La Donaira matches tradition and heritage with new technology and 21st century ideas in a quest to find the best and most sustainable way of doing things – from farming and festivals, to simply luxurious tourism, gourmet organics, raising Lusitano horses and rare-breed cattle, wine-making and bee-keeping – and just good living in general.
The project, a kind of life lab, is run by a collaborative team and benefits from a constant flow of guests from around the world, visiting enthusiasts and volunteers, the advice of local farmers and international experts: a kind of philosophical polyculture which seeds bright new ideas for sharing.
Riding a horse can be a relaxing business as soprano Talar Dekrmanjian demonstrates. La Donaira offers horse yoga – not a chance for horses to do the downward-facing dog - but a way to improve core stability, balance and confidence, and to experience some centaur-like human horse bonding in the great outdoors. At its simplest, as shown here, it's all about total relaxation and rocking and rolling with the gentle movements of a trusty well-trained horse.
