THE STORY OF ZULU IS BASED on the life of a real stallion that lived and died in Africa. The versions of the story of Zulu are about as numerous as the people who recounted them. The horse and the myth were at times indistinguishable. This account of his life has been stitched together from all those stories. Of the four years when Zulu ran free in the Northern Tuli conservation area virtually nothing is known, so that part was constructed from what is known about the place and the wild animals that live there. It all could have happened that way. It certainly happened, one way or another.
I am eternally indebted to David Evans, MB – makulu baas – of Mashatu Private Game Reserve, who pushed the project all the way; elephant researcher Jeanetta Selier, large predator researcher Andrei Snyman, cheetah researcher Aliénor Brassine and horse artist Gavin Doyle who captured Zulu in the wilds. Then the three people who knew Zulu best: Steven Rufus who founded Limpopo Valley Horse Safaris, Cor Carelsen who appreciated him most and Trent Sinclair who was close at hand when he died. At Onderstepoort, Professor Alan Guthrie, head of the Equine Research Centre, gave generously of his time and knowledge, as did thoroughbred horse expert Mpho Monjaine.
Of great help were the regular social media posts by moviemaker Kim Wolhuter during the time he tracked the hyenas at Mashatu and made general observations about the behaviour and movements of various animals, as well as the weather and seasons.
Bruce Young for taking my gangly colt of a manuscript and giving it some expert guidance. Josephine Bestic, Tanya McKenzie, Pru Allen and Kelly Evans read the manuscript, praise the muses, to iron out the horse nonsense, set the record straight and untangle my dyslexic typing. At Jacana Media, Bridget Impey for believing in Zulu, Carol Broomhall for gamely going along for the ride and Megan Mance for her uncompromising dressage lessons.
The people in this story are all fictitious, but some less so than others. Anyone who recognises themselves or anyone else needs a stiff drink. As one of my favourite writers, Kurt Vonnegut Jnr, put it, the Lord protects the innocent in the course of divine duty. On the other hand, all the horses are real, although some have been reworked to fit the narrative.