3-Day Empowering Natural Horsemanship & Yoga Retreat in Indonesia

3 Days, Multiple Departures

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3-Day Empowering Natural Horsemanship & Yoga Retreat in Indonesia
  • About
  • Gallery
  • Itinerary
  • Location
  • Things to keep in mind
  • FAQ

The program will be adapted to your wishes, but will certainly contain:
Iyengar yoga, mindfulness, yoga with, yoga for, and yoga on the horse, communication with the horse at liberty, groundwork & leadership, natural horse riding (dressage, jumping) and fabulous trail rides out.

We run these programs for a minimum of 2 participants. The itinerary of an Empowering Natural Horsemanship & Yoga Retreat will be adapted to your personal wishes, and can also include temple tours, mindful walks through villages and ricefields, visits to home industries, a cycle tour around the Borobudur, and more!

About

3 lesson sessions, 3 trails on horseback, 2 nights and all meals and drinks; including transfer from the airport (Semarang or Solo) or station (train or bus).

Airfare

This upcycled old Javanese house has a beautiful view; to the rear, there are vast coffee plantations, and to the front, there is our spacious horse paddock. On the verandahs, you can relax and watch birds and squirrels in the trees, and our horses roaming about in the paddock. 

There are 2 bedrooms with double beds, which can accommodate 4 people at a time for overnight stays, with bed & breakfast, and also lunch and dinner can be booked. You have access to a private kitchen, and a spacious living & dining room.
We have built a beautiful natural swimming pool at the front of the Lodge, perfect for unwinding after a day with the horses. The Havana Horses Lodge is reserved for horse lovers throughout the year.



My journey started in October.13 2013 for three days. I got familiar with this club during my long stay in Jakarta. Anna(and her Natural Horsemanship ) was recommended by a lovely South African couple in an equestrian park close to Jakarta as it seemed might not be too bad to experience a different way.

I used the club's package including a hotel and training course in nice Salatiga city. It is a long time ago but my experience was unique as I learned totally different methodology for horse riding, since you could communicate with this lovely animal with maximum coherence,

Thanks for their friendly atmosphere there, I definitely recommend this place to everyone(especially families with kids),

And a lesson learned for me from that: "Less is more for horses", perhaps applicable in many places.

Seyed (As seen in TripAdvisor, Feb 2022)

Gallery
About The Host

The Host is a natural horse riding school, located on the outskirts of Salatiga, centrally positioned between Yogyakarta, Semarang, and Solo in Central Java, Indonesia.

Our robust and surefooted horses - of Indonesian breed and local crossed with thoroughbred - are kept, fed, and trained the natural way. Our horses live outside 24/7 in herds, eat the naturally available grasses and hay, go barefoot, and we train our horses using natural horsemanship methods.

We ride our horses without bits, spurs, or any other means of force; at Havana Horses you learn how to communicate with your horse and become partners.

As of 2007 people from all over the world enjoy lessons, courses, trail rides, and horsey holidays in Salatiga. The host is run by horse trainers and coaches Havedz Nugroho and Anna van Rheeden.

Itinerary

Sample Daily Schedule

In the mornings you have lessons in natural horse care, communication with your horse, basic principles of groundwork and liberty training, and riding skills - natural riding with the bareback pad, and depending on your own level of riding, dressage and jumping skills on a loose rein.

After the morning session you can relax on our comfortable verandah and enjoy a Javanese lunch. Before starting the afternoon session you can refresh yourself by taking a dip in the natural swimming pool.

Depending on your level and riding skills, in the afternoons we can deepen our leadership skills in the riding ring, or we go on a trail on horseback to explore the environment of our authentic village (kampung) and the beautiful rice fields (sawah) with a view of the mountain Merbabu and the dangerously beautiful volcano Merapi. If you are and advanced rider we can also go hacking to the nearby official race track to feel what it is like to be a jockey! Let your horse run fast, feel the acceleration, the speed, the power!

Location
Things to keep in mind

- Riders must be at least 2 years old for (accompanied) pony rides and 7 years old for lessons.

- The host enforces a strict weight limit of 75 kilograms for the rider.

- For working with horses and horse riding a good physical and mental condition is required.

- For special needs children we facilitate horse therapy and animal-assisted therapy. Please contact us for more information.

- All riders ride at their own risk. Visitors agree to hold the host's harmless from any claim resulting from damage or injury caused by horses, owners, or guests.

- All lessons and lesson packages expire 4 months from the date of purchase, or 4 months after the date on the first strip of the lesson strip card.

- A lesson lasts one hour or 60 minutes. A pony ride lasts 30 minutes. A student's lesson starts at its scheduled time whether or not the student is late.

- The host enforces a strict 24-hour cancellation policy. Any student who fails to attend his/her lesson without notice is a "no show" and will be charged the full lesson price. Any cancellation made without at least 24-hour notice will be considered a "no show" and charged the full lesson price.

- The host does not issue refunds.

- Proper riding attire - helmet, riding shoes, chaps, or boots - must be worn whenever riding.

-The host's students and staff promote respect and kindness toward humans and horses.

- Screaming and running are prohibited. If you bring additional children you will need to have additional guardians present to ensure their safety.

- The host is a riding school and just like a school, we will provide a substitute teacher in the event of your instructor's absence. Lesson schedules will proceed as normal without notification to the student unless a time or day change is necessary.

- In case of rain, please call before you come for your lesson or before assuming your lesson is canceled. It may not be raining, even if it is raining at your location. Classes are generally held, if at all possible.

- Please arrive at least 10 minutes before your lesson to attire yourself with a helmet and chaps, and be prepared to spend another ten minutes untacking and taking care of your horse. Allow plenty of travel time for our busy Central Java roads.

- Groundwork, grooming, and tacking are a part of horsemanship and therefore a significant part of your lesson.

FAQ