About us

Learn more about our team

IMG 20240526 WA0025

Igor Gajić

Already at the age of 6 I went with my sister on horseback to visit my aunt who was away one day riding in one direction. That experience is something indescribable that stuck in my memory. A couple of years ago, I obtained a license from the Swiss Academy for long-distance riding and I have been organizing horseback riding in Serbia for more than 10 years. I have always been fascinated by nature, animals, human being, the mystique of the untouchable and the goal of our existence … I want to guide you through remote parts of the Dinaric Alps and Sumadija and get closer to nature and animals in a special way … With more than 20 years of tourism experience and human health through exercise, riding and my own experience riding with us reaches a special level in which we become one team enjoying the beautiful landscapes of this part of the Balkan. I am father of six children and my son Matej has been riding the whole trail since he was 8 years old.

I organize the tour, equipment, horses, know how, tour guide in English and German.

Mimi Serbia Trail

Mimi

In 2020, we found Mimi at the garbage container. She was only a few months old. Mimi doesn’t have the traits of a dog, she names the traits of a human being and is our faithful companion on every trail.

Marija Vranjes

Marija Vranješ

Marija Vranješ is an experienced equestrian with over a decade of riding experience and a strong passion for trail riding, outdoor adventure, and working closely with horses in natural surroundings. She has extensive experience with both young and seasoned horses, always approaching her work with calm confidence, patience, and a positive attitude that helps create a relaxed and trusting environment for both horses and riders.

Over the years, Marija has developed a deep understanding of equine behavior and communication, allowing her to adapt her approach to each individual horse. Her thoughtful and gentle training style emphasizes trust, balance, and partnership, both in the saddle and on the ground. With a genuine love for horses, nature, and a quiet, balanced way of life, she values harmony, consistency, and mutual respect in every aspect of her work.

IMG

Jelena Milutinović

The fourth link in our team is our Jelena.

We met Jelena through our shared equestrian circle, and it has been a pleasure to have her as part of our team. She is a highly versatile and reliable professional, with a strong background as a chef and a well-known media personality, combined with a clear willingness to engage in a wide range of practical and physical work.

Raised in a rural environment, with a deep appreciation for nature and life with horses, Jelena is distinguished by her strong work ethic, adaptability, and calm, grounded approach to daily responsibilities. Through her skills, experience, and attitude, she has added significant value to our team in a way that is both rare and highly appreciated.

Photo

Md Mehedi Sokal

Mehedi is a passionate horseman who truly lives and breathes horses.From an early age, he has worked closely with horses and developed a deep understanding of their behavior and needs.He has many years of practical experience in horse riding, training, and daily care in equestrian clubs.Mehedi is confident in starting young horses, working with sensitive horses, and helping them grow into calm and reliable partners.He is also skilled in groundwork, riding training, and building trust between horse and rider.Caring for horses comes naturally to him — from grooming and feeding to maintaining clean and organized stables.He also has hands-on experience with horseshoeing and understands how important healthy hooves are for a horse’s comfort and performance.What truly sets Mehedi apart is his calm, kind, and patient nature.Horses respond well to his gentle approach and steady presence.He works with great dedication, responsibility, and respect for both horses and people.Mehedi brings positive energy, a warm smile, and a strong sense of teamwork into everyday stable life.He is always ready to help, learn, and share his knowledge with others.

By joining our team, Mehedi strengthens our club not only with his skills, but also with his character and enthusiasm.His experience, professionalism, and love for horses make him a wonderful addition to our equestrian family.We are happy to welcome Mehedi and look forward to the many great moments he will share with our horses and our guests.

Igor gajić - My Story

IMG 20240526 WA0025

It was early in the evening, I was doing something with my father on Mount Zvijezda in the Dinaric Alps of Bosnia and Herzegovina. A thick coniferous forest encircled the valley on all sides, and as always on the mountain, it was pleasantly fresh. The silence seemed to accentuate the strength of the mountain. And suddenly from the distance I heard the thud of hooves. When they approached, I saw the outline of a man and a horse walking energetically next to each other. When the beautiful young stallion felt our presence he began to winny, neighing and prancing. The man was my uncle Miroslav. He adored horses and I’ll never forget his look when looking at a horse. That look impressed me with such a sense of awe of horses and wrote down the fate of my life with them.

In the 1980s, there were horses on almost every estate. Horse races were held in our area every year. My sister Bozana, our friend Zvjezdana and I, at the age of 9, went to visit my aunt. It took us half a day of riding to get there. My sister and I rode a black, strong and energetic mare, and Zvjezdana, her favorite horse, Cvjetko. We gave each other a leg up and got on the horses… First, slowly walking, and then a trot.

Growing up without TVs and computers, our imaginations worked like glowing balls; we told various stories as we enjoyed the ride. And then suddenly a bang, breaking branches, a flock of birds flying out of the trees, our horse pranced on its hind legs, and my sister and I crashed to the ground. We got up, shook off the dust from our clothes, gave each other a leg up, and got on the horse again… That’s how the love for these amazing animals-horses started.

In 2017, already an adult and father of 5 children, I led tourists, friends, and children on horses and organized the most beautiful route through Serbia. The Athens-Kassel Ride was organized by Peter van der Gugten, David Wewetzer, Tina Boche and Zsolt Szabo. They were headed from Greece to Kassel in Germany via Macedonia, Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia, and Peter asked me to find a route from Macedonia to Croatia, all on dirt roads over the mountains.

In May 2017, the day came. Peter called to say that they were on the border between Serbia and Macedonia. I got ready and drove to Nis to find them in an almost deserted village, horses grazing, saddles serving as beds, tent wings stretched, rain falling…

I also met young cameramen Mark and Sam, and in the evening we went to the local village. The gathering was unforgettable and the laughter enriched the atmosphere so that our English-speaking guests felt welcomed and at home.

In the morning, of course, we got up very early, fed the horses, prepared the equipment, and I searched the village for where we could get water for coffee. And of course, the poor man living in the very first house offered to make us coffee himself and invited us into his home.

We set off! They were already well-established, while I was looking for position and harmony with my horse Karabakh. The rain was falling so much that we couldn’t see almost anything in front of us. Petar did the navigating and the path led us right where the hikers had told us the route would be.

We arrived in Nis, and took a wonderful break with a tour of Nis before heading to Jastrebac the next day. Jastrebac! What a mountain, what a feeling. Before Jastrebac there are fields similar to the savannah, and we trotted for two hours without stopping. I thought to myself that if the horse just sneezed I would fall off it. When we arrived at Jastrebac it was a beautiful sunny day, with green May grass, and nature flourishing. We took a break and descended to the foot of Jastrebac on the other side of the mountain. After a hearty dinner and a tour of the thermal spa, we put on the saddle pads, tightened the tent wing and went to sleep. Can you imagine that feeling, the sound of horses when they chew the grass, the moonlight, the cold? I crawled into my sleeping bag and only my nose stuck out. Occasionally I looked at the stars and the outline of the trees until fatigue finally overwhelmed me.

You wonder whether I was sore from all the riding? Sure, I was bruised, but the euphoria kept me distracted and I didn’t notice it. At least not while we were riding.

Trstenik. The scouts and the rowing club hosted us, so I will always be happy to go to Trstenik again, as well as the Gledicke mountains… Tina Boche said that she’ll always remember waking up in the Gledicke mountains as one of the most beautiful mornings of her life. And indeed, that mountain is something special, magnificent, magical. Yes, that is the right word. A magical awakening in the shelter of mountain meadows.

After a few days we arrived in the area of Divcibare and Povlen. When you come to this area you feel like you are suddenly in another country, on the other side of the planet, unmatched and incomparable… Povlen fascinated me so much that in 2018 I bought land and started building the property we live on now. The hilly terrain that stretches for miles at 1000 meters above sea level, the view all the way to Durmitor, fresh air, the wind from the south in which I sometimes smell the sea, it’s all imprinted in my mind as a state of meditation. Even later today, I’ll be sitting on a horse and embarking on an adventure to explore the Dinaric Alps of this region. There is no goal, there is only the path and my faithful companion-horse.

Would you like to hear more stories while we light a campfire? Do you want to understand how we can and must live slower? Here is one way to taste that malt; the unobtrusive, natural way of symbiosis between man and nature.