The start of a new year is the perfect time to reassess our wellness regimens as equestrians, as well as determine how we’d like our horsemanship to look in the new year. It can be easy to buy into the media-driven version of what fitness, wellness, and horsemanship should look like, but it’s important and enriching to create your own experience by listening to your inner voice.

Make Your Equestrian Wellness & Fitness Plan Own

Many things fall under the umbrella of wellness and horsemanship; this looks different for each of us and it transforms as we move into different phases.

It’s natural and wise to modify both as you and your horse change. Gauging and adjusting needs and lifestyle to your current situation is a tool for living well and staying healthy and happy.

As a long-time yogini (woman dedicated to yogic practices and tradition) and horsewoman, I’ve always looked at my horsemanship and wellness as interconnected; the two reflect each other. We can’t expect our horses to be the only ones to stay physically, mentally, and emotionally sound, yet not work on ourselves. We are better for our equines when we are wholly healthy.

As my horses and I have grown older, the ways we partner have changed and so have our wellness practices. What kept me fit at age 20 is different than what I now require in my mid-50s. Long gone are the days of staying up late and eating whatever I wanted; I’ve modified my fitness routine and have also redefined how I spend time with my horses.

Long gone are also the days of arduous backcountry trail rides and pack trips. We’ve modified to short, easy retirement rides and lots of quality time at the barn. Often, we spend languid grooming sessions and omit riding altogether.

Time for Change

Just because we did something for some time does not mean we have to do it forever. A wise person does not cling to what once was; this is an important life lesson if we are to live the flow of grace. Change is the one thing we can count on!

Maybe you used to be a jogger but now walking feels better. Or you may have been a hard-core weight trainer, but currently find yoga more suitable. In your horsemanship, it’s perfectly fine to have once been a competitive eventer, but you’ve discovered that liberty work or another discipline is more fitting.

It’s all about dialing in to inner knowing, becoming clear on what’s in your best interest and for the good of your horse. Often when we don’t, it’s counterproductive; it can be easier to get injured or to injure your horse, or make mistakes based on poor judgment, basing our choices on what we used to do.

It’s important to pay attention when it’s time to modify. Perhaps your horse is showing physical signs of being unable to work in the manner he used to, or you’re both no longer enjoying riding as you once did—it could be that it’s become too physically, mentally, or emotionally challenging. These and other signals can be indicators that an adjustment is in order.

Rather than viewing change as a loss, reframe the idea from something negative into something exciting and interesting, identifying new pathways forward. It can be pleasant, liberating, and empowering to personalize your wellness and your horsemanship.

How to Get Started

◆ Spend some quiet time and honestly reflect on what you want and need to be doing at this time. Analyze if you’re participating in certain types of wellness and/or equestrian activities because you enjoy them and they work for you, or if it’s due to peer pressure or keeping up with the latest trend.

◆ Determine what works for you now. It can be helpful to write a list or journal about how you’d like your wellness regime and your time with horses to look.

◆ Identify practical and proactive steps to achieve your new goals.

◆ Be realistic and don’t set the bar too high or get attached to expectations, but rather move enthusiastically toward your goals with a gracious attitude of acceptance.

◆ Find a support network of others with similar interests.

◆ Take your first steps in this new direction. Begin by researching or dipping a toe into these new waters to see what you think.

Try Something New

Maybe you no longer wish to or are unable to ride but you still enjoy owning horses. Open up to new and fulfilling ways to partner with your horse, such as mindful grooming sessions or in-hand work.

If the season has come that you no longer own horses but still enjoy being around them, you can volunteer at a local rescue or explore the field of equine-assisted therapy.

Maybe you’ve always wanted to try yoga, but you’re not quite ready to jump into an in-person class, so you dabble with some online sessions first.

Personal Equestrian Fitness & Wellness Plan

Create a three-column list: Body, Mind & Spirit. Under each column, list activities that support how to best care for each aspect of your being, and do at least one from each column every day.

Here’s a sample list:

Taking care of the horse’s body and mind is not so different from taking care of the your own body and mind; it’s all about fine-tuning and adapting. It’s OK to permit yourself to adjust, otherwise you’ll be going against the current. Remember this quote/metaphor: “Ride your horse in the direction he’s going.”

There’s no endgame to personal growth or horsemanship. Here’s to curating your own experience to thrive in the new year!

This article about equestrian wellness and fitness appeared in the January/February 2023 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Your Equestrian Wellness & Fitness Journey appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

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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