Small groups. Real time with founders Sally & Eric — not distant hosts. A free-roaming herd of rescue horses, thriving and healthy, who choose to come and share space with you. Food grown steps from your plate, soil to soul, from our own Kitchen Garden and coffee plants, designed to please your gut as much as your mind.

Miles of quiet trail to walk off the stress and seep in the nurture. And once you arrive, nothing left to do but feel taken care of — by vibrant land, an active herd and welcoming humans, ready to meet you exactly where you are. This is horse-facilitated retreat life the way it's meant to feel.

Are you ready to go beyond simple relaxation — to experience a retreat that is not just talking or even doing, but experiencing and exploring a new way of being, more aligned with who you want to be?

This immersive experience is designed for those seeking impactful self-discovery and the secrets to living a happier, more energized and fulfilling life.

This retreat is not just about slowing down or doing less—it's about becoming more you. Shifting how you relate to yourself, your body, and the world around you.

Guided by master facilitators (both human and horse), this immersive week invites you to (re)connect with yourself in a deeper way.

Sometimes that means simplifying life right back to its essence — ranch life, where the pace slows, the noise falls away, and you can feel rooted, wild and free all at once.

This is the place where that can happen.

The wisdom of nature, the incredible sensing capacity of horses and the power of experience will enlighten and support you to tune in to discover what is working for you and what is working against you, as you deepen your self-connection and create a sense of balance at a mind, body and spirit level.

Our horses are sensitive and wise guides. They sense what's happening beneath the surface—stress, disconnection, emotion—and respond with grounded, gentle non-verbal feedback that helps bring your inner and outer worlds back into alignment, connection and presence.

It's like fast-track coaching for your whole system—body, mind, and spirit. You don't just understand the change—you feel it. And that means you can find your way back to it again when you leave.

Through a powerful mix of horse-guided sessions, sensory and movement-based practices, and nature immersion, you'll explore the state of “being” with trust, balance, calm and grounded presence.

You'll participate in our unique partnering ceremony, where your horse chooses you—and from that moment on, a relationship begins that can reveal what no words (or even another human) ever could.

Between spacious guided sessions and solo reflection time, there's also the chance to hike or relax on the land and spend unstructured time with the horses—because nature is both the context and a quiet co-facilitator of your healing.

Tula Vida is 85 acres, fully off-the-grid and surrounded by nature as far as the eye can see - like stepping back in time, everything feels simpler, nourishing and restorative, the ideal place to retreat.

And our herd of rescue horses work together as a seamless team of zen masters, offering insight and experiences you didn't even know you needed. Wandering freely around the property, impacting every space and moment with their presence.

With seven days of support, you'll reconnect with your intuitive knowing (we all have it), calm your system and recalibrate from the inside out—with a horse beside you who sees and believes in the most authentic version of you.

• Get off the hamster wheel of doing.

• Let go of the stress of who you are trying to be.

• Discover what happens when those racing thoughts can finally settle.

• Re-integrate those parts of you that are asking to be heard.

• Lean in to the calm, present, energised version of you.

• Experience the joy of being accepted into the herd just as you are.

• Allow the clarity and positive insights to come rolling in.

This retreat is for you if:

• You've done self-discovery or inner work, but long for something deep, embodied, experiential.

• You're in transition—or just quietly craving more meaning, authenticity or that ‘something’ you're not even sure what it is.

• You want to slow down enough to hear your inner voice clearly.

• You're looking for space to be real, not polished. To be met as you are.

• You're sensitive, curious, drawn to animals or nature as teachers.

• You're ready for tools and insights that don't try to “fix” but gently reconnect you to yourself.

• You want to be fully taken care of — in body, in company, and in nature — without having to think about a single detail.

• You like the idea of your time and energy going towards something bigger than yourself — a herd, a piece of land, and a community.

No horse experience necessary, just bring your curiosity and openness.

Our guests often comment how quickly they feel like they belong here, with welcoming humans, animals and the land itself — right down to our fun, lovable family of dogs, who have a way of finding exactly the person who needs a little extra company that day.

Our rooms are designed as a retreat from the wilds of nature - calming, comfortable spaces where you can relax and rest well as you process your insights and connect deeper with yourself. Meals are healthy, delicious and made with love so your whole body feels nourished along the way.

We are here to support you.

Away from the sights and sounds of busy human life, a horse and human sanctuary awaits your presence. Every time we step onto the land we feel the power of the natural world to soothe, nourish and restore us.

100% Off-the-Grid

Tula Vida Ranch is 100% off-the-grid with our own solar power and fresh spring water living in harmony with nature while remaining a safe, comfortable human retreat. We even have good internet!

Views and Volcanoes

Tula Vida Ranch is surrounded by 3 volcanoes, an expansive sunset view and pristine rainforest, with rivers, springs and ponds - the horses roam freely in this stunning environment where you will find you can breathe more deeply and re-discover your flow.

Accommodation

Our rooms are beautiful and comfortable with a terrace and individual bathrooms — don't be surprised if a horse wanders over to say good morning while you're on it.

The Villas are double rooms with private bathrooms and a stunning terrace. The Horse Manor has private rooms with a shared kitchen/living area and a stunning terrace where the horses may come and join you for your morning coffee.

Our Lodge is where we gather for meals and sometimes practice yoga, with private rooms situated around it — a safe, comfortable space to rest. It's less a facility and more a home away from home — somewhere you can put your feet up, and the dogs might just curl up next to you while you do.

Nourishment

Meals are home-cooked with love, using fresh local ingredients — much of it grown right here in our own garden, food forest and hydroponic beds, harvested daily. We think of this as a soil-to-soul culinary experience: food isn't just fuel here, it's part of the work. Those daily-harvested greens and garden vegetables are chosen specifically to support nervous system regulation and gut health while you're doing the deeper work with the horses.

Our water comes from our abundant natural springs and we have air fresh from the trees to breathe — everything is designed to be in harmony with the surroundings and support your mind, body and spirit to rest, re-energise and renew.

Environment and Herd

We are 100% off-the-grid with our own solar power and fresh spring water, living in harmony with nature while remaining a safe, comfortable human retreat. We even have good internet!

We have planted 1000s of trees and plants already, including a food forest and a nursery for endangered trees, to encourage the forest to regenerate and give wildlife corridors to pass through the neighbouring national parks. It is a true sanctuary for all visitors, which includes shy tapirs, rare bell-birds and plenty of toucans, sloths and monkeys.

We spend a lot of time out on the stunning 85 acre property — with trails, rivers, waterfalls, valleys, primary rainforest and abundant wildlife. Guests often use our miles of quiet trails as a silent integration path — walking alone for somatic processing, letting the body finish what a horse experience started, without needing to talk it through.

Tula Vida Foundation is a 501c3 charity registered in the US with a mission to rescue horses in Costa Rica and sponsors experiences for people who wouldn't otherwise have access to these kinds of offerings.

Our rescue herd - currently 17 horses - all came to us for different reasons, with different needs, but each one bringing their own unique experience, wisdom and presence. Which one will be your favourite?!

A visit to us supports not just yourself but also the natural environment, the rescue horses, our rescue herd's wellbeing, the local community who work with us — including the local village school and village projects we support — and people without the means to have these kind of experiences.

The Dogs

Our fun, lovable family of dogs are as much a part of Tula Vida as the herd. They have a way of knowing exactly who needs company, and when — expect a warm welcome, and probably a new best friend.

• Transportation: Roundtrip group transportation between Liberia International Airport (LIR) and Tula Vida at set times on Retreat Arrival/Departure Dates.

• Accommodation: 6 nights at Tula Vida Ranch with full access to miles of trails, surrounding horses, spring-fed pond and more.

• Meals: Home-cooked, soil-to-soul meals from our own Kitchen Garden, three times a day — starting with arrival dinner on Day 1 and ending with departure breakfast on the final day.

• Qi Gong with the horses: Enjoy mindful, grounding movement with Eric Kolesar and the herd.

• Daily horse experiences: Transformational equine experiential learning with the Tula Vida herd, facilitated by Eric & Sally — create a connection with a horse, become part of the herd, and see where connection can take you.

• Nature-based Experiences: Plenty of coaching and self-guided time in nature - science shows that being in nature is good for wellbeing.

• Mindfulness Tools: Take-home tools and ideas for living more mindfully.

• Sunset meditations: Gather for spectacular sunsets to savour the moment and practice gratitude together.

• Massage: Enjoy a 1 hour intuitive, therapeutic massage.

• Integration: Relax in the hammock, journal by the lake, meditate with the monkeys, or wander our miles of quiet trails as a silent integration path — free time to reflect, enjoy and integrate experiences, at your own pace.

• Warm company: Full run of the property alongside our free-roaming herd and our resident dogs.

• Total peace of mind: Three complete, home-cooked meals a day mean you genuinely don't have to open your wallet once you step onto the property. Once you arrive, there's nothing more to arrange or pay for — all you have to do is show up.

• Airfare: You arrange your own travel to/from Liberia airport (LIR) in Costa Rica on retreat arrival/departure dates

• Alcoholic beverages: We recommend not drinking alcohol during the retreat so as to be fully present and connected

• Trip insurance: We require that travel insurance is purchased in case of any need to cancel, travel disruption or medical emergencies

• Tips: This is optional but often people want to leave tips for staff and drivers

• Day 1 — Arrival

  Arrival transfer from Liberia International Airport (LIR), time to settle into your room, and a welcome dinner together as the sun goes down over the valley.

• Day 2 — Horse Partnering Ceremony & Building Connection

  Morning: A quiet, guided ceremony where your horse chooses you — the beginning of a relationship that can reveal what no words, or even another human, ever could.

  
  Afternoon: Exploring energy fields and how to build a nonverbal, mutual relationship with your horse — learning their particular language, and beginning to sense the wider rhythms of horse dynamics. This is where trust starts to build, one quiet moment at a time.

• Day 3 — Sensing, Presence & Nature Immersion

  Morning: A horse-guided session, exploring how horses regulate their own nervous systems — and what that has to teach us about regulating ours. You'll start to notice emotions not as something to manage away, but as helpful information, at whatever pace your system needs.

  
  Afternoon: Start learning — and really feeling — how the herd work together in alignment, and are honest and practical in their communication. Enjoy a hike or time in nature — because nature here is both the setting and a quiet co-facilitator of your experience.

• Day 4 — Qi Gong with the Horses & a Deeper Dive

  Morning: A gentle, grounding Qi Gong practice led by Eric Kolesar in the quiet company of the herd — slow movement, breath and presence, with horses grazing nearby as your teachers in stillness. A guided tour of the Kitchen Garden and coffee plants, reforestation and regeneration project — hear Eric's wisdom on creating in partnership with the land.

  
  Afternoon: A deeper dive with your horse partner — exploring what connection really means to you, and how you might find more of it in your own life. You might ask your horse to show you what it feels like to truly belong, in togetherness, and simply notice what happens inside you when you feel it. Free time afterwards to wander our miles of quiet trails, journal with the herd, or simply rest. This is also when your 1-hour massage is offered, for anyone who'd like an extra layer of rest and integration.

• Day 5 — Deepening Connection & Integration

  Morning: A continued horse-guided session with your horse and the herd, exploring what it means to lead from your most authentic self rather than performing a role — and what your horse reflects back about being more than doing.

  
  Afternoon: Integration time — relax in the hammock, journal by the lake, or meditate with the monkeys, gathering for a sunset meditation as the day closes. Practice being in tune with your environment, like the horses are.

• Day 6 — Becoming Part of the Herd
  Your final full day is spent simply being with the herd as one of their own members — no agenda, no goal to reach. Whatever you're carrying — busy mind, tender heart, tired body — comes with you, and you're accepted exactly as you are. And you start to remember who that is, who you really are on the inside. You'll also leave with mindfulness tools and ideas to take this feeling home with you.

• Day 7 — Departure
  A final breakfast together, warm goodbyes, and departure transfer to LIR.