Far away from mass tourism, countless hidden paths, beaches and tracks are waiting to be explored. It all started with Joan Ferrer's passion for horses, which he passed on to his children Xavier and Joan Pere in their early childhood. Xavier jokes that he learned to ride horses long before he learned to ride a bike.
For many generations the Ferrers have lived in the countryside near Manacor, amid the Mediterranean landscape near the centre of the island in the Llevant area of Majorca. As the sons grew up the family began to actively rescue horses who had been neglected, abused or retired from professional trotting races. Some of the horses take time to recover from their previous lifestyle and adapt to their new life on the farm: they need intensive care, a nutritious diet, and veterinary care. But when they are finally ready, the horses then begin their training to become a part of the Natura Cavall team.
When you go to the Natura Cavall’s base the first thing you see is a big herd of horses, tails twitching and flicking flies away as they dose in the shade in a big field. The second thing will be a greeting from enthusiastic border collies, followed by their human friends offering you a coffee or a caña, depending on the time of day. Chickens run around, skittish if you get too close. There’s always something happening at the outside bar, and of course there is country and western music playing softly in the background. The Natura Cavall team has grown from the Ferrer boys to a team of guides and volunteers who speak several languages between them, and share a passion for animals, the great outdoors and adventure. But they are always ready to welcome a new person into the fold, another one for their human herd.
The work Natura Cavall does has opened up several options for visitors to Majorca to enjoy the countryside, food and culture. The “Rutas” or routes mean you can ride for a few hours, stay overnight in a tipi or rustic house, or ride for several days around parts of the island. “It all depends on your experience levels, your fitness and what you want to do,” Lizzie Graham, one of the guides, tells me. “We can teach you to ride in our style if you haven’t got any experience riding, we have a range of horses who are suitable for beginners up to very experienced riders.”
“We’ve got a reputation for our adventurous spirit and we explore untouched corners of Majorca and take people to beautiful historical and cultural places. But we love the little details and only ride in small groups with those who share a similar riding level to make the experience unique and unforgettable for each individual rider. We can organise individual or group excursions from 2 hours to 1 week, with or without food, with an overnight stay in a hammock, tent, hostal or a luxurious finca. It’s as unique to the individual as the horses are.”
Contact them for more information: www.naturacavall.com info@naturacavall.com