Come as you are. Leave with clarity, calm, and the tools to carry it home.

“Horses sense you and get you immediately. Nature invites your body to relax. Experience is the best teacher. You start to feel fully yourself. And that’s where possibility awakens...”

- Sally

It is time to connect back in with yourself

This is the root of connection with everything else – other people, animals, nature, peace, power, positive energy and even the universe. This is the beginning of finding balance, a sense of wellness, the feelings you are looking for.
You have all the wisdom you need inside you – even when it doesn’t always feel like that. You just need the right setting and the right tools…

And we know just the place…

People find themselves here

Many people feel like they’re carrying an invisible weight. And it’s not just from doing too much. It’s the deeper exhaustion that comes with trying—trying to fix, trying to hold it all together, trying to stay strong—and yet still feeling disconnected, lacking joy or inner clarity.. And not really sure what is missing…

A huge part of that answer is connection. Actually self-connection. When you learn to listen at a deep level to what’s really going on for you. When you explore what stresses you out and what lights you up. When you discover who are you really with other people, and who do you want to be…?

“Tula Vida Ranch in Costa Rica is a sanctuary for both humans and horses”

The Horses Are Here For You

As highly sensitive herd animals, horses have an extraordinary ability to sense & respond to your real inner state. No need to explain, no feeling judged, nothing to fix or figure out. They get you – just as you are – without a word being spoken.

Imagine a Retreat where Horses are the Teachers…

01

Horses constantly seek safety and connection for the whole herd.
When they’re with us, they’re sensing: Is this environment safe? Are you connected? Their well-being depends on it, so they guide us—gently—toward presence, calm, and self-reflection…
because when we’re in a good place, the whole herd can be too.

02

They can sense when you’re present—and when you’re lost in thought.
They feel when you’re authentic, and when you’re saying “I’m fine” but aren’t.
Even when you don’t know it yourself, they do.
And they respond, moment by moment, with simplicity, presence and deep attunement. So you can see it too.

03

You can trust their feedback—because it’s honest, immediate and free from judgment.
Horses don’t pretend or analyze; they simply respond to what’s right in front of them.
It’s pure, sensory-based reflection—and a fast-track to deeper self-awareness for us.

Add in the steady support of vibrant nature all around you, the grounding volcano energy, delicious, nourishing food, a sense of community and true belonging-and your whole nervous system settles. This is where real recalibration begins.

A retreat at Tula Vida reveals the secrets to feeling good in your own life.

Our retreats are ideal for you if you want to:

Try Something Truly Different

Go Deeper in
Self-Discovery

Experience something Real, something Felt

Immerse fully in Nature & Stillness

Connect with Animals

Recharge & Shift your Energy

You’ve done so much for everyone else.
This is your moment. To be held, seen, and reconnected—with nature, horses, and your own quiet knowing.

What will your retreat be like?

You’ll experience guided, transformational interactions with horses—safe and supportive, even if you’ve never tried anything like this before. Plenty of time in glorious nature offers space to breathe and release mental clutter.

Nourishing, fresh, home-grown food and natural water restore energy, as Qi Gong with horses and gentle movement invite your whole system to relax and reset. We balance restful moments with activities and adventures designed to gently expand your comfort zone—where true magic can happen.

This retreat creates a calm, down-to-earth space where there’s no pressure to be or do anything. With a natural rhythm and plenty of spaciousness for whatever each moment brings, you can finally unwind, explore, and meet yourself in a new way.

It’s a week to open up gently, connect deeply, and rediscover joy and simplicity—alongside others who came for the same reason.

You’ve been holding it together for everyone else. This is your space to exhale, reset, and feel truly seen and supported. So you can start to offer

Here’s what a typical day might look like

Mornings with the Herd

Start your day slowly… birdsong, mountain light filtering through the trees, and the soft whinny of a horse waiting for breakfast.

You’re welcome to rise early and join us for herd feeding time (at 7:30am), or take the morning for yourself with a quiet tea and journaling moment.

Breakfast is usually at 8.30am and we’ll then move into a gentle group session, time with the horses, or an experience designed to help you reconnect with what matters most.

Afternoons for Integration

After lunch, we may have another horse or guided experience to start the afternoon and/or space to rest, read, reflect.

You may find yourself playing with the dogs, lying in a hammock, hiking the trails, watching butterflies dance past… or sitting quietly by the pond, letting your nervous system finally exhale.

Evening Gathering

We gather for dinner together family-style – our dining table (named Flow – you will find out why!) invites the best conversations. After dinner you might find yourself watching the fireflies, gazing at the stars or chatting by candlelight in the open-air rancho. Our nights are soft and still, with nothing but the rustle of the trees and an occasional horse munching grass nearby.

Time with the Horses

Each day, you will join the horses in their multi-sensory world, learning to build trust, deepen connection and truly become part of the herd. We communicate using energy, intention, body language, breathing and presence. All of which, by the way, translates directly into deeper human connection.

You’ll discover what it means to really listen and to be fully received, just as you are.

This is not a horseback riding retreat. It’s a chance to explore living in a “more horse-like” way. An adventure in personal growth, belonging, and possibility.

✨ It’s a magical experience—and different for everyone.

Some feel deep peace, some receive powerful insights, many rediscover joy or play. Whatever shows up for you will be just right.

Digital Detox

Even though we have good wi-fi here, we encourage you to disconnect from devices as much as you can. Why? Because your nervous system is likely overloaded.

Modern life floods us with more information than our brains were ever designed to handle (as many scientific studies show). No wonder so many of us live in a state of low-level stress—always “on,” but rarely truly present with where we are, who we’re with or what we’re doing.

Here, the opposite becomes possible. In the quiet of nature, surrounded by 80 acres of forest and a herd of free-roaming horses, you’ll be surprised how quickly your body and mind start to rebalance.

Presence becomes a pleasure. Stillness feels like relief.
And the world—both inner and outer—starts to make sense again.

You Belong Here

We want you to feel welcome and completely at home here—from the moment you arrive. You’re not just visiting. You’re part of this land, part of this herd, and part of a community that values authenticity, presence and connection. Like the horses.

From the moment you arrive, we want you to feel it in your bones: this is a place where you’re free to exhale, be real and just be.

You’re not a guest—you’re part of something. Part of this land, this herd and a community that values presence over performance, and welcomes you exactly as you are. Just like horses.

A Glimpse into your week at Tula Vida

Day 1 – Arrival & Forming the Herd

Day 2 – Building Trust & Connection

Day 3 – Balance & Belonging

Day 4 – Exploration

Day 5 – Integration & Reflection

Day 6 – Celebration

Day 7 – Staying Connected

What's special about Tula Vida?

Tula Vida isn’t just a place—it’s a feeling. A space where time slows down, where horses help you tune into yourself, and where nature reminds you what truly matters. There is a real sense of belonging and care that is deeply felt by guests:

”Sally, Eric, and the entire staff welcome you not as guests—but as family. Their hospitality is beyond generous; it’s sincere. You feel seen.”

“Tula Vida is not just a retreat from the world. It’s a return to yourself.”

“If you’re longing to rest, to breathe, to remember what life feels like— This is the place."

“It was an incredible experience for both of us and I think you guys opened a whole new world for my daughter with the idea of connection and healing without words!”

The Evidence

Evidence shows that spending several days immersed in nature can lead to sustained reductions in stress, improved mood, better sleep, and greater clarity.

In one study by researchers at the University of Utah and University of Kansas, participants who spent four days immersed in nature without digital distractions showed a 50% increase in creative problem-solving and cognitive clarity.

Journal of Environmental Psychology

This kind of extended exposure helps the nervous system truly recalibrate—just like we offer at Tula Vida.

Who We Are

We’re Sally and Eric—experienced adventurers in personal growth, both personally and professionally, and firm believers in the power of nature and horses to teach, guide, and inspire.

Alongside our 14 rescue horses and 5 dogs, we created Tula Vida as an off-the-grid, immersive sanctuary for reconnection—with yourself, with community (your herd), with positive energy, and with the natural world.

We look forward to welcoming you into our growing herd

Are you ready?
The horses are waiting for you!

When we slow down, tune in and truly listen, the answers begin to surface. And once we learn how to reconnect with ourselves, everything begins to shift—gently, powerfully, and for good.

Join us at Tula Vida for a fun, meaningful, and rejuvenating retreat in the heart of beautiful Costa Rica. Together, we’ll explore the foundations of a fully connected life—one rooted in nature, nervous system balance, and living more as the real you. The you that is in there, just waiting for space to be seen.

Let the horses show you the way.

Book a free call with Sally

Whether you’re feeling the pull or still just curious, this is a gentle space to ask questions, feel into the fit, and explore what your time here could look like.
(It’s a conversation, not a sales pitch—come as you are.)