Create a genuine connection
Join us in a transformational experience for yourself and the mustangs! This retreat will focus on training theory as it applies to working with wild horses (as well as how that relates to us in our daily lives). We will spend time in nature focusing on introspective journaling and meditation as well as fun and active community building activities with the group. We'll be working with freshly wild horses to create their first impression of what life with humans will be like for them - without the use of restraint or force: open spaces, consent based, no pressure or aversive training techniques. How do we get an extremely fearful and skeptical wild horse to freely choose to engage with us? Using positive reinforcement and awareness based training techniques, we will work towards having your horse trained in the basic behaviors such as haltering, leading, picking up the feet and loading into a trailer so you can bring her home with you if you're ready to adopt. Not sure if you're ready for horse ownership? No worries, you can work with one of our adoptable horses or just observe from the sidelines.
Cost including meals and accommodations (split into four payments)
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Work with an untouched mustang: six payments of $495 ($2970 Total)
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Work with one of our adoptable mustangs (training levels vary): six payments of $395 ($2370 total)
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Assistant Trainer: Attend training sessions without being assigned a horse, but observe and help others. Six payments of $295 ($1770 Total).
Also included: 6 week live virtual course on mustang training basics, start date TBD
Accommodations: we are offering glamping in luxuriously furnished, fully insulated domes with beds, power stations and wood stoves. We have one private domes available for an additional fee, otherwise you will have a roommates in a dome with two double beds. Alternatively, there are local airbnbs and hotels you can stay at if you'd prefer. We do have an outdoor shower with hot water and there is a central restroom available for guests about 50' from each dome.
Dates
June 22-28, 2026
Daily activities will include:
8am: Breakfast (yogurt, cereal, oatmeal, fruit, coffee, tea, juice)
9am: Morning meditation and yoga classes
10am: Lecture
11am: Training sessions
12pm: Lunch break (make your own sandwiches, hot dogs, hamburgers, sides, beverages - vegan and gluten free options available)
1pm: Training demo
2pm: Training sessions
3pm: Afternoon Activity (hiking, journaling, off road excursions)
4pm: Free time or additional help with training
6pm: Dinner (going out to eat, home cooking, ordering takeout, or eating take-and-bake meals from a local caterer)
7pm: Evening Activity (creative projects, discussion groups, movies, etc)
Gentling Retreat: Untouched Mustang
495$Every monthTrain a completely unhandled mustang with the option to adopt (2 spots remaining)Valid for 6 months- New Beginnings Mustang Gentling Retreat
Gentling Retreat: Partially Trained
395$Every monthChoose one of our adoptable horses for the week to work with - adoption is optional. Training levels vary - not a freshly wild/untouched mustang. (2 spots available)Valid for 6 months- New Beginnings Mustang Gentling Retreat
Gentling Retreat: Assistant trainer
295$Every monthParticipate without being assigned a horse. You will observe and assist others with their horsesValid for 6 months- New Beginnings Mustang Gentling Retreat
Daily Schedule
Tentative - subject to change based on weather and other factors
Sunday
Optional - come early, settle in and set up your camp site. No dinner or other activities.
Monday - Daily Theme: Grounding
Training objective: Cultivating Awareness to Create a Safe Environment
8am: Breakfast
9am: Morning meditation and yoga class
10am: Lecture - Operant and classical conditioning, learning quadrants, stress signals, calming signals, nervous system regulation, engagement level
11am: Training sessions with the mustangs
12pm: Lunch break
1pm: Training demonstration - the four quadrants & the basics of clicker training
2pm: Training sessions with the mustangs
3pm: Afternoon Activity: build your own terrarium. We will hike through the property to look for plants, mosses, rocks and more to build our own terrarium
4pm: Free time or additional help with training your horse
6pm: Dinner
7pm: Evening Activity: movie night under the stars
Tuesday - Daily Theme: Creativity
Training objective: Become comfortable sharing space and touching
8am: Breakfast
9am: Morning meditation and yoga class
10am: Lecture - eliciting and shaping behaviors
11am: Training sessions with the horses.
12pm: Lunch break
1pm: Training demonstration on creative approaches to train a behavior
2pm: Training sessions with the horses
3pm: Afternoon Activity: journaling sessions with prompts and discussion
4pm: Free time or additional help with training your horse
6pm: Dinner
7pm: Evening Activity: Paint your horse or pet. Jody Whitsell has been painting vibrant, colorful and creative portraits for nearly 25 years and now she's helping others learn to paint. You will provide a headshot of your horse or other pet by Friday and she will put an outline on canvas and walk you through creating your own masterpiece step by step
Wednesday - Daily Theme: Empowerment
Training objective: Self haltering
8am: Breakfast
9am: Morning meditation and yoga class
10am: Lecture - empowering your horse through choice. Start buttons, stop buttons, anchor behaviors.
11am: Training sessions with the horses.
12pm: Lunch break
1pm: Training demonstration on two way communication techniques
2pm: Training sessions with the horses
3pm: Afternoon Activity - off roading tours
4pm: Free time or additional help with training your horse
6pm: Dinner
7pm: Evening Activity - Campfire discussion: species appropriate lifestyle for both horses and humans
Thursday - Daily Theme: Compassion
Training objective: Hoof handling
8am: Breakfast
9am: Morning meditation and yoga class
10am: Lecture - building trust with a prey animal mindset
11am: Training sessions with the horses.
12pm: Lunch break
1pm: Training demonstration - hoof care, trimming basics, introducing your horse to the farrier
2pm: Training sessions with the horses
3pm: Afternoon Activity - moving emotions through the body
4pm: Free time or additional help with training your horse
6pm: Dinner
7pm: Evening Activity - guided meditation
Friday - Daily Theme: Voice
Training objective: Leading & Maneuvering
8am: Breakfast
9am: Morning meditation and yoga class
10am: Lecture - what positive reinforcement looks like in various situations - emergencies, other people handling your horse, rehoming, etc.
11am: Training sessions with the horses.
12pm: Lunch break
1pm: Training demonstration - taking one of our horses on a hike and seeing what comes up and addressing it
2pm: Training sessions with the horses
3pm: Afternoon Activity - journaling sessions with prompts and discussion
4pm: Free time or additional help with training your horse
6pm: Dinner
7pm: Evening Activity - improv games
Saturday - Daily Theme: Vision
Training objective: Trailer loading and obstacles
8am: Breakfast
9am: Morning meditation and yoga class
10am: Lecture - goal setting and training plans
11am: Training sessions with the horses.
12pm: Lunch break
1pm: Training demonstration
2pm: Training sessions with the horses
3pm: Afternoon Activity - slack line obstacle course
4pm: Free time or additional help with training your horse
6pm: Dinner
7pm: Evening Activity - vision boards
Sunday - Daily Theme: Connection
Training objective: Trainer's choice
8am: Breakfast
9am: Morning meditation and yoga class
10am: Training sessions with the horses
12pm: Lunch break
1pm: Closing ceremony