Errol stood squarely between us and the undulating turquoise sea.

“I need you to listen to me,” he said. “People who know how to ride never listen to this part, and they always mess it up.” His sternness was softened by a twinkle in his eyes.

My friend Beth and I looked at one another and grinned before returning our full attention to our guide, who explained how we would ride our horses into the water and get ourselves into position for an “only in Jamaica” experience: floating behind our mounts’ powerful hind ends while they swam, towing us with their tails.

Even for a pair of lifelong equestrians with a penchant for travel, this adventure was a first.

Half Moon Resort’s Commitment to Rescue

Beth and I met more than a decade ago in Colorado as volunteers for a racehorse rehoming organization. In the years since, life took us to opposite ends of the country, making in-person visits hard to come by. It made sense that our first reunion after years of separation, the stresses of Covid, and our own personal stories of grief would center around horses.

It was a perfect surprise to arrive at Half Moon Resort’s elegant stables to find that 13 of the program’s 23 mounts are adopted horses in different stages of rehabilitation.

There’s Timmy, the failed polo pony with trust issues. Precious, a sweet off-track Thoroughbred. Ebony, a 25-year-old pony who was near death when Half Moon’s Equestrian Director Trina Delisser rescued her from a roadside pony-ride operation eight years ago.

“She wasn’t supposed to live six months, but here she is,” says Delisser.

Delisser has been running Half Moon’s equestrian program for 37 years. Raised in Kingston, Jamaica, she grew up riding whenever she could as the daughter of an international polo player.

She came to Montego Bay’s Half Moon Resort when it became clear that continuing her passion would require turning it into a career. And while she has competed in polo and showjumping, she clearly loves giving horses a second chance.

Under Delisser, life at Half Moon’s Equestrian Centre is flexible for the horses. She has the skills and commitment needed to give a horse like Timmy the attention and mental rehab he needs.

Older horses like Ebony and those that are intermittently sore benefit from the opportunity to swim (with or without guests, depending on their needs). And those in good mental and physical health get a fun job.

Swimming with Horses

After touring the airy white barns and greeting the dogs, donkeys, and Gene the goat, our group of three guests and two guides mounted up and began the walk to the beach. I rode Zayne, a lanky gray rescue who sauntered happily along behind our guide Errol and his mount Coltrane.

Minutes later, we traded tree-lined pavement for sugary white sand, where we dismounted and readied ourselves for the main event: the swim!

Once the horses were untacked and the humans stripped down to swimwear, we climbed on bareback. I now rode Coltrane while Errol rode Zayne (since the gray became a natural leader in the water) and marched into the sea.   

As Errol led us toward swimming depths, he belted out Bob Marley’s “Three Little Birds.” The crystal clear water grew deeper, and the horses began the distinctive rumble that indicates they were starting to swim.

“Drop your reins!” Errol shouted over the noise, and suddenly, we were weightless. I tangled my fingers in Coltrane’s mane and leaned forward, letting my legs floating behind me as we swam into the rolling waves.

Suddenly, I heard Errol’s voice again. “To the tail!” he shouted, and I gently pushed myself toward Coltrane’s chestnut tail.

As we swam in sweeping circles, I held onto Coltrane for guidance, but the sea kept me afloat, and somehow, there was minimal resistance. I turned on my side and found Beth. We were both laughing the way we probably did the first time we cantered. I kept rotating onto my back, to look at the cotton-ball clouds. Then I spun onto my stomach to take in the strange vision of horse ears held just above ocean.

As we turned toward the shore one last time, we let the waves push us onto our horses’ backs. My heart sank. The ride was over. But as I squinted at the palm-lined beach, the postcard water, my dear friend, and the shine of a wet equine neck, I took a deep breath of gratitude.

For at least a moment, it felt like Errol (and Bob Marley) were right. Everything would be alright.

Opportunities for Different Levels of Experience

Beyond the Jamaican magic of swimming with horses, Half Moon Equestrian Centre offers a range of experiences suitable for riders and non-riders:

◆ Private dressage, jumping, or polo lessons are available for beginner to advanced riders over 10 years old.

◆ Inexperienced and rusty riders 6 and older may opt for a leisurely horseback “Sand Stroll” to the beach with a bit of a dip in water (but no swimming) or a mini lesson in the arena followed by a ride around the property.

◆ Kids 6 and under can spend their time learning to interact with the array of animals that call the Equestrian Centre home, including donkeys, goats, and of course, ponies!

◆ Adults looking for some quality horse time out of the saddle can sign up for a “Positive Empowerment” groundwork session.

If you’re ready to get away and relax while admiring turquoise waters around horses, this could be your perfect destination.

Learn more and book your stay at halfmoon.com.

This article about Half Moon Resort appeared in the June 2024 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Half Moon Resort: Swim with Adopted Horses in Jamaica appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

These emerging approaches—also sometimes called “emotional horsemanship”—seek to prioritize horses’ emotional worlds in our relationships with them and make space for plenty of equine agency. And the people who engage in and share them range from dressage trainers and saddle fitters to equine-assisted learning facilitators and bodyworkers.

If that sounds broad, it’s because it is. Through the lens of what I will refer to as trauma-informed horsemanship, horses and humans process emotions similarly, and this includes manifestations of stress in the body.

In turn, all of this emotional and physical baggage affects health and behaviors of both horses and humans in our relationships. By opening new channels of communication and seeking to truly listen to ourselves and our horses, these approaches have the potential to give equestrians new insights into why their horse might be uncomfortable or acting out.

The Feedback Circle

Colorado-based dressage trainer Nahshon Cook describes the human-horse emotional relationship as a feedback circle or an energy loop.

People often carry unresolved emotions as tension or even injury in their own bodies. This, in turn, affects how they move on the ground or in the saddle. Perhaps your hips are tight and your horse is unable to move his back freely. Over time, this can lead to both emotional stress and mechanical injury for the horse.

A horse “acting out” in response may trigger fear and more tension in the rider.

“Horses balance their behaviors—often unwanted behaviors—on stuck emotions in our bodies,” says Cook. “They are protecting themselves from trauma in the life of that person.”

Similarly, equines often carry their own history of emotional and physical trauma. And because horses are flight animals, they tend to internalize any resulting distress, regardless of the source.

Distress Due to Trauma

Claire Aitken, a South Carolina-based saddle fitter and equine massage therapist, sees this every day in her work, and must adjust accordingly for truly beneficial results.

“From a therapeutic perspective [before working on a horse], it’s important to take all of their history into account because these traumas that so many of them have, they hold in their body,” says Aitken.

This stoicism, combined with horses’ general tendency toward generosity with and forgiveness of the humans in their lives, makes it easy to miss early signs of discomfort. When we fail (even unintentionally) to respect their subtle attempts to communicate distress, such as opting out of work, for example, you may be driving your equine partner to escalate to behavioral issues that will be heard.

To interrupt this cycle and rebuild it as one with space for recovery, we must learn to listen better to what the horse wants and needs.

Acting with Aggression

When Kim Hallin, the founder of equine facilitated learning company Unbridled, LLC brought her horse Tempo into the world, it was with the intention of having a sport partner.

But the spunky filly was about to challenge everything she thought she knew. From birth, Tempo was not interested in passively following someone else’s path for her. And after a major injury early in life, the stress of recovery led her to develop severe aggression toward humans.

“Horses are flight animals, and [Tempo’s] flight was taken away,” says Hallin.

She explains that Tempo’s injury required frequent, often invasive, treatments and drastic reductions in her physical freedom. It didn’t take long for the young mare to connect humans with a loss of autonomy.

And although Hallin was trying to help Tempo heal, “[I was] the one opening that stall door every day but [not] letting her out. She came to associate humans with a loss of control over her body.”

Even after Tempo regained access to turnout with the herd, she retained her aggression toward humans, charging the fence whenever someone approached. And despite Hallin’s natural horsemanship skills, the situation did not improve. They made progress during training sessions, but interactions outside of those controlled environments triggered her aggression.

“[Training] wasn’t healing our relationship,” says Hallin.

When Hallin recognized Tempo’s behavior as resulting from trauma rooted in unmet emotional and instinctual needs, she was able to ask the horse what she needed and take steps to give her more choices. That is when she started to see real change.

From Shutting Down to Autonomy

Indeed, the fundamental take-home lesson for all of us, regardless of discipline, is probably the importance of autonomy, or providing the opportunity for our equines to consent.

Cook has earned a reputation as someone who works wonders with a horse whose body has shut down—a horse that may not have many options left. The first time he met the 21-year-old horse we’ll refer to as Zeus, the horse reared and struck at him as soon as he stepped into the arena.

When the horse stopped fighting and stood still for a moment, Cook was struck by his physical condition. Zeus’ medical history includes polysaccharide storage myopathy (PSSM) and completely degenerated suspensory ligaments, among other problems. His pasterns were parallel to the ground, and he was unable to flex to the left due to a large knot at the base of his neck.

Despite this, Zeus had likely spent a long time stoically performing dressage movements for his human before his will and his body finally sent up a vehement protest.

“That was his expectation of what a trainer in the arena was,” says Cook. “He had to protect himself. He did not feel safe in his lessons, so he’d started to turn his body off.” That was what had led his humans to Cook.

It took a year before Zeus was ready for a lesson. But when he eventually opted in, he easily executed a Spanish walk, and happily offered piaffe, both movements that unlocked tension in his back.

“In that moment, he guided me to movement that felt good in his compromised body,” says Cook.

Trauma-Informed Horsemanship Requires Listening for Consent

Trauma-informed horsemanship teaches us that consent is essential, even if we aren’t asking horses for such active engagement or performance.

Hallin sees a need for better consent practices in the world of equine therapy. It is too easy for a horse to shut down in those settings, and that will have negative consequences for horse and human alike.

“Are we re-traumatizing people when we’re having them participate in or observe nonconsensual therapy sessions with the horses?” she ponders.

Aitken is also careful to begin every therapeutic or saddle-fitting assessment by focusing on connection.

“Oftentimes, if there’s a horse that hasn’t been listened to in a while, just being there and listening to what he’s saying is a huge deal,” she says.

The variety of techniques available to modern bodyworkers allows Aitken to adapt to the horse’s wants and needs, whether that is simply synchronized breathing or energy work or physical manipulation of some sort.

Key Takeaway: Finding a Path Forward

As essential as consent is, it’s often just the beginning.

Trauma-informed horsemanship doesn’t stop with just horse or human. Professionals like Cook, Aitken, and Hallin have embraced the approach more as a philosophy than a methodology, using it to shape a holistic lens that considers the whole emotion-body cycle and makes space for healing in horses and their people.

“You don’t have to do anything but honor what [the horses] tell you,” says Cook.

But first, we have to get better at listening.

This article about trauma-informed horsemanship appeared in the October 2024 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post What is Trauma-Informed Horsemanship? appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

On August 31, 2020, the Trinity Alps Pack Mules were preparing to hit the trail in Northern California’s Six Rivers National Forest when the wind kicked up, spreading a nearby spot fire toward camp. The team, which was scheduled to resupply firefighters battling the Red Salmon Complex, shifted gears. To ensure the safety of equines and packers alike, they quickly broke down their gear and relocated. But within hours, they were back on the trail en route to the fire line.

The Forest Service and other agencies have been managing wildfires on federal lands for more than 100 years. For most of that time, horses and especially mules have played an essential role, ferrying everything from food to fuel (for saws) into the wilderness. And while the need for stock animals in these roles is on the rise, their use is declining, notes Guy Zoellner, wilderness trails supervisor for the Spotted Bear Ranger District in the Flathead National Forest.

According to the Pack Stock Center of Excellence, in the early 1900s, the U.S. Forest Service’s Southwest Region alone had roughly 2,000 stock animals and more than 100 packers. Today, that number has dwindled to roughly 120 animals, although the designated wilderness land has more than quadrupled.

Not only is there more land, there’s more fire. In recent decades, wildfires in the U.S. have been growing, not necessarily in number, but in size. In the two-decade span from 2000 to 2020, fire seasons torched an average of 7.1 million acres annually, more than double the typical 3.3 million acres that burned in the 1990s.

If 2020 is any indication, that trend is unlikely to reverse itself any time soon. It was a record year, with 10.3 million acres affected.

A number of wilderness areas throughout the U.S. continue using equines in fire suppression, mitigation, prevention, and even rehabilitation.

Why Equines Work

In a world in which advanced technology has become ubiquitous, reliance on equines fighting fires may come as a surprise. Surely, trucks or ATVs would be a faster way to deliver supplies? And anybody living near a recent wildfire likely knows that aircraft are frequently made available. The decision—and yes, on many levels, it is a decision—to use animals in fighting wildfires is multifaceted, but it has two key components: wilderness and circumstance.

“The thing about federal wilderness is the emphasis on primitive tools and primitive modes of transport,” explains Randy Rasmussen, Backcountry Horsemen of America’s director for public lands and recreation. Indeed, the 1964 Wilderness Act prohibits all things mechanized, from bicycles to chainsaws. Although there are provisions that allow exceptions in the case of wildfire, most agencies hesitate to apply for them unless safety is at stake.

Using mules and horses to support fire crews isn’t always just about preserving the character and intent of the wilderness. Often, it’s also the most practical choice. Mules, famously surefooted and sensible, can traverse terrain that would be impassable for most motorized vehicles.

In the steep, rugged mountains where the Red Salmon Complex fire burned, they made sense. What’s more, when heavy smoke (as often seen in California) or weather conditions hinder flight of planes and helicopters, the equines can still manage. In addition, using the mules frees up helicopters to do other jobs, such as transporting crew or dropping water on the flames.

Ins and Outs of Equines Fighting Fires

Regardless of the wilderness area they serve, most stock teams consist primarily of mules and a handful of horses. The mules are typically, although not always, used only for packing, while packers may ride horses to lead and bring up the back of the string.

When doing fire-related work, at least one person from an official fire crew typically travels with the equines and packers to ensure their safety. Despite the fact that wildfires typically operate under a federal management structure that allows resources to seamlessly go where they’re needed most, the work done by the equines is heavily location dependent.

It’s key to understand that much wildland firefighting is defensive in nature. Teams spend a lot of time digging fire lines—spaces free of grass, brush or other burnable fuel—and protecting structures with a fire-resistant wrap or cutting down nearby trees to create a “defensible space.”

That’s not to say that the teams never confront flames—they light fires that could burn back toward the wildfire, stamp out embers, and directly apply water, dirt or retardant to hotspots—but it is highly unlikely that the equines ever would. Their jobs on active fires range from defensive to strictly supportive in nature.

The most obvious job for equines fighting fires is to bring supplies to firefighters camped in the wilderness. This might be as simple as food and fuel. But it could also be pumps or wrap to protect a historic structure.

This is the work that the Trinity Alps Pack Mules were engaged in when their work was delayed. And it is impressive. Each mule typically carries between 120 and 200 pounds; with approximately seven to nine mules on a string, hiring a helicopter to transport the equivalent would cost thousands of dollars.

Digging Trail Lines

In the Flathead National Forest, Zoellner and his team occasionally use their trail plow to help with fire-related efforts, from clearing a line around a prescribed fire to protecting a structure.

“It drops the manpower to make this stuff super easy, and speeds it up,” says Zoellner. “We still have crews out there pulling out brush, but the mules smoke the people when it comes to digging trail.”

In Montana’s Glacier National Park, stock teams only support an active wildfire every three to five years, largely because they rarely see large fires. However, equines fighting fires do support four staffed fire lookouts throughout the summer, hauling supplies in and trash out every two weeks.

“These lookouts have been on these mountains since the 1930s, so we’re keeping up those traditions in historic places as part of our fire program,” explains the park’s Fire Management Officer Jeremy Harker. “We’re still using the old methods and the ways that we supply them. We could fly with a helicopter, but it’s expensive and it doesn’t fit the tradition or the wilderness portion of the business.”

Stock teams’ day-to-day routine also looks different depending on the type of wilderness they’re protecting. In Flathead, Zoellner’s approximately two dozen animals spend the summer in the wilds. When they’re not working, most roam free in a 3-mile radius around the main backcountry work center, then pack out for shorter stints in the wilderness, even overnighting at the firecamps.

Others, like the Trinity Alps team or those working in Glacier, are hauled to trailheads and typically complete their supply trips in a single day.

Need for Expansion

Despite the incredible utility of equines for fighting wildfires, and the rising need for them, they remain an understaffed and underused resource. A big part of the challenge is a lack of experienced and willing handlers.

“It’s really hard to find folks who want to manage public lands in the wilderness setting who also have the skillset to safely and productively manage horses and mules back there,” says Zoellner.

To begin overcoming this challenge, the California-based Pack Stock Center of Excellence supports backcountry fire programs via training and education. In some areas, “fire-use modules” are emerging, in which small, skilled stock crews are dispatched to where they’re needed most. For now, these programs are still limited in size and area covered.

Zoellner stresses that growing and supporting stock programs is crucial to protecting and maintaining wilderness areas.

“As the Forest Service starts to address this work, we’re going to have to build those resources.”

The post Equines Fighting Fires Help Save Lives appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Many of us depend on trainers or friends to haul our horses to competitions, trailheads, or emergency veterinary appointments. That’s a sufficient strategy for some, but there’s a particular sort of freedom that comes from taking the leap and selecting a horse trailer of your own, especially if an emergency arises and a friend’s horse trailer is not available.

With an overwhelming array of options on the market, you won’t be starved for choice. Most trailer owners are glad to share their preferences, but it’s essential to choose the rig that’s right for you and your horse. Download our trailer-buying guide to help you navigate the market as you begin selecting a horse trailer.

Selecting Horse Trailer Basics

As you start your search, a couple of seemingly simple factors—both related to size—will direct the process of choosing a horse trailer

Interior Size: The first thing to consider when selecting a horse trailer is the size you need for your horse(s) to be safe and comfortable. A trailer that’s too tight can not only lead to injury, but can be a scary space to enter for nervous horses.

The average horse trailer is built for the average-sized horse, with internal dimensions ranging from 7 to 8 feet in height and 6 to 8 feet in width. Most Quarter Horses would fit just fine in the smaller models, but if you have 16-plus hand Thoroughbreds, you might want something taller, and if you ride Warmbloods, the stalls should accommodate wider bodies, as well.

If you’re towing Miniature Horses or draft horses, you may need a much more specialized horse trailer. According to the University of Maryland Extension, a good rule of thumb is that the trailer should be a minimum of 10 inches taller than your horse’s resting head height and allow 3 inches or more on each side.

Number of Horses: Next, you’ll want to ask yourself how many horses you plan to haul after selecting a horse trailer. Although single-horse trailers are popular in Europe, they are almost non-existent in the U.S. If, like most single-horse owners, you want the option of carpooling with friends or bringing extra hay for overnight trips, a standard two-horse size will do the trick and be easy to find.

If you own two or more horses, you may want a three-horse (or larger) with more tack space. Keep in mind that bigger trailers will often require a bigger (and more expensive) truck.

Selecting Horse Trailer Details

With size figured out, it’s time to start wading through the specifics. Factors such as hitch type, body type, and load style are all variable, and often dependent on individual preferences for both horse and human.

Hitch: Most horse trailers connect to your vehicle via either a hitch on the vehicle frame (a bumper pull) or a hitch in the bed of a pickup truck (gooseneck). If you decided to choose a trailer that will haul three or more horses, you may not have a choice, as most larger trailers are all goosenecks. If you’ve opted for a two-horse trailer, you’ll have more bumper pull options.

Bumper pulls tend to be smaller, more affordable, and can be hauled safely by smaller trucks or full-sized SUVs. They’re also more versatile if you already carry a truck camper or plan to use the bed of your pickup even when hauling your horse. Goosenecks, on the other hand, are larger and heavier, but also more stable and, despite their size, often easier to drive.

Stock vs. Enclosed Trailer: It’s important to consider various styles when selecting a horse trailer. Preference for stock versus horse-specific trailers is often dictated by familiarity, but also by where and how you’ll use the trailer. Livestock trailers tend to be basic, with open-slatted sides where windows would be on a horse trailer, and few bells and whistles. If you think you may need the flexibility of hauling a variety of animals, this will be the best option by default. But, if you only plan to haul horses, there’s more to consider.

Both stock and horse trailers can have good airflow—check for roof venting and windows that open in the latter. But, because their sides are partially open and insulation tends to be limited to non-existent, it is more difficult to regulate overall temperature in stock trailers. Furthermore, the screenless open slats increase the risk of road debris hitting your horse.

Load Position: Slant load or straight load? Everybody seems to have an opinion when it comes to load position, but there is little safety data to point to one over the other. Rather, as with most trailer features, this will come down to your and your horse’s needs.

Slant-loads make better use of the floor space, allowing you to haul more animals on a shorter wheelbase. This means the horse trailer can be easier to tow. They also tend to appear open, which is friendlier to anxious minds, and many horses are able to turn around and walk out, as opposed to backing out of a straight-load setup.

Since horses ride side-by-side in straight-load horse trailers, individual animals are easy to access and unload. They also let the horses balance on their front and rear legs during travel, which can be beneficial over long hauls.

Whichever load style you choose, dividers are useful for keeping multiple horses separate. If you only plan to haul one animal, you may want to remove dividers so they can ride in a box stall. Given a choice, most horses will turn around and ride facing backward, which is likely due to easier balancing in this position.

Steel vs. Aluminum: Most horse trailers are made of either steel or aluminum. Each material comes with its own advantages and disadvantages. Steel trailers, while strong, affordable, and easy to repair, are often heavy and more prone to rust. Aluminum trailers, on the other hand, are far lighter and can accommodate a heavier load. Although they don’t usually rust, aluminum trailers can corrode.

Ramp or Step-Up: The decision to get a ramp or step-up trailer is once again a personal one when choosing a horse trailer. Ramps can reduce the likelihood that a horse skins a leg while loading or unloading—hence their popularity among performance horses—but not all animals are comfortable walking on them.

Some horses dislike stepping up into or out of the horse trailer, especially if they are unloading backward. If you have a strong preference, most horses can learn to be comfortable with both; but, if you’re on the fence, let your horse’s preference be your guide.

Bonuses

Once you’ve decided on the type of horse trailer you want, it’s time to think about the range of features that can add comfort and convenience.

Tack Room: First, ask yourself whether you want a tack room and, if so, how you will use it. Will it be your primary storage area, even at home, or will you only use it on the road?

Tack rooms come in a variety of configurations and sizes; some even include a built-in water tank. If your chosen trailer has a rear tack room (fairly common in slant trailers), make sure it swings out to offer plenty of room for your horse to load and unload.

Lighting: In addition to legally required brake lights, tail lights, turn signals, and running lights, consider whether you need internal lighting for nighttime hauling and external lights, which are useful for tacking up or loading and unloading in the dark.

Sleeping Area: Whether you’re looking to save money on hotel stays at competitions or want a setup-free alternative at campgrounds, a horse trailer with sleeping quarters can be a worthwhile investment. And they are available in a variety of versions, from simple spaces for a cot and sleeping bag to a camper with all the essentials plus luxuries for longer stays.

Used or New?

A pre-owned horse trailer can be a great purchase for first-timers who don’t quite know what they’re looking for. But, if you’re buying used, it’s essential to check that the brakes, lights, flooring, hitch, and frame are all in good condition.

Your best bet is to take it for a “vet check” with a professional trailer mechanic.

Horsepower

Even the best horse trailer is no good without a vehicle to haul it. If you already have a truck, use this as your starting point for trailer shopping, or make sure to verify that it has the towing capacity to safely pull your trailer, horses, and gear.

If you don’t have a vehicle yet, keep in mind that bigger horse trailers will require a burlier vehicle. While some small trailers can be pulled by a full-sized SUV, most will require a truck.

This article about selecting a horse trailer appeared in the June 2021 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Selecting a Horse Trailer to Fit Your Needs appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Today, tourists can cycle, hike, drive, and ride parts of the more than 1,800-mile route, and intrepid equestrians can replay the adventure on their own mounts by joining the National Pony Express Association’s annual Re-Ride.

The Pony Express Trail

In 1775, just one year before declaring independence from Great Britain, the Second Continental Congress established the Postal Service. Benjamin Franklin took the helm, serving as the first Postmaster General, and established an impressive mail system that ran from Florida to Maine and connected the colonies to Britain.

Franklin left the job in 1776, but by then other leaders of the time, such as James Madison, had also begun to embrace the role of the post in bolstering a nascent democracy.

For the next 80 years, mail delivery continued to expand along the eastern seaboard and west to the Missouri River, evolving from a system dependent on stagecoaches to one that made use of railroads.

By the mid-1800s, settlers were heading west as part of the Gold Rush, the Mormon exodus to Utah, and a misguided sense of Manifest Destiny, putting down roots in lands still inhabited by hundreds of thousands of Native Americans.

For the first half of the 19th century, the town of St. Joseph, Mo., was the westernmost point reached by railroad or telegraph. Consequently, while communication sped along in the East, it limped between the smattering of outposts and towns across the Great Plains, Rocky Mountains, and beyond. What’s more, with the still-young nation on the brink of civil war and California pondering secession, connection became a political imperative.

At that time, one needed patience to send mail to or from California. By stagecoach, the trip averaged 25 days; by sea, it took months. But a trio of transportation pioneers—William H. Russell, Alexander Majors, and William B. Waddell—had a solution. Horse-rider teams, they said, could cover the rugged landscapes much more quickly.

From January to March of 1860, the team, operating as the Central Overland Trail and Pikes Peak Express Company, set up relief stations along the route, purchased more than 400 horses, and began advertising for riders. According to the book Orphans Preferred: The Twisted Truth and lasting Legend of the Pony Express, one ad from a California newspaper at the time read as follows:

Wanted. Young, skinny, wiry fellows. Not over 18. Must be expert riders. Willing to risk life daily. Orphans preferred.

The work, clearly, would be risky. The Pony Express route stretched 1,966 miles from California to Missouri, crossing through what is now Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming, which were territories at the time. Weather was extreme, terrain was rough, and threat of attack almost imminent.

But it worked. Instead of taking almost a month, letters, newspapers, and more could now reach California in as little as 10 days, and only one bag of mail was reported lost during the service’s 18 months in operation.

That degree of efficiency is somewhat amazing considering that the Pony Express functioned as a relay. To live up to the “express” nature of the system, riders averaged 10 miles per hour—which equates to a fast, extended trot or a leisurely lope—and rode day and night. Between 165 and 190 relief stations were scattered along the route.

Most riders covered 75 to 100 miles on a given leg, while horses only went 10 to 15 miles. When he arrived at a station, a rider simply moved his mochila—a leather skirted saddle cover with pockets—to his fresh (already tacked) mount, hopped aboard, and got back on the road.

Riding the Pony Express Trail

The last Pony Express rider finished his run on November 20 of 1861, less than a month after the completion of the transcontinental telegraph that rendered the service obsolete. In the years that followed, much of the original trail was swallowed by land development, but in 1992, Congress added the Pony Express National Historic Trail to the National Trails System.

Today, almost the entire route can be followed by horse, foot, or auto, and it still cuts through some of the U.S.’s most remote and dramatic landscapes. An interactive map highlights sites along the route, such as Oregon Trail ruts, a stagecoach ambush site, and ruins of an old Pony Express relief station. Because there is not a continuous route, riders should research equestrian-friendly trails along the route within the state where they want to ride.

For those who want a sense of what it was like to carry mail on horseback in the 1800s, consider participating in a re-ride. These events have been happening sporadically since the early 20th century, as history buffs and horse enthusiasts commemorated the legendary trail on horseback.

In 1935, a group of 300 Boy Scouts carried letters from governors and other officials to then-President Franklin D. Roosevelt. In 1960, the National Pony Express Centennial Association organized a re-ride to celebrate the 100-year anniversary of the service.

In the mid-1960s, an avid group of trail riders began riding and re-enacting parts of the route. In 1977, they formed the National Pony Express Association (NPEA), an organization dedicated to preserving the trail, its sites, and its history. By 1980, they had extended their re-ride to incorporate the entire distance, from Sacramento to St. Joseph.

Now, the NPEA organizes a 10-day annual event in which more than 700 horse-and-rider teams can don costumes—red western shirts, blue jeans, a yellow scarf, and cowboy boots—and deliver actual mail, riding east-to-west and west-to-east on alternate years.

“Riders ride legs from 2 to 5 miles or so, depending on the terrain,” explains NPEA Stablemaster and media spokesperson Mary Cone. “They may ride more than one leg, leap-frogging ahead as needed.”

While the legs are shorter than they were back in the day, and modern equestrians must provide their own mounts, the experience will be reminiscent of the original in a few key ways: riders are expected to average 10 mph; letters are carried by mochila; and they carry the mail 24/7.

“Just like the old days,” Cone says.

How to Join the Pony Express

In order to participate, riders must be at least 14 (with parental consent for those under 18) and signed up for the state division where they hope to ride. Visit NPEA’s website for more details.

All horses should be properly conditioned and equipped for the pace of the event, and NPEA recommends riding your segment ahead of time. For example, a horse may need to cross concrete, cope with people cheering, face extreme wilderness, or wade rivers. Some states are more commonly in need of riders.

Although the COVID-19 pandemic interfered with the 2020 event, the 2021 event is slated for June 16-26. If you want to participate but aren’t sure about saddling up yourself, send a letter or follow the progress of the mail via an interactive map.

This article about the pony express appeared in the May 2021 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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As the cluster of Thoroughbreds rounded the track toward me, I realized that this was no ordinary horse race. The horses’ nostrils puffed clouds of hot breath into the icy air, and they kicked clumps of snow into the faces of those who trailed. The field, though small, was a flurry of color and seemed just on the brink of chaos as the riderless animals pulled a rainbow of skiers, each braced in a half-squat. Spectators cheered and snapped photos, raising glasses of champagne toward the blazing winter sun. No, this was no ordinary horse race. This was White Turf in St. Moritz, a horse event in Switzerland.

The Birth of White Turf

Though the event features a range of sports—including jockeyed gallops and trotting sled races—it’s White Turf’s trademark skikjöring that draws the crowds. To the uninitiated, the Swiss sport could be easily confused with American skijoring, which is found in several mountain towns throughout the United States. After all, both involve horses pulling skiers.

But there’s an essential difference: In American skijoring, a rider controls the horse while the skier is towed by a rope, often navigating a course of jumps and other obstacles. In Swiss skikjöring, the skiers are also “drivers”—they must steer their steeds themselves.

Skikjöring, a marriage of extreme skiing and driving, became a competitive sport in 1906.

“As is the case for several other innovations in the Engadine [region of Switzerland in the Eastern Swiss Alps], it was the English who laid the foundations of what has become today’s White Turf by being pulled with ropes behind horses from St. Moritz to Silvaplana and back,” says Tina Olivia Seiler, White Turf press officer.

The first skikjöring race was quite different from the modern White Turf. The horse-driver teams started individually and covered roughly 6 miles of village roads in just over 20 minutes. However, there were not yet any frozen lakes to traverse. It wasn’t until the following year, 1907, that organizers would move the event to Lake St. Moritz where the horses began racing in groups on a prepared track, and White Turf was born.

The horses competing in galloping events in St. Moritz don’t let the snow slow them down much. They’ve nearly doubled their pace since 1906, often hitting speeds of 31 miles per hour.

But in the early decades of White Turf, neither the sports themselves nor the gear were regulated, making competition an especially risky endeavor for human and equine alike. Indeed, in 1965, not a single skikjöring driver finished the race.

In response, the sport has been recognized and regulated as an official equestrian discipline, and several actions have been taken to improve safety: The horses’ shoes are equipped with special runners, skis must be brightly colored so the horses see them, drivers must pass a test of their skills, skikjöring heats are limited to four or five teams, and the ice is evaluated to ensure it will hold beneath the weight of snowpack and the thunder of hooves.

White Turf attracts roughly 35,000 visitors annually, an international mashup of the jet-set, accidental tourists, and horse fanatics. Between races, fans can place bets, sip whiskey and hot chocolate, enjoy live music, or simply crunch across the snow to watch the athletes warm up in the paddock.

A Swiss Experience

Just days before White Turf 2020, I was in a tiny village called Nax, hoping to try this quintessentially alpine sport combining horses and snow. I managed to attempt a hybrid version—that is, I used the same type of harness the skikjörers do, but in the American style, I depended on a rider to handle the steering.

As I picked up my bar, Katia turned in her saddle. “Ready?” she asked. I nodded nervously, checking to make sure my skis both pointed forward, and with a cluck and a kick, we were off at a trot. The harness pulled taut and I jerked forward, wobbling for a moment before finding my balance.

We cruised around a groomed snowfield. Soon, Katia picked up the pace, and we cantered over the soft hills and around the sweeping turns. Despite the grin splitting my face, I was grateful that, on top of keeping myself upright, I didn’t have to worry about managing the 1,600-pound horse that pulled me. We might have gotten up to 10 miles per hour.

That afternoon, I strolled the streets of Nax and lounged on my porch, gazing at the Matterhorn and nursing my already-sore muscles. I dined on raclette cheese and wine. The next morning, I took a series of buses and trains—made easier by the Swiss Travel Pass—to Brig, where I boarded The Glacier Express, the world’s “slowest express train,” bound for White Turf and the glamorous St. Moritz.

Experience Winter in St. Moritz, Switzerland with Horses St. Moritz, Switzerland has several claims to fame. Tucked into the southern slopes of the Albula Alps at 5,910 feet, the town is the birthplace of winter sports, twice host to the Winter Olympic Games, and home to healing mineral springs. Today, visitors can still sip bubbly water from a Bronze Age fountain at the Forum Paracelsus or bomb down the world’s oldest and only natural bobsled run—the St. Moritz-Celerina Olympia. They can shop their favorite couture designers, explore an emerging contemporary art scene, and indulge in top wines and cuisine from just about anywhere in the world. And on three Sundays in February, they can gather for a one-of-a-kind meet in which intrepid athletes and their equine partners race on frozen Lake St. Moritz.

This article about the horse destination of St. Moritz, Switzerland and skikjöring at White Turf appeared in the November/December 2020 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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In this story from writer Stacey McKenna, she describes the life lessons she learns from Daisy the Wonder Mule.

In the book Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell argues that it takes 10,000 hours of focused practice to master a skill. Most equestrians would likely challenge that idea; even the most adept among us still encounter horses that teach us something new.

From the first time I sat on a pony at about 2 years old, I was driven to become an expert, or as close as I could get.

At first, my goals were simple ones. I wanted to perfect my posting trot, pick up the correct lead, hold a steady pace. As I got older, my goals became more elaborate: I wanted to ride junior jumpers, compete at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show, and to be a grand prix show jumper.

I had an agenda for myself and often for my mounts. We had to meet certain milestones before we became too old, too scared, or too distracted.

This mentality stayed with me into adulthood as I pulled Thoroughbreds off the track in search of my next 4-foot jumper. When I traded the arena for the trail, I shifted my ambitions, but not the way I approached them.

In the spring of 2018, everything started coming together when I met Daisy, or as I sometimes call her, Daisy Donut the Wonder Mule. She’s a strawberry blonde molly mule—athletic, curious and as snuggly as they come. Within a year, she had changed everything about the way I approach my equestrian life.

Getting Out of the Saddle

Daisy arrived in early June, and I had big plans to start hitting the trails as soon as possible. She was well-trained and had far more backcountry experience than I, so I figured by the end of summer we would have put miles behind us. But there was a catch. I didn’t have a saddle that fit her.

Before getting Daisy, I knew I would need time to find the right tack. Fitting a mule can be tricky, and I was transitioning from a jumping saddle to something more suited to hours on the trails, but I hadn’t expected it to take as long as it did. I eventually ordered a semi-custom endurance saddle, but it wouldn’t arrive until September.

My plans derailed, Daisy and I had months to get to know one another. Mules and donkeys have a reputation for being stubborn, but many devotees will tell you that there’s something else going on. Long-eared equines have a strong sense of self-preservation and expect to be consulted on decisions that could affect their well-being or survival. Consequently, that first summer of earning trust without rushing paid off.

Abandoning the Timeline

Some days we did groundwork in a round pen, and occasionally I hopped on bareback. But Daisy and I passed the majority of our time just walking through the rabbit brush, matching our steps, and pausing occasionally for ear scratches or snatches of grass. When my golden-maned mule heard a potential predator (actually barn cats) rustling through the reeds, she froze. I stopped, too, standing a few feet in front of her until she agreed it was safe to proceed. She always did, though some days it took longer than others.

In the months that followed, it became apparent that I simply couldn’t hold my adventure goals to a strict timeline. Our slow path to friendship was paying off: The more I gave Daisy a say, the more she looked to me for direction.

Forced to postpone my agenda of getting out into the wilderness as quickly and consistently as possible, I embarked on what would ultimately be a much longer journey: Daisy and I were becoming partners on a different level than I had ever known, and the barn had become the one place where I could show up without a plan. This freed me up to meet Daisy where she was on any given day, whether that meant taking a stroll, practicing our fledgling rock-hopping skills, or galloping in an open pasture.

I don’t know when Daisy and I will make it into the backcountry on our own, or what that will even look like when we do. Relieved of the pressure of an external deadline, I’m making the most of our time together. And the more I do it, the more it feels like that’s the point.

This article on Daisy the Wonder Mule appeared in the August 2020 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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As we ride away from the stable, my eyes are fixed on the sight to my left of rolling yellow-green hills that give way to a turquoise coastline. But within moments, our guide, Darienne Hannum of Na’alapa Stables, draws my attention forward. “That’s Maui,” she says, pointing out another island of Hawaii. The island’s Haleakal Volcano rises into the clouds across the water, framed almost perfectly by my mount’s copper ears. What a riding vacation destination in Hawaii.

The phrase “cowboy country” typically conjures up images of red deserts, sage-studded plains and endless sky. But keep heading west across the Pacific Ocean and you’ll find wide open landscapes and a culture of horseback livestock wrangling like no other. We get a window into that world as our group traverses the cinder cones of Kohala Mountain—one of the oldest truly extinct volcanoes (no longer has a lava supply) on earth.

There was a time when Hawaii was free of large land mammals. To sustain their communities, early Hawaiians foraged for indigenous ferns and berries, cultivated up to 300 varieties of taro, and farmed sweet potato brought from Polynesia. They also constructed elaborate fish ponds for aquaculture projects.

In 1793, Captain George Vancouver offered a few cattle to King Kamehameha I, landing them on the island of Hawaii (commonly known as “The Big Island”) at Kawaihae Harbor, just south of where we were riding on what is now Kahua Ranch. That gift, though small, changed the ecosystem and gave root to a rich ranching culture that persists today.

The Paniolo

To protect those early cattle, King Kamehameha I enacted a kapu (ancient Hawaiian code or law) to prohibit killing them for food or sport. Though King Kamehameha III rescinded the kapu in 1830, by mid-century, 25,000 wild and 10,000 domestic cattle lived on the Island of Hawaii, and their numbers threatened the ecosystem, traditional farming practices, and in some cases, people’s safety.

The king needed a plan. Thus, to help manage the animals and boost the economy, he brought Mexican cattle wranglers to the islands. The vaqueros taught the Hawaiians to ride horses and work cattle, and soon, a new culture had emerged: that of the paniolo.

Riding the often feral horses that inhabited the island, the Hawaiian paniolos were soon moving bulls and thinning herds on their own, and showing off rodeo skills that set Rocky Mountain cowboys back on their spurs. But everything had to be adapted to island life.

For years—before hydraulics and refrigeration changed how cattle and beef were transported—the Hawaiian cowboys swam (on horseback of course) their cattle to longboats, which then transferred them to steamer ships en route to Honolulu’s stockyards.

While they embraced the vaqueros’ flamboyant style, they added a distinctly Hawaiian twist, braiding rawhide into ropes, weaving flowers into hat bands and carving saddle trees from fallen logs and branches.

Kahua Ranch

The paniolo ways persist throughout the Hawaiian Islands. Rodeos feature sports such as Po’o Wai U that test skills required from early ranching days when paniolos had to capture wild cattle. Many working ranches still dot the islands, including Kahua Ranch.

Originally parceled out during the Great Mahele (land redistribution) of 1848, today the property stretches across more than 8,000 acres of ancient, extinct volcanic hills of North Kohala on the Island of Hawaii.

Encompassing six precipitation zones between sea level and 3,500 feet elevation, the ranch spans rich pastures, wet native rainforest and dry, rocky deserts dotted with the remnants of ancient people’s farming prowess.

In addition to horses, Kahua Ranch is home to cattle and about 2,000 sheep raised for wool and meat. All of the livestock are managed by four full-time paniolos who live on the property.

Following a holistic resource management approach that honors the Hawaiian ethos of “caring for the aina (land),” the animals are rotated regularly between small pastures. On the trail, we pass grazing livestock, cross fence lines and catch sight of the occasional paniolo in the distance.

The riding vacation destination trail rides on Hawaii’s Kahua Ranch are operated by Na’alapa Stables, an operation that’s been run by the women of the Hannum family since the early 1980s. Our wrangler, Darienne Hannum, is a member of the most recent generation.

As we approach the base of a hill, Hannum and her co-wrangler, Jackie, pause.
“Who wants to canter?” they ask. A few hands go up, and they split us into two groups. Once we’ve put enough space between us, Jackie gives a nod and we’re off. At the top of the hill, we rejoin the rest of the riders and take in the views, which do indeed stretch from the mountains to the sea.

For more information, visit www. naalapastables.com.

This article on the riding vacation destination of Hawaii appeared in the March 2020 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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Earlier this year, Olympian Steffen Peters become a spokesperson for Trove CBD, a brand of hemp-based cannabidiol products with targeted lines for humans, dogs, cats, and horses. Peters’ advocacy for CBD in general, and Trove in particular, is rooted in his own positive experiences.

“I have seen that [CBD] helps to ‘starve out’ anxiety,” says Peters. “It improves my mental focus so that I can better organize my thoughts and dismiss the negativity.”

Peters’ openness to try CBD and the benefits he’s experienced are increasingly common. Since Congress legalized hemp in 2018, products featuring cannabis’ won’t-get-you-high cousin are popping up all over, with sales expected to top $1.9-billion by 2022.

And as more people have luck with CBD for themselves, the more horse owners get curious as they wonder—can it help my horse, too?

Here, we’ll take a look at the research and talk to an expert to get a better handle on just what it is you should know before giving your horse CBD.

What Is It?

CBD, or cannabidiol, is an active component found in cannabis. Unlike THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), it won’t get you (or your horse) high, but its fans claim it can help with inflammation, anxiety, digestive issues, and more, all by acting within a system our body already has.

In the 1990s, scientists discovered the endocannabinoid system, a network of receptors found in all vertebrate animals, including horses, donkeys and mules. The receptors are found throughout the body—brain, skin, blood vessels, gastrointestinal tract, and more—and we produce chemicals, called endocannabinoids, that bind to them. It turns out that CBD and other active components in cannabis also like binding to these receptors.

What Can CBD Treat?

When it comes to the therapeutic potential of CBD, the research is limited but promising. The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) cautiously acknowledges that cannabis has “therapeutic promise,” particularly for “the treatment of epilepsy and the management of pain and inflammation associated with osteoarthritis.”

Colorado-based equine veterinarian and acupuncturist Chelsea Luedke, DVM, became curious about CBD because clients were asking about it after the state legalized cannabis for humans.

“Nobody had been using [CBD] in horses, but people had been using it in dogs, so that planted the seed,” says Luedke. “My partner was a vet tech at the time with me, and we started talking about it. In horses, we have so few labeled drugs, so we wondered what alternatives are out there?”

The pair went on to co-found VetCS, through which they formulate veterinary-grade CBD pastes and powders and work with a Colorado State University laboratory to run small equine clinical trials.

Thus far, their best results have been in treating anxiety in horses. CBD seems to improve focus and reduce worry over external stimuli without producing a dopey, sedated animal. In addition, and consistent with early trials in humans and dogs, Luedke is also seeing success in managing mild arthritis, as well as allergies.

When it comes to more severe pain, such as animals with founder, she says CBD may help in the short term, but at this stage it tends to be cost-prohibitive at high doses.

While the AVMA has begun to acknowledge CBD’s therapeutic potential in animals, the organization still cautions veterinarians against recommending it outside of well-controlled clinical trials. In addition to the fact that research is in early stages, the organization’s concerns are rooted in regulatory issues.

According to a recent statement on the AVMA website, cannabis-derived products marketed to animals to date “have not followed the traditional path to FDA approval,” and recent lab analyses indicate many products are inaccurately labeled.

Will My Horse Get High?

Of the dozens of cannabinoids active in cannabis, THC is the one that’s responsible for the plant’s trademark euphoria. Currently, equine CBD products on the market in the U.S. come from hemp, which by definition has extremely low THC content (less than 0.3%).

Many manufacturers—including Trove and VetCS—also test their products to ensure they’re THC-free. So no, they won’t get your horse high.

Choosing a Product

Do a quick Google search for equine CBD, and you’ll find plenty of targeted products. There are pellets, tinctures, infused oils, pastes and more. But with the research still new and the regulations murky, how is a responsible horse owner to proceed?

It’ll take some legwork, but it’s doable. Look for a product that has a therapeutic dose of CBD that lacks solvents, bacterial contaminants or pesticides.

Track down a certificate of analysis if possible, and ask whether the company conducts laboratory testing, and what types of quality control measures they practice.

Dosing

An important function of clinical trials is working out how much medication will produce benefits with minimal side effects. Since CBD is still in early research phases, and equine clinical trials tend to happen with very small numbers of horses (often as few as eight to 10), consumers are left with the job of estimating the dosage.

However, there are some basic guidelines. As with many medications, equines seem to be more sensitive to cannabinoids than canines, so don’t treat your horse like a 1,000-pound dog. A standard therapeutic dose for equine anxiety would be 100 to 125 mg of CBD, while managing severe pain could take roughly four times that.

However, it’s important to read specific manufacturer recommendations and labels carefully.

“The most common issues for horse owners is they get too small of a concentration [of CBD],” says Luedke. “Most pellets in a 1- or 2-ounce scoop have little cannabinoid because you need so many fillers to be in pellet form, so you end up underdosing.”

For example, 100 mg of CBD-infused horse cookies might be a weight concentration rather than the CBD dose in a serving. So, whether you opt for a paste, an oil or a CBD-infused food, make sure it provides enough CBD for your purposes.

Before you start this exploration, talk to your vet. Even if they’re not comfortable making a product recommendation, they can help you figure out the dose, avoid drug interactions and watch for side effects.

When to Steer Clear

Despite the slowly growing acceptance of CBD in the veterinary community, it’s not appropriate for every animal. Luedke cautions against giving CBD to pregnant or nursing mares and notes that the reproductive effects are unknown in breeding stallions.

While it’s non-intoxicating, CBD is prohibited by a number of organizations that govern competition, including racing commissions and individual breed and show associations. It pays to do your research beforehand to ensure safety and compliance if you are competing your horse.

This article on CBD for horses appeared in the February 2020 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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Psychologists have used equine-assisted therapy to treat numerous conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder and eating disorders. And less formal learning and coaching programs teach coping skills, communication tools, and more to everyone from troubled youth to corporate executives. In fact, author and scholar Temple Grandin has written that just being around equines boosts our physical and mental health.

In response, wellness escapes all over the world are harnessing these benefits to help guests heal, excel, and find harmony with themselves. Some offer life and health coaching, some pull in yoga and mindfulness practices, and others have built an environment that fosters serious self-care. And although most programs can accommodate newbies, some do better than others when it comes to providing an experience that’s fulfilling and fun for more seasoned riders. Here’s a list of our favorite equine wellness retreat getaways for experienced equestrians.

Combine “A-ha” and “Yee-haw”

Our first equine wellness retreat is Equine Gestalt Coach Devon Combs of Beyond the Arena (beyondthearena.com), which runs empowering retreats all over the western U.S. Her annual Unbridled Arizona event at Tucson’s White Stallion Ranch is perfect for riders looking to pair powerful internal work with excitement in the saddle.

All of Combs’ retreats incorporate group and one-on-one coaching sessions in the round pen and tailored activities such as journaling or creating vision boards. She draws on her love for horses, life coach training, and excellent intuition to guide her clients through processing emotional difficulties and setting new personal and professional goals.

She finds that the work also helps people improve relationships with their own horses back home. By highlighting behaviors such as licking and chewing during the coaching sessions, Combs helps riders notice their own emotions and recognize how they affect horses.

“They’re reminded to be mindful, more present, to just be with their own horse, as opposed to always having to do something when they’re with their horse at home,” says Combs.

Afternoons at the ranch are filled with rides, one-on-one coaching, and self-care (massage, anyone?). And White Stallion Ranch is truly equipped to accommodate riders of all levels. Experienced equestrians get to take canter-heavy trail rides or can try fast-paced arena events such as team penning and barrel racing.

Finding Peace

Our second equine wellness retreat is Kindred Spirits. Kindred Spirits’ (www.kindredspiritscr.com) multi-day and week-long retreats are held on Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast, where jungle meets sea and black-sand beaches. Run by Terry Newton, a certified yoga instructor and energy healer with extensive experience in natural horsemanship methods, the retreats blend asanas, breath work, riding, and more.

For the wellness work, guests have a number of options that integrate horses. Yoga is practiced both on the ground and on horseback, allowing people to build trust bonds and develop physical and mental strength, flexibility, and intuition. Guests also work directly with the equines during energy healing and the herd hangs out at liberty during meditation sessions.

For folks itching to get some riding time, beach rides (swimming included) and jungle treks are part of the package. More advanced riders can select retreat options that involve longer days in the saddle as well as additional liberty work with the horses.

Since Kindred Spirits is based in one of the world’s leading ecotourism destinations, sustainability is central to the experience. Newton teaches and encourages responsible trekking and riding that’s respectful of the local ecosystems as well as the horses. That’s a perspective with some major take-home value.

Challenge Yourself in the Backcountry

Jim and Mary Allen’s Diamond 4 Ranch (diamond4ranch.com) in the Wind River Mountain Range continues the family’s almost century-long tradition of hosting visitors in the Wyoming wilderness. Daughter Jessie has guided hunting and pack trips for years, and recently launched a wellness retreat. Twice each summer, she and several guides lead groups of up to 10 women into the backcountry for an experience that gives them a fresh perspective on what they—and their horses—can do.

The retreats last about a week, with two nights sleeping in ranch cabins and four nights camping in the Winds. Participants spend three to six hours per day in the saddle, often riding actively through rough, rugged country.

In addition, Jessie, a certified yoga instructor, guides sunrise and mid-day asana classes as well as mounted breath work or moving meditations while meandering on easier trails. In between the more structured activities, there are opportunities to hike, fly fish, and, for experienced riders, to hop on bareback for a sunset ride.

Though the retreats can accommodate beginners, Jessie notes that even very experienced equestrians will probably discover a side of horses they wouldn’t encounter in the arena.

“It’s a whole other level to be riding a horse at 12,000 feet in rocky terrain,” she says. “The retreat isn’t just focused on being in an arena feeling the partnership with your horse. You’re out there living it and doing it in challenging terrain, so the adventure part of it has really surprised a lot of women with what the horses are able to do.”

Unplug and Reconnect

Tucked into a forest on the northern shore of Lake Malawi in southeastern Africa, Kande Horse (kandehorse.com) might be the ultimate escape for horse lovers.

At its heart, Kande Horse is a place to take care of yourself while connecting with nature, fellow guests, and the culture of Malawi. Signs along the tree-lined drive literally urge visitors to exhale, and the locally sourced, mostly vegetarian meals are bright with color, prepared with love, and often served family style under the stars.

When the current owners took over the property, they envisioned an escape where people could turn off their phones and let go of the stresses of everyday life. To add to the feel-good vibes, they host yoga retreats throughout the year.

Whether staying in the house or one of the bell tents, guests wake up to the nickers of horses eager for breakfast and get to watch the herd gallop between paddocks and pastures during their ample turn-out time. Rides go out twice per day, and individuals are thoughtfully matched with mounts from the herd of about 15 Thoroughbreds, Thoroughbred-crosses and bush ponies. During yoga retreats, daily rides are interspersed with asana sessions overlooking the pasture.

Guests can expect to ride English and, if experienced, to get in plenty of trots and canters. But it’s the trademark excursion that will wash away the worries of life back home. After a brisk ride through the surrounding woods and a walk through Kande village, horses and riders spill onto the pale gold of Kande beach. There, guests leave saddles and excess clothing with staff, remount bareback, and head into Africa’s third largest lake for a horseback swim.

This article originally appeared in the March 2019 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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