Wellness Retreats at Cloverleaf Equine Center

Our wellness retreats offer participants the opportunity to take a break from the demands of daily life and de-stress at our beautiful barn in the heart of Northern Virginia. These retreats are all about slowing down, soothing our nervous systems, and experiencing meaningful horse-human connection. Individuals with all levels of horse experience are welcome - including those without any prior experience! The wellness retreats are facilitated by our licensed mental health therapist, Hela Baer, LCSW, E-RYT who is also a certified equine specialist, yoga and mindfulness teacher, and equine bodywork specialist (Masterson Method).

This is a mindfulness and relationship-focused retreat, so there won’t be any riding involved. Instead, we’ll focus on connecting with the horses organically in the fields and mindfully in the barn, in a way that allows them to choose if and how they’d like to interact with us. This approach views the horses as equal participants with unique personalities and preferences and, in turn, provides us humans with important insights about our emotional and relational patterns. Throughout the retreat, we’ll explore various awareness, attunement, and regulation practices to enhance our wellbeing and relationships at the barn and beyond.

What to Expect

Wellness retreats are typically two and half hours in length, with up to six participants to allow for a more personalized experience. The retreats are supported by three specially trained volunteers and involve interactions with our herd of 18 horses (from up close and from afar). The facilitator and volunteers are there to support each participant and their comfort level, and make adjustments as needed to ensure a safe and meaningful experience for all.
Retreats start with introductions and a brief orientation to our approach to horse-human interactions. Participants are then guided through various mindfulness practices, herd observations, organic interactions with the horses and mindful brushing in the barn. Throughout the retreat, participants will be gently prompted to notice their inner and outer experiences to increase awareness of thoughts, feelings, sensations, insights, and relationships with self and others.

How to Prepare

We host our retreats year round, rain or shine, so we may have a warm sunny day or a cold cloudy day - and we’ll make the most of it either way! Regardless of the weather, you can expect dirt and/or mud, so we recommend wearing clothes and shoes that you don’t mind getting dirty.
Please wear close-toed shoes, comfortable clothes for the weather, and a water bottle. The footing at the barn mostly consists of gravel and grass. We’ll be walking at a slow pace and standing for most of the retreat, with some bathroom breaks and options to rest. Please let us know if you have any questions or accommodations request – we want to make this experience accessible to anyone who is interested!

Please contact Hela if you have any questions about this wellness retreat or mental health programming at Cloverleaf: hbaer@cloverleafequine.org.

We look forward to connecting with you!