There’s a quiet wisdom in horses that can’t be learned in books or captured in words. It’s the kind that’s felt — in the way a horse senses and responds to your energy, in how they stand beside you without needing to fix or explain anything. Horses don’t heal us because they “try” to. They do it because being fully present is simply their natural state. And in their presence, we begin to remember how to return to our own. And that is more healing than words.
The truth is we are not broken. We don’t need fixing. We are good enough exactly as we are in this moment. It may be a process to trust or believe that ourselves – but we can see it in the eyes of our horse.
At Tula Vida, we witness this transformation all the time. People arrive carrying tension, overthinking, old habits or pain. But once they meet the horses — no pressure, no expectations — something softens. The body exhales. The heart opens. And that’s where healing begins: not in doing more, but in being more here.
The power of presence
Horses don’t wear masks. They’re not interested in the roles we play or the stories we tell ourselves or present to the world. They respond only to what’s real in the moment — our breath, our posture, our energy. That radical honesty has a way of calling us to notice it too. And we can learn to shift into deeper alignment with what’s happening on the inside (not just the outside).
When you’re with a horse, you can’t hide behind busy thoughts (believe us, we still try sometimes!). Horses see and respond to the full you and they want more of that. So you’re invited to slow down, feel your feet on the ground, notice your breath. That’s why horses are such powerful partners in emotional healing — because they bring us back to the body, back to presence, and this is where sustainable shifts happen.
It may be out of the comfort zone. It’s easier to read a book about it. But that’s how we grow and learn, where the magic happens.
Sally, co-founder of Tula Vida, describes the start of her personal growth path:
“To be honest I thought being busy worked well for me. I was super efficient and productive, I functioned on little sleep, I was a “successful” corporate lawyer with an active social life.
But at some level I knew I wasn’t as happy or healthy as I wanted to be, even if I had no idea why. And when I started exploring, at first the idea of being present with no distracting thoughts was definitely uncomfortable! But I trusted the horses…and I’m so glad I did.”
What healing with horses can look like
Every person’s experience with the herd is different, but here’s what many discover:
- A sense of calm they haven’t felt in years
- The ability to identify and release emotional tension – without judging themselves for it
- Clarity on a personal challenge they couldn’t “think” their way through
- A deepened capacity for self-trust and intuition
- Comfort in simply being, without needing to perform or achieve
- A sense of belonging and freedom to be who they are
These moments aren’t dramatic or loud. They’re often quiet, tender, and profoundly moving. That’s the magic of the horse-human connection — it unfolds in its own time, and it stays with you long after the retreat ends.
Curious about how this works? Learn more about our retreats and how you can experience this healing for yourself.
Why nature matters, too
Horses already bring us into presence. Add the wild beauty of Costa Rica — the birdsong, the warm sun, the grounding earth beneath your feet, the giant trees — and you have the perfect environment for your nervous system (the key to it all) to recalibrate. It’s not just what happens with the horses; it’s how the entire space supports your senses to soften, reset, and reconnect.
Think how you feel walking in the park, in spring time with the light in the trees, the fresh smell of cut grass…loads of science tells us that nature is the food that a healthy mind-body-spirit system needs.
Healing happens in connection
The beauty of this work is that it doesn’t require you to be a horse person. You don’t need experience, a plan, or even words. You just need the willingness to show up — as you are. The horses will meet you there.
Feeling good, as the horses remind us, doesn’t have to be complicated. It’s often a return to the simplest things: play, stillness, connection, truth. And sometimes, all it takes is one deep, honest moment beside a horse to start that journey home.
As we keep on saying, this is hard stuff to describe but we truly believe in its power and possibility and if you are curious, we recommend you get in touch or find some horses nearby to see what we mean!
Feel called to experience this with us? Explore our retreat offerings and begin your path back to yourself.
Join the herd. Reach out to us — we’d love to welcome you.