8 jours équitation, horsemanship et yoga à Castell’Azzara, Italie

The week retreat is giving you the exciting opportunity to observe together and share, day by day, the difficulties and the trigger points that the meeting and the work with the horses may bring to the surface, pointing to your inner human instability, and, at the same time, the difference that your morning preparation can generate in your experience of those challenging moments.

Presence, observation and direct perception will be the stable base of our work. Simplicity, calmness and a playful spirit of curiosity and self-exploration, the gentle wind blowing your sails.

The physical practice, consisting in simple yet specific movements and asana (poses), allows you to observe how your human experience, that is a synergy of conscious presence and body, mind and breath movement, can essentially change when you touch your state of instability and inner fragmentation, getting to know it, without try to avoid or change it, and, by doing so, you shift consciously towards a state of wholeness.

Curious and attentive like in front of an exciting experiment, you can notice how the physical practice gently challenges your calmness and your oneness of mind, body and presence.

With movements and poses that bring attention to the core activation, body alignment, spinal and joint mobility and general sensitivity and balance, you can see how those "tools" and knowledge help you to maintain or easily go back in a calm and open state of natural presence, preparing yourselves to meet the horses and enjoy with them.

Daily itinerary

Saturday

• Arrival
• Welcome
• Accommodation

Sunday morning

Theoretical and interactive lessons on:

• Knowing the primary needs of the horse and its perception, is a fundamental element for establishing a relationship.
• Body communication and emotion management.
• Importance of leadership in the relationship and the difference between leadership and friendship.
• Proprioception and mastery of your body are essential in communication.
• Breathing and breath control as a tool to manage emotions and proprioception.
• Comparison of personal problems in the relationship with the horse, both in the saddle and on the ground.
• Hatha yoga for managing the body, emotions, and breathing, and preparing you for the relationship with the horse.

Monday - Friday mornings

• 08:30 - 10:00 Hatha yoga session with Monica Gentile
• 10:30 - 12:00 Communication with the horse with Fabio on the ground and/or in the saddle

Wednesday or Thursday evening

• 21.30 - 22.30 Yoga Nidra relaxation and music therapy with Monica and Michael.

Saturday

• Departure

About the riding

Two hours riding per day from Sunday until Friday. Lesson on the first day and then riding out. These rides will take place in the afternoon. During the ride-out, you'll ride in the woods and on hills that surround the country house. You'll ride in a group of a maximum of 8 people (average 4-5 riders) according to the riding skill.

About the holiday

Wake up your body and mind. In the morning, with a gentle approach to yoga, you awaken the body and mind. Yoga practice facilitates the movement of the body while respecting the natural anatomical structure. Through breathing, the vital force expands and one becomes aware of one's inner space. The practice is gradual, indicated at every level, and also focused on the awareness of the coordination between movement, gaze, breathing, and the relationship between the pelvis, spine, and limbs.

With fluid movements, you will learn how to engage muscle tone while remaining in release and openness to counteract any stiffness you may encounter during sessions on horseback. This practice is a gentle awakening for the body and prepares you for a day with the horse and in nature, and as a tangible result, you will gain flexibility in your body and a healthier and stronger spine.

Your presence will be more alert, centered, and regenerated, and you will be ready for a relationship with the horse. In the morning, Fabio will accompany you in your relationship with the horse both on the ground and in the saddle, correcting your defects and helping you to improve your presence and your communication with the horse. In the afternoon, you can experience the benefits of yoga, and then you can go horseback riding (12 sessions included), have a natural western lesson, or relax with a walk in the nearby woods.

Benefits of Yoga

• Get to know your body and your limits better
• Calm and center the mind
• Improve mobility and coordination
• Awareness of the breath
• It helps to be present

The horses

The horses in Cornacchino live in complete accord with their natural needs.

1. The horses are safe partners for Il Cornacchino and for the riders

Cornacchino hosts more than 60 horses, who live in small groups outdoors on 100 acres of pasture land, completely according to their natural needs of socialization and movement. The horses will amaze you with the docility, trust, and spirit of collaboration they have. Il Cornacchino, they are "collaborators they take care of", trying to keep the essence of animals intact and satisfy their fundamental needs.

2. Training based on trust and mutual respect

Cornacchino specializes in western riding. The horses are trained by Fabio using the "Natural Horsemanship and Western riding" method. The initial training consists of teaching the horses to trust humans and subsequently to carry out all the necessary movements in the countryside: walk, jog, trot, canter, gallop, back, side passes, gallop changes, transitions, jumping, and water crossing. The horses carry out much of their training in the countryside, learning while having fun and at the same time increasing their level of experience.

3. Western riding

They consider Western Riding to be the most comfortable and convenient for traveling. With a well-trained and responsible horse, the Western saddle allows you to enjoy yourselves in the countryside and overcome difficult passageways with the utmost security. Riding with a Western saddle requires a minimum physical effort.

The horse's gaits are more comfortable and as a result, the rider does not feel exhausted at the end of the day but satisfied and happy. The weight of the rider is distributed over a surface larger than that of the English saddle, and the center of mass is lower, making it easier both for the horse and the rider.