes three treks a day. Word spread quickly, because what we offered wasn’t just a ride, it was a feeling.

Some came for the thrill, cantering along the beach, the wind whipping past. Others came for the quiet, the deep exhale that only happens when you’re riding in rhythm with a horse, letting the world slow down around you.

We held space for both.

Why We’re Called Standfast

Standfast means to hold strong. It's a tribute to our Scottish roots, a nod to our father, our family name, and the proud 'Grant' clan we descend from. 'Stand Fast' is the motto of Clan Grant, and it holds deep meaning for us to remain steadfast, grounded, and loyal to who we are.

That’s what this kaupapa is all about — standing fast to our whenua, our family, and our horses. It’s about more than riding. It’s about returning — to your senses, your breath, your wairua. It’s about memory. Healing. Presence.

It’s about creating moments that don’t just sit on a camera roll — they stay in your bones.To stay true. To stand in who you are.

From One Ride to a Movement

What started with a single ride turned into something bigger than us.

Now we’re more than just treks. We’re equine therapy. We’re tamariki programmes. We’re healing wānanga. We’re storytelling. We’re plushies. We’re books.

We’ve led riders through storms and sunshine, through tears and belly laughs, through fear and freedom. But at the heart of it all?

We’re still just a whānau who saddled up and said, “Let’s do it.”

And that feeling of wind and silence, of connection and belonging is still what we ride for.