8 Day Coaching with Horses, Meditation and Yoga Retreat in Occitanie, France
Coaching with Horses and Yoga Retreat in France
This week is an invitation for those who love yoga and nature and who would like to connect on a deeper level with horses and to learn from their qualities. In this retreat, you intend to connect and to communicate with horses on a subtle level. The yoga and meditation sessions will be designed around this theme with the emphasis on body awareness and will be beneficial for horse riders. All levels are welcome. All these wonderful experiences are set in an authentic French country farmhouse with a magnificent view of the surrounding countryside.
Meet the instructors
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Highlights
- Daily yoga sessions
- Daily meditation sessions
- Practical group horse coaching session
- Practice your alignment and attunement and become aware of your subtle energy
- No experience is necessary for both yoga and horse sessions
- 3 daily vegetarian meals, snacks, and coffee and tea
- Free time in the afternoon to explore
- 7 nights accommodations
Skill level
- Beginner
- Intermediate
- Advanced
Styles
Accommodation
Facilities
- Dining area
- Fireplace
- Garden
- Terrace
- Yoga studio
- Free parking
- Free Wi-Fi
- Internet access
- Library
La Borde Blanque is an authentic French country farmhouse. It is located on the crest of a hill with a magnificent view over the surrounding country. It has a private lakeside beach on the beautiful Lac de Montbel, with clear and clean water to swim. The property has a natural spring and baths in the peace and serenity of the French country. On the compound, there are horses, dogs, and a cat colony, but in and around, there is also a variety of smaller and bigger wildlife and rich flora.
Program
Overview
There will be two yoga and meditation sessions a day, in which you’ll practice your alignment and attunement and become aware of your subtle energy within your body and your fields. This way, you'll prepare your body and mind for the session with the horses. No experience with yoga or meditation is required, but when you are experienced, there will be plenty of opportunities to deepen your practice. The sessions will be adjusted to meet your needs.
You also don't need to have experience with horses, but if you have, you'll be able to deepen your experience. When you are a rider, both your body and that of your horse will benefit from these sessions.
You begin and end the days with yoga and meditation. The rest of the morning will be spent with the horses. Then you'll have breakfast and prepare for the horse session, concluded by a gathering and sharing round. You'll have a practical group coaching session outside with the herd, where individual themes can be brought in.
On some days, the session with the horses will be combined with other activities with the herd. And this week, you'll share the care for the herd. After lunch, there is a free afternoon, followed by a second yoga session and dinner. In the evening, there is another meditation session.
Daily schedule
- 08:00 Herbal tea and fruit
- 08:30 Yoga asana and relaxation
- 09:30 Meditation
- 10:00 Breakfast in silence
- 10:30 Coaching session with horses
- 13:00 Lunch
- Siesta
- Afternoon free and the possibility of a private coaching session with or without horses
- 18:00 Dinner
- 19:30 Yoga asana and meditation
- 21:00 Closing
About the horse coaching
Your horse is your companion and riding animal, but it's also your personal coach. Perhaps you already understand its body language and can interpret its signals, so that you can optimally take care of its well-being and also form a great team together. However, your contact can continue to deepen and thereby stimulate your personal growth process.
What should you give more attention/energy to? What more can you feel? Simple energetic exercises provide more flow in what is stuck, an awareness of what is in the shadows. Then you will see the horse reacting differently to you.
This continuous interaction is an enriching process. Horses show you, without judgment and purely from their sensitivity, where you can grow and where you can free yourself. In the morning sessions with the horses, you'll work on this and thereby help you make your life, your relationships (including those with your horse), and the world a little more beautiful. Please note that all activities are optional.
Instructors
Elleke Van Kraalingen
Elleke's journey in yoga and meditation began when she was a child. In her early teenage years, she spontaneously started to meditate, following an inner guideline and set off on the path of yoga. Yoga and meditation became a way of life. For more than 35 years now she has been teaching the ancient form of Raja Yoga with love and passion and for 25 years she has been training yoga teachers. In your daily life at La Borde Blanque lies an invitation and challenge to practice the yoga way of life, each day, every minute.
Pieter Hiemstra
Originally he is a physiotherapist. In his practice, he came across the borders of what physiotherapy can offer. In search of wider horizons, he specialized in manual therapy and chiropraxy but soon he met new limitations. In 1997, he came in touch with esoteric healing. Within this field, he still experiences inner growth, through which the possibilities of treatment reach beyond borders. He completed the teacher training in esoteric healing. For more than 10 years, he has trained people who intend to help themselves and others to find an inner balance through esoteric healing.
Nynke Groenewegen
During her training as a spiritual/energetic therapist from 2003 to 2005, Nynke became aware that her horses flawlessly mirror how she deals with her energy. By this she means the subtle life energy: the field that connects body-emotions-mind-soul. Through their guidance, she became aware of imbalances within herself. Her training provided her with tools to create more balance. This principle has since become the basis of her working method as an equine-assisted coach.
Location
La Borde Blanque is situated on a hill, at the border of a lake, surrounded by forests and at the feet of the Pyrenees. The 12-acre estate in the foothills of the Pyrenees is defined on one side by the natural boundary of the river Hers and on the others by the lake and the neighboring forest.
On the compound, there are horses, dogs, and a cat colony, but in and around, there is also a variety of smaller and bigger wildlife and rich flora. Old pilgrim routes through the varied landscape offer numerous opportunities for hiking.
Distances
- Carcassonne Airport (CCF) - 50 minutes
- Toulouse–Blagnac Airport (TLS) - 1.5 hour
- Montpellier–Méditerranée Airport (MPL) - 2.5 hours
- Béziers Cap d'Agde Airport (BZR) - 2.5 hours
- Girona–Costa Brava Airport (GRO) - 3 hours
- Barcelona–El Prat Airport (BCN) - 4 hours
Features
Activities
- Boating
- Sailing
- Surfing
- Swimming
General
- Beach
- Dining area
- Fireplace
- Garden
- Lake
- Lounge
- Terrace
- Yoga studio
Services
- Library
Food
They serve vegetarian food and organic food as much as possible and a major part of their meals is vegan. Their cooks specialize in all health diets.
The following meals are included:
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Snacks
- Drinks
The following drinks are included:
- Coffee
- Tea
The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:
- Vegetarian
Things to do (optional)
The unique environment of Borde Blanque offers a wide range of activities. During your free time, you can make beautiful walks along the rivers, through the hills, forests, and mountains with stunning views. La Borde Blanque is directly situated on the lakeside with its private beach, where it’s lovely to swim in the crystal clear water. There are facilities in the nearby area to go horse riding, canoeing, or rafting.
You can taste the culture of France during a visit to colorful local markets. The area has a long and moving history, which you’ll find back in the old Cathar castles and picturesque medieval villages.
What's included
- 2 yoga and meditation sessions a day
- 7 nights in a spacious double room with an en-suite bathroom
- 3 delicious vegetarian meals per day
- Coffee and tea breaks and snacks
- Daily practical group coaching session with horses
What's not included
- Additional activities
- Airfare
- Airport transfers
How to get there
Recommended Airports
Barcelona–El Prat Airport
185 km
Transfer not provided
Girona–Costa Brava Airport
133 km
Transfer not provided
Toulouse–Blagnac Airport
90 km
Transfer not provided
Carcassonne Airport
38 km
Transfer not provided
Montpellier–Méditerranée Airport (Fréjorgues Airport)
174 km
Transfer not provided
Béziers Cap d'Agde Airport
118 km
Transfer not provided
Driving directions from Toulouse
- From Toulouse, you can follow the A61, A66 to Pamiers (Direction Foix, Andorre)
- Turn to Mirepoix
- At the second roundabout in Mirepoix, you turn right to Lavelanet
- In Aigue Vives, you turn left to Leran
- In Leran, you turn right to Montbel
- When you follow this road, you can turn right to St Colombe
- At this point, you can enter the Borde Blanque entrance
Arrival by airplane
The nearest airport from the venue is Carcassonne Airport (CCF), it's around 50 minutes by car or taxi. From Toulouse–Blagnac Airport (TLS), it's about 1 hour and a half by car or taxi to La Borde Blanque. From Montpellier–Méditerranée Airport (MPL), it's about two and a half hours drive by car or taxi to La Borde Blanque. From Béziers Cap d'Agde Airport (BZR), it's about two and a half hours drive by car or taxi to La Borde Blanque. From Girona–Costa Brava Airport (GRO), it's about three hours drive by car or taxi to La Borde Blanque. From Barcelona–El Prat Airport (BCN), it's about four hours by car or train to La Borde Blanque.
GPS
- 42°57'35.2"N 1°58'55.3"E
- 42.959791, 1.982019
Cancellation Policy
- A reservation requires a deposit of 14% of the total price.
- The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
- The rest of the payment should be paid 30 days before arrival.
For this organizer you can guarantee your booking through BookHorseRidingHolidays.com. All major credit cards supported.