At Ranch de Diabat, everything begins with a silent pact: the one between humans and horses. An agreement founded on respect, attentiveness, and responsibility. Here, a horse is never merely a means of transport: it is a travel companion, a soul with whom a deep bond is formed through gestures, emotions, and glances.
Behind every horse-riding excursion, every desert trek, every candid photo taken by the ocean, there is a solid philosophy guiding every choice, every gesture, and every investment. It is the invisible heart of the Ranch. And today, we are telling you about it.
A way of life: horses first
If Ranch de Diabat was founded and has grown, it is thanks to the horses. They were the starting point for everything: before any other activity, before the treks, the quad bikes, and the camels. Even today, they remain at the heart and meaning of every decision.
The Ranch’s philosophy is based on three words: love, respect, responsibility. Caring for a horse means much more than feeding or training it. It means getting to know it, protecting it, listening to it, understanding its emotions, and adapting every program to its physical and mental well-being.
Over time, this philosophy has also become a social ethic. The Ranch is a family, made up not only of horses, but also of 25 people who work every day with dedication, sharing the same values and vision. During difficult times, such as Covid, this unity became a source of strength: with no income, the Ranch chose to continue caring for the horses and the team. So that no one would be left behind.
How the horses live at the Ranch
Work, freedom and rest
Each horse has a tailor-made routine. Some take part in longer treks, while others go on gentle rides. Still others train in the riding arena or work on the lunge to stay fit. When they are not working, they regularly go out into the paddock to move freely and stretch their legs. No horse remains shut in a stall for days.
Activities are alternated carefully to avoid physical and mental stress. Respect for the animal’s rhythms comes before any “tourist” logic.
Carefully planned nutrition
The horses’ diet is the result of years of study, trial and error, and observation. Each horse receives several small, balanced meals a day, suited to its physical condition, to ensure healthy digestion and prevent colic or inflammation such as laminitis.
The Ranch team dedicates many hours each day solely to preparing meals: soaked, cracked organic barley, floury bran, quality hay, energy pellets when needed, all carefully calibrated to each horse’s specific needs. A demanding choice, certainly. But one that makes a difference to the animals’ health.
Care and prevention: every horse is unique, every treatment is personal
Every horse at Ranch de Diabat is cared for attentively, as a unique being with specific needs, different stories, and signals to interpret. Care is a form of love expressed through daily actions.
The team is trained to deal with the most common illnesses, minor emergencies, and injuries that can occur at liberty or on an excursion. These are skills acquired through hands-on experience, with passion and dedication. Knowing how to intervene immediately, with experienced hands, makes all the difference!
For everything requiring specialized care, Ranch relies on trusted professionals: veterinarians, equine dentists, osteopaths, some of whom also come from abroad. Well-being always comes before cost!
The farrier is part of the household: he comes every month, or even more often, to check every hoof, shoeing, and posture. Each horse has its own needs: some need orthopedic shoes, while others have a more delicate gait.
And Ranch respects all of this.
The equipment, too - saddles, girths, bridles - is not chosen off the shelf. It is adapted and made to measure to prevent wounds, discomfort, and saddle sores. Because for a horse to feel well, it must be able to move freely and comfortably. And that means thinking about every detail, without compromise.
After work: a retirement home
When a horse can no longer work, a new phase begins at Ranch. A slower, gentler phase, filled with shade, fresh grass, silence, and caresses.
Here, horses are not sold, given away, or forgotten. There is no age at which to “retire”: there is only a time to be respected. When a horse begins to tire, Ranch listens to it. And accompanies it. With the same care, the same dignity, and the same love as always.
It happened with Jimy, an elegant and proud white stallion. One day, during a ride along the beach, a sudden fall caused him a serious fracture. Jimy could no longer get up. He lay motionless, without drinking or eating. Everyone recommended euthanasia.
One day, Erika lay down with him in the stall. She spoke to him. She asked him: “Tell me what you want me to do for you.” That moment marked a change. After days of complete immobility, Jimy began to show the first signs: he lifted his neck, tried to support himself, and then managed to drink a few sips of water. Shortly afterward, he also tried to eat. It was his clear and unmistakable answer.
That day, Jimy chose to try once more. And he began to live again.
Today, Jimy no longer works. But he is still there. Every day, he greets people, observes, and takes part. He is the living symbol of a different choice: one that sees the horse as a being with a soul, a story, and a value that goes beyond performance.
And it’s not just Jimy. There are other retired horses, each with their own story, light, and past. They live together peacefully, surrounded by affection and respect. They have given so much. Now they receive all the respect they deserve. And when you look into their eyes, you understand that this is how it should always be.
Meet the family: the Ranch horses
Sultan, the leader![]()
silent, the soul that leads
- Breed: Arabian-Berber
- Age: 20 years
- With the Ranch since: 2008
Sultan arrived at the Ranch in 2008. He was just three years old: thin, tired, and underweight. But it took only a few weeks for his energy to become visible again. And when it emerged, it was clear to everyone that we were not dealing with an ordinary horse: Sultan had a natural authority, a way of being in the world that commanded respect without ever imposing it by force.
His story comes from far away. From the age of two, he had been trained by his previous owner as a lead horse in the spectacular displays of Fantasia, the traditional equestrian sport of the Maghreb. In these re-enactments, riders and horses recreate the ancient spirit of battles: historical tack, gunpowder rifles, and shouted commands to inspire courage. The horses lead the charge: they prance in unison, prepare, and await the signal. Then they set off at a full gallop and, when the order comes, the riders must fire a single shot in perfect synchronization.
In that world, Sultan was born to be a leader. And at the Ranch, he has never lost that quality.
With the other horses, he is a confident and respected presence. He has never bitten or kicked a companion: he has no need to. His calm, posture, and the way he moves communicate everything.
Anyone beside him feels secure; often the other horses line up with him as if they recognized him as a natural leader. He truly seems like a guiding spirit who has come to teach something rather than to dominate.
With humans, on the other hand, Sultan has always been able to modulate his energy. With children and beginners, he becomes attentive, almost protective. With good riders who have a gentle hand and a firm character, he forms a perfect partnership: together, they can go anywhere. But with anyone who is too harsh, too abrupt, or too insecure, he accepts no compromises. He enters into conflict, resists, and puts them to the test. He does so because he is a horse who demands respect above all. And because, as so often happens, in the end it is always the horse who reminds us who we are when we mount up.
On the ground, Sultan has his own way of relating to others. He asks for space, observes, stops, leaves, and then returns only to those he chooses. A silent dialogue, made of presence and absence, boundaries and trust.
Hazard, the young horse with an ancient past and a bright future
- Breed: Arabian-Berber
- Age: 2 years
- With the Ranch since: May 2024
Hazard is young, with lively eyes that shine as if they had already seen far more than his age would suggest. He carries an energy that awakens, a natural attentiveness to the world, as if every sound and movement were an invitation to discover who he will become. And yet, within him is something that does not belong to youth: an ancient echo, a glimmer that Omar recognized immediately.
Because Hazard's story does not begin with him.
It begins many years earlier, with a horse named Jacques Brel.
Jacques was Omar's horse: two souls that had found each other and never let go. At the beginning of the Ranch's story, they were inseparable. Wherever Omar was, Jacques was there. Together they inaugurated the first equestrian treks, paving the way for what the Ranch de Diabat would become over the years. Jacques was a born leader, strong but gentle, generous, capable of giving anyone who approached him a sense of security.
In 2010, a sudden, violent twisted colic took him away.
From that moment on, Omar was left without a companion. Without a friend.
He tried many horses in the years that followed, but none had that essence, that light. None rekindled that spark.
Until, in May 2024, something happened.
During a purchase at a horse market, a foal immediately caught Omar and Erika's attention. From the other side of the enclosure, he bore a striking resemblance to Jacques: the same way of looking, the same calm and profound presence. It was an instinctive, immediate recognition, as if that young horse carried a familiar echo within him.
However, when they tried to reach the seller, he had already left the market. Every attempt to track him down proved futile, and for days there was no further news of the foal. But the thought remained suspended, alive, like something that was still asking to return.
Two weeks later, near Essaouira, the great annual horse festival was being held: a fair full of shows, sales and meetings. Amid the crowds and tents, Omar and Erika suddenly found themselves face to face with him: the little foal. The recognition was immediate and silent, as if that moment had already been written. Without hesitation, they decided to buy him. It was impossible not to be impressed: large for his age, elegant, magnetic. One of those horses that seem destined to enter people's lives at just the right moment.
Since arriving at the Ranch, Hazard has been growing with the quiet strength that belongs to only a few. He has already shown character: he has tried to escape from his stall, to find his own way, to understand the world around him. During his breaking-in, he does not make things easy.
But those who knew how to look at him with respect saw in him the promise of a great future.
A bridge between what was and what will be.
For those who know the Ranch's history, Hazard is not just a foal to be trained: he is a return. A rebirth. It is as if Jacques had left Omar one last gift, a thread to follow, a companion for a new generation of riders.
Hazard is the future born from memory.
They are not just horses: they are souls that change you
The horses of Ranch de Diabat - Sultan, Hazard, Jimy, and all the others who live, breathe, and share the journey with us every day - have something that goes beyond physical strength. They have an ancient soul, a living sensitivity, a presence that invites you to listen.
Their gaze goes straight to the heart. They perceive invisible emotions: fears, hesitations, unspoken desires. And when they sense respect and gentleness, they know how to give something rare in return: trust, strength, and freedom.
Riding one of these horses is not just an activity: it is an encounter. With them, but above all with themselves. An invitation to let themselves be read, rediscover themselves, and slow down. Often, without even realizing it, those who ride here return home with a new perspective and a little more of themselves.
A message for those who choose the Ranch
Choosing a horseback-riding experience in Morocco means more than simply riding.
It means accepting being guided by a sensitive, powerful, free being. It means listening, trusting, and connecting.
The horses of Ranch de Diabat are special souls. They are masters of emotion, travel companions who help you rediscover a part of yourself. That is why people who ride them often cry. Because they feel they have been given a rare opportunity: to be carried somewhere else, both within and beyond themselves.
At the Ranch, this connection is nurtured every day. It is sustained by respect, care, and presence. And it endures - long after you have returned home.
FAQ - Frequently asked questions
What makes the way Ranch de Diabat treats its horses special?
At the Ranch, horses are not tools of the trade but companions for life. Every decision - from their diet and veterinary care to their “retirement” after their working career - is guided by a deep-rooted ethic based on respect, love, and attentiveness. Here, the horse is a sentient being, not a means to an end.
Do the Ranch’s horses receive specific veterinary care?
Yes. The team is trained in first aid and in managing the most common conditions. For advanced treatments, the Ranch relies on specialists - veterinarians, osteopaths, and dentists - often from Europe. Every horse has a personalized care plan, with quality equipment and a specifically tailored diet.
What happens when a horse grows old or can no longer work?
He is neither sold nor sent away. He remains at the Ranch, welcomed into a “retirement home” that marks a new phase of his life. Like Jimmy, a white stallion who survived a serious accident and now lives peacefully and is loved. At the Ranch, every horse always has value - not only when he is working.
How can I get to know the Ranch’s horses better?
During every equestrian experience, you will have the opportunity to get to know the horses up close: not only to ride them, but to observe them, listen to them, and build a relationship with them. You will discover lead horses such as Sultan, promising youngsters such as Hazard, and feel for yourself what it means to create a genuine bond that goes beyond the saddle.