Naturacavall is a beautiful idea executed with nobility. There are not many other ways to define with more precise words a project that was born from the passion for horses and committed, from its beginnings, to improve their quality of life. His journey was born in 2019 but, in reality, Joan Ferrer has been in love with these animals since he was a child.
As an adult, he entered the racing world, but soon disassociated himself from it. Something did not feel right. Over time and with the return of his son Xavi to the island after finishing his studies, they planned to undertake something together without knowing clearly what, but they were sure about one thing, the driving vehicle. Soon, "more and more people contacted them because they couldn't take care of their horses", says Silvia, a member of the family and, for the last three years, part of the team of guides.
Then, Xavi and his father began to give shape to the initial idea. "We have always done excursions as a hobby, with family and friends, but we wanted to do something more. We wanted to readapt horses that needed it and incorporate them into the excursions," Xavi adds. It was 2020 and, due to the restrictions dictated by the pandemic, the project slowed down, but with the return to normality and the shared desire to enjoy nature along came the boom. "We went from having five horses to almost fifty".
Most of the horses come from the trotting world. Horses that no longer fulfill their original function, but they also take in neglected or sick specimens, such as a blind mare that they do use for riding, but wanted to save from slaughter anyway. "There are people who kill animals because they are no longer useful to them", says Silvia, without judgment, but categorically.
"Our goal is that anyone can come, even if they have not ridden before, and every horse is different and needs its own time".
Whatever their history and the reasons why the owners decide not to take care of them, all the horses that come to this farm in Manacor need the kind of help that they find in Naturacavall. We welcome them so that they can start a new life. We rehabilitate them with excursions and adventures. A brutal change so that they understand that they do not come for racing, but to enjoy a route', explains Silvia, who also recognizes, much to her regret, that they cannot always respond to all the calls they receive, since ensuring the economic viability of the project is not alone a minor issue.
Whatever their breed, all the horses live together and graze in the open air at their leisure. Monday is a rest day and the rest go out -those who can- three times a week, at the most, on excursions, although "the routes they can take are adapted to them according to physical conditions".
Giving them a second chance, a better life, is the purpose of Naturacavall, and they fulfill this by offering excursions that can go from two hours to even days. The routes in winter are in the mountains. "We can go as far as Lluc in four days. Also on the beach, which can only be entered from November to April". Coves, mountains, vineyards, sanctuaries; on the coast or inland, here they adapt to the level of the hiker and their preferences to show "Mallorca from another point of view, from an animal so noble that even notices how you feel. A docile horse, if you have a bad day, perceives it".
Despite the calm and tranquility of such an environment, the activity at Naturacavall does not cease during our visit. While some clients set off on their excursions, others visit their horses, which live on the farm thanks to a boarding service that covers the feeding and maintenance of the equines and, sometimes, training, "always in coexistence with the rest".
In fact, this season the activity has been bustling. "From April onwards, bookings go up a lot and the calendar tightens up until October, although this winter has also been intense," says Silvia. If work slows down, they invest the time in training, "our goal is that anyone can come, even people who have never ridden before, and every horse is different and needs its own time".
"The happiest part for us is that people enjoy it. That they don't view the horse as a dangerous animal but rather as an open world that everyone can access, and at any age".
In addition to its excursion program and the boarding service, with four route guides on staff and a group of volunteers, Naturacavall also trains other owners' horses. Sometimes in personalized programs, sometimes in groups of up to eight people. These are classes in which technique is important, but respect and understanding with the animal are even more so. After all, they say, "we don't consider ourselves a professional center. We have learned to ride naturally because Joan has taught us. This is not an equestrian center".
We walk around the farm, hand in hand with Silvia, who shows us the field, the stables and the chickens of Xavi's grandmother, who lives, like him, on the family land of about twenty-four hectares. The dogs approach us, sniffing us with curiosity, while Silvia confesses, with enthusiasm and honesty, the greatest gratitude of being part of Naturacavall. What makes us happiest is that people enjoy it. "That they don't see the horse as a dangerous animal but as an open world that everyone, at any age, can access".
Thanks to this team, horses that once had an uncertain future are given a second chance. Here they are cared for, fed and trained to relate to people beyond competition. In this way, residents and visitors can explore Mallorca from a different perspective - and with a different viewpoint. All of us, because Naturacavall collaborates with Aproscom Fundació and Estel de Llevant, two associations that care for users with intellectual disabilities and watch over mental health. Another demonstration that the network we weave, between humans and animals, can be immense, supportive and inclusive. A network that makes us a community, an island, better.
