photo by Larry Stanley
COWGIRL YOGA™
Yoga, Hiking & Horseback Riding Retreats for Women
For all levels of yoginis and equestrians
2009 dates coming soon!
Visit Athleta Chi and read:
OM on the range
Cowgirl Yoga: Poses for Riders
$2,750 per person based on double occupancy; we will place you with a roommate if you do not have a travel companion. Single accomodations for Cowgirl Yoga retreats are available at an additional cost, please inquire. A non-refundable deposit of $500 is due to hold your reservation. To better plan your travel, we begin the retreat at 5 pm on the arrival Sunday and end at noon on the following Friday.
Imagine a week of yoga and horses - a girl's dream come true. Explore how both can put you in touch with your potential and teach you a lot about yourself. We'll practice yoga, spend time with horses, and kick up our heels in cowgirl-friendly Big Sky Country.
As mentioned in the Summer 2008 girlfriend getaways!
Come join fellow wanna-be cowgirls for yoga and fun in and out of the saddle. We'll explore the link between yoga and riding to improve not only your saddle skills, but also your overall well-being. Through yoga poses and breathing techniques we will learn how to improve balance and body alignment. Best of all, experience how the horse-human connection deepens as you practice yoga. The indescribable experience of connecting with such an awe-inspiring animal is the memory we want you to return home with.
The Cowgirl Yoga program includes:
- Daily yoga classes that build body awareness and help foster an openness of body and mind - the best state to be in around horses, and that target common trouble spots for riders, such as the back and hips, and pay special attention to cultivating core strength (the center of the body's energy)
- Intro to "natural horsemanship" lesson, covering horse-human interaction, grooming, and groundwork basics (required for all levels, from beginners to advanced equestrians)
- Riding sessions and bonding time: our time with the horses will be both in and out of the saddle
- Pre-ride yoga in the saddle: a focus on yogic breathing will foster a relaxed yet alert posture on horseback, and we'll explore a variety of yoga poses you can do when riding to instantly release tension and relax you (and your horse!)
- Hiking: one day hitting the trail on two legs instead of four, to work different muscles and enjoy meditation and quiet time inspired by nature
- Ride out to a Cowgirl cookout for dinner one evening
- Full-day trail ride in Big Sky: this will be our peak ride that we will "train" for all week, preparing both body and mind for 6 hours+ on horseback
- Health and wellness discussions, meditation, intention-setting & journaling
The Tao of Equus examines the horse-human relationship in detail, and how horses can awaken our intuition; in fact, it goes so far as to suggest that we cannot establish a meaningful interspecies connection without first being "emotionally congruent". In short, horses know when we are lying to ourselves and they won't tolerate it. Similarly, we won't grow in our yoga practice if we are not open to the process of self-discovery it causes. How wonderful to have another being be a mirror for our true selves. There are moments when I feel I have connected with Belle that have brought on powerful and pure emotion. These are moments where I am truly present and authentic, as when I am able to be present in my yoga practice. The parallels continue to astonish me.
The following quote from The Tao of Equus could be applied to either horse or yoga experience: "Ultimately the willingness to relinquish accepted concepts and respond authentically in the moment [leads] to an increasing ability to navigate through the unknown, to become more fluid and adaptable, to embrace all experiences and emotions as meaningful information." I love the idea that my horseback riding is an extension of my yoga practice, and that Belle is my teacher. I look forward to sharing this with you on a retreat!
Fun Cowgirl Reading!
COWGIRL SMARTS:
How to Rope a Kick-Ass Life
Life Lessons from Cowgirls Who Tamed the West
by Ellen Reid Smith
Click on the image to check it out on amazon.com!
PACK YOUR JEANS & YOUR COWBOY BOOTS (or we'll take you shopping for some) AND GET READY FOR A ONCE IN A LIFETIME EXPERIENCE WITH US!
Yeehaw and Namaste.
does your daughter love horses too?
check out www.girlshorseclub.com
Interested in learning more about natural horsemanship?
check out www.gothorsemanship.com
TESTIMONIALS
Cowgirl Yoga: An experience of enlightenment on the yoga mat and horseback. A journey every yogini should take!
- Linda, from Salem, Oregon
The Cowgirl Yoga vacation was one of my best vacations ever!
I was looking for something that would be active but at the same time reflective and relaxing...The yoga classes exceeded my expectations with a strong attention to technique balanced with a focus on introspection...The time with horses was too incredible to put into words...the people and the place-- the other women on the retreat...truly made the vacation special. As if all this weren't enough, the setting was just stunning. Mountains and open spaces as far as you could see. I'm still daydreaming about it all after being back home over a month!
- Gargi, New York, New York
As I’m getting ready to head into work…my mind is lingering on my wonderful week in Montana. As someone who appreciates the little things that make for extraordinary experiences, I just wanted to thank you for creating such a magical mind/body/spirit retreat. From picking horse cards and meditation to our hike to the waterfalls, the trail ride to an alpine lake…your touch made everything special.
- Dana, Atlanta
Cowgirl Yoga is proud to partner with Dude Girl, since Cowgirl Yoginis wanna be Dude Girls too. Dude Girl is an apparel company geared toward athletic souls who like to play hard, get
dirty, laugh, and share the joy of sport.