SAUDI: Fulfilling his dream to perform Hajj while travelling on horses, three Spanish nationals reached Saudi Arabia on their horses while undergoing through tough challenges of harsh weather and a six-month long distance.
They started their journey from Spain and reached the border check post ‘Hadithah’ in Al-Qurayyat on May 1, 2025, passing through the border areas of Syria, Jordan and Turkey, where they were welcomed by local dignitaries and presented them banquet. The head of the Al-Hadithah Centre, Mamdouh Al-Mutairi, also organised a special ceremony for the horse-riding pilgrims and welcomed them on their arrival in the kingdom.It should be noted that the pilgrims began their journey on horseback from ‘Andalus’ to Mecca in September 2024. During this time, they also faced unusual conditions on the way, but they were not willing to back down from their determination with which they had started their journey. Abdul Qadir Harkasi said that they started their journey on horseback from Andalus. They reached Turkey via France, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, which took them 6 months.They said that they also saw a lot of hardships on the way, especially when winter was at its peak, but the spirit with which they started their journey kept us warm even in the icy winds.
They said that upon reaching Jordan, we were given a wonderful welcome. “Wherever we passed, people showered us with flower petals and welcomed us, and they immediately and happily fulfilled our every need” a Spanish national said.“’Refreshing the memories of our ancestors, we had planned a trip to perform Hajj on horses so that we could appreciate the arduous period of the era of the Prophet, which was prevalent until about 533 years ago, ‘ he recalled. The most important step before starting the journey was the selection of horses for riding, for which 8 Arabian horses were selected. They went through regular training stages for several months so that they could be prepared for the long and arduous journey.
Also read: https://hajjonhorseback.com/
