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Jeddah - Yasmine El Tohamy - Riyadh : Minzal is held in Diriyah, the first cultural camp of its kind in Saudi Arabia, introducing some of the area’s magical stories and activities.

The event is part of the group of events Diriyah Season is organizing this year, creating beautiful moments for people of all ages through several zones, lots of outdoor activities and workshops.

Minzal is an exploration of arts, diverse experiences, horseback riding and stargazing. Attendees are up to explore five different areas, including Khayal, Birwaz, Adeem, Almashab, and Madar.

Khayal, is the first zone visitors will explore. They will have the chance to go horse riding after they learn how the preparation process for the horse is done. For animal lovers, and specifically horse lovers, it will be charming at the stables.

“It takes five minutes to prepare the horses,” said Subhi Mohammed, the organizer at the stable.

He explained the process of how they prepare the horses before they go. It starts with brushing the horse to remove all the dead hair and dust. Then, they brush the hair and use hair polish. Following these two steps, they add the pad on top of the horse's back, the saddle and then secure everything with the belt to protect the horse from injuries.

The process of taking care of horses at Minzal goes beyond taking care of how the animal looks from the outside but also cares about what the animal eats as well.

Fouad Al-Joundi is a veterinarian and specialist in horse nutrition. He talked about how the diet of horses changed as the human lifestyle developed after urbanization.

The animal went from being left to graze naturally in the wild because it was used as a necessity for transportation in the past, to being fed indoors because it became part of an entertainment system in the present time.

Al-Jounadi said: “One of the important points to mention to breeders, especially to breeders who still traditionally feed horses, is that the old method is no longer valid. Concrete life no longer allows wild plants to grow.”

“The horse must be fed with concentrated fodder that contains corn, wheat, oats, and barley. What we have here is a processor from a factory in Belgium, which is concentrated and gives the horse the energy it needs.”

Moving on to another section, Birwaz, where multiple workshops are located such as jar and ladle, needle and threading and clay and artworks.

“We teach them how to design cups and plates all from clay. Once they are finished and satisfied with the final product, it will go to the oven and participants can collect it after two weeks,” says Ghada Alhassan, a potter at Minzal.

Arwa Alotaibi, a specialist in plant science for almost 7 years shared her knowledge and experience with plants with Arab News through her workshop.

“Experience growing your own plant, which is an explanation of how to care for the plant and at the same time enhances personal knowledge about plants.” She said.

Alotaibi educates visitors about soil, farming and plants in general, hoping eventually to help them grow their own plants and care for them step by step. She displays several types of plants at her station yet teaches people using the Peperomia plant.

In addition, Jadi, a local rug brand presents different types of rugs at Birwaz including Egyptian, Afghani and Najdi rugs. The rugs are all handmade and made out of cotton and are sold for different prices depending on size and design.

Moving on to Adeem, the third area at Minzal, where coffee shops, restaurants, drumming sessions, live DJ and poetry readings fill the atmosphere. It is an interactive corner at the top of a hill, involving delicious food and music.

Similar to Adeem there is Almashab, yet without the loud music and more calming vibes. It is an outdoor seating and social gathering point close to a bonfire. Families and individuals can relax and enjoy a cup of warm beverage under the blanket of bright stars.

Finally, the last stop visitors will experience at Minzal is the astonishing Madar. Astronomy, stargazing and storytelling are among the activities people can try at this location.

The camp is located near Riyadh, a short drive and far away from the hustle and bustle of the daily lifestyle in the city. It started on Jan. 25 and will last until March 8, welcoming visitors every Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 5 p.m. until midnight.