Move Over, Yoga Mats—People Are Now Practicing on Horseback

Photo: Instagram/@horse_yoga_girl

It's not breaking news anymore that people are doing yoga with animals—there's goat yoga (AKA goga), doga (with dogs), and even places where you can do Cat Pose with felines roaming around your mat.

But the new trend of horseback yoga takes vinyasa with animals to a whole other level.

Offered at La Donaira—a luxe eco-resort in Spain that also offers forest bathing and grows its own food—horse yoga is all about connecting to nature (while looking completely badass, of course), Bloomberg reports . And, unlike other methods of yoga with animals, horse yoga actually involves balancing poses on a horse's back—a pretty impressive feat considering how hard it can be simply getting into the saddle.

La Donaira has over 70 purebred Lusitano studs for the practice—which are said to be the first breed of horse that man ever put a saddle on, so they're very tame and easily trained. Equestrian and yoga pro Laura Garcia instructs all different forms of yoga with the horses there, so really anyone can try it out, even if they're new to yoga or horseback riding.

Horseback yoga “is not a question of domination, it is a magical connection with an animal that’s bigger than you," says Garcia, who leads students through everything from connecting to the horse's breathing, using the animal for stability while doing poses on the ground, to advanced moves like headstand on horseback.

Adds La Donaira's CEO: “Whatever level you’re at [with your yoga practice], the relation you have when you’re in silence with the horse, when you breathe together and touch the animal… it’s amazing.”

Also amazing? These seven yogis who make horseback yoga look like a cinch. Keep scrolling for some really rad photos of the latest animal yoga practice.

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Photo: Instagram/@yoga.horse

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Photo: Instagram/@jeremyonnikian

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Photo: Instagram/@ravenstar_rainbow

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Photo: Instagram/@badarik_ashram

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Photo: Instagram/@colleencuomo

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Photo: Instagram/@horseback_yogi

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Photo: Instagram/@leacoyle87

Speaking of horses, "the gallop" is the hardest workout move you've never tried. But however you prefer to sweat, make sure you know how to breathe properly during your workout.

Tags: Yoga

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