Healing with Horses

Healing with Horses: A Mindfulness Retreat to Build Connection, Compassion and Courage

Join Jennifer Cohen Harper, and the team at 13 Hands Equine Rescue, for this very special opportunity to rest and reset, in the company of horses on their own healing journey. 

Retreat Information

October 1-6, 2023

The Omega Institute
and 13 Hands Equine Rescue
150 Lake Drive, Rhinebeck NY

Today’s world can be overwhelming, and it’s easy to become disconnected from ourselves, from nature, and from each other. Spending time with horses can help us slow down and reconnect with our capacity for mindful awareness and personal power. In this retreat you’ll learn mindfulness based practices, supported by the grounding of horses, that help us reconnect, cultivate compassion for ourselves and others, and build the courage to step fully into our lives with power and authenticity.

More Details

During mornings on the farm you’ll connect and communicate with horses using your body language, breath, energy and intention. Learn to:

  • Exchange greetings and communicate that you mean no harm
  • Set boundaries and ask for space without creating fear or disconnection
  • Support a horse that is uncomfortable or scared
  • Invite a horse to walk and/or rest with you
  • Groom a horse to create comfort and connection
  • Move quietly through the herd without disturbing the horses

We’ll spend afternoons on Omega’s beautiful campus. Through a combination of mindfulness practices, gentle yoga, journaling and group discussion, we’ll expand on the discoveries of the morning and set intentions for the next day.

Together we’ll explore a way of being in the world that is deeply healing, that connects us to our own body and breath, and to each other.

You’ll head home with a greater awareness of the energy you want to bring into your daily life, and your relationships, and with practices to support creating it (with or without horses). This workshop is appropriate for anyone! No horse experience or mindfulness experience are necessary.

*This is a non-riding retreat. All horse interaction will be from the ground and tailored to the needs and comfort of participants. No horse experience necessary. 

About Our Hosts

The Omega Institute

Omega is a nonprofit, donor-supported, educational organization at the forefront of holistic studies. Located on more than 250 acres in New York’s beautiful Hudson Valley, Omega offers a wide variety of workshops, retreats, conferences, and professional trainings, in-person and online. Since 1977, more than one million people have come to Omega for reasons big and small—to spark creativity, explore spirituality, improve well-being, and connect to a community of lifelong learners.

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13 Hands Equine Rescue

13 Hands Equine Rescue is a Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries accredited non-profit organization that rescues unwanted, abused and abandoned horses. Located in Clinton Corners, just 6 miles from Omega Institute, 13 Hands is a true refuge. Home to over 90 horses, from minis to drafts, as well as donkeys, goats, rabbits, cats, dogs and more, this is a place where animals can rest, heal, regain strength, and find their purpose.

Learn More

Registration and Housing Details

Registration for this workshop is through the Omega Institute. Various housing options with all meals included are available on campus, and commuter registration is also an option. Tuition varies based on housing selected. A portion of your tuition will go towards supporting the horses of 13 Hands.

Learn More and Register

Why Horses?

The driving force of my work is sharing practices and experiences that support healing, build resilience, and help people joyfully embrace the full human experience.

I have been a lifelong student of horses, and have three family horses, including two that were adopted from 13 Hands. Horses have been a source of healing, joy, and learning for me since childhood, and their presence as attuned companions has enhanced my mindfulness practice. In exploring the horse-human connection, I’ve received training in Equine Assisted Services from the Natural Lifemanship Institute, studied equine communication through Horsespeak, and am learning about liberty training with Harmony Horsemanship.

Time with horses makes me feel fully alive, and I LOVE sharing that experience!

Contact

Got thoughts or questions to share? Want information about private retreats or mindfulness with horses sessions? I’d love to hear from you.