Nuno Duarte’s passion for horses has been with him for as long as he can remember. Coming from a humble family, as a child he dreamed of horses, played with miniature horses and pretended to be one of them, imagining the feeling of freedom of running around aimlessly. However, although he was born into a home full of domestic animals, he never had horses, which led him to ask his parents several times for a pony or a horse as a present. The best he could manage was contact with a donkey belonging to his grandfather Fernando. He even got to ride that donkey once or twice. For the rest, he never had the opportunity to come into contact with horses other than at fairs, where he would get lost from his family and become an enchanted rider just by looking at them.

Although he was encouraged to follow other paths, it was the world of horses that ended up choosing Nuno and not the other way around. When he settled in Carrapateira, where he lives, he thought he’d choose a different activity from the ones he’d done until then. He had the idea of surfing, which he immediately gave up, as he was a man of the mountains and looked at the sea with too much respect. It was during this time that, once again, the idea of horses came to him. With the help of someone he became friends with and admired (Nídia Barata), he learned to ride, care for and prepare the horses for rides. After learning all about the equestrian art, he had the feeling that he was on his way to realizing his life dream.
He convinced his wife of his plans for the future and bought Iris, his first foal, with whom he grew up on his adventure as a knight errant, not without first experiencing the hardships and pains of falls, with the reins of Estrela in his hands, the mare he had raised to keep the still young Iris company. After a long time, a lot of patience, a lot of talking to Iris and an episode that made them both cry, he decided to turn his friendship with the mare into an activity that he could live off of, organizing horseback rides for just one person at a time, showing clients the magnificent landscapes between the mountains and the sea around Carrapateira.

At first, the guests were riding, while Nuno accompanied them on foot. It was only later that he and Iris were joined by other horses and other people who, with Nuno, have traveled the paths of their lives. Nuno was born for horses and to discover the paths of his own destiny with them. The relationship is so strong that even today, when he sits in the saddle, holds the reins and gallops, on the beach or in the countryside, he feels a strong connection with the animal that carries him, as if he and the horse were one. He is happy among horses. He’s even happier to be able to offer a unique experience of freedom to others.