A 3-day retreat with horses teaches you to be the natural leader who moves through it with ease.
April 2–4, 2027 · Ojai, California
You have the same argument, over and over again, in your relationships.
In work, you keep hitting the same wall — even when you change teams, or even companies.
You just can’t seem to finish the book, the project, the divorce.
You feel stuck in your life, even though it looks great from the outside.
I hear that, I’ve been stuck in the unknown too.
Here, the horses and I teach you to see systemically.
So you find your way out. And you have the skills to see the bigger systems and move through them with ease.
If your thoughts spiral around, “What’s wrong with me? Why can’t I just do this?” then come join us in Ojai for 3 days of learning to see systemically, with horses, stories, and movement.
It’s not just you. The answer is in the bigger picture.
We know. We’ve been there and we found the way out.
Through Story, Movement, and Practice we find the way out of the woods. Together.
We’ll spend those 3 days in deep practice:
First, with horses. Learn to be in herd, and what just being near them does to your physiology. And to your psyche. Horses have been our companions, our war horses, and the wings to our prayers for millennia.
Stories. Stories as technologies. These aren’t your bedtime stories or the academic, studied stories. These are living stories that work through you. Embodied, archetypal, and put into practice. We combine constellation therapy with stories and archetypes that help you really apply these ancient techniques to your life and lineage in hyper-specific ways.
In movement. The body moves our reality, it doesn’t just hold it. It is our living, breathing experience of life. Practices from Qi Gong, Nidra, and guided movement to reconnect to your body in nature. Here, Now, Alive.
This is just the beginning: Listening directly to nature, learning tools of regulation, and the powerful technology of story.
Embodied mythwork, performed in a pasture with horses as our witnesses, has the potential to illuminate the unseen in your life.
Bring your visions to life.
In the field.
With our Mustangs.
What others say
“It changed my life, and helped me realize why my business wasn’t working out for me.”
— T.
What will emerge from your dark woods, your underworld, your fairytale castles?
Horses are the presence. Story maps the way. Movement leads us home.
You’ll leave our time together with a new orientation to your life. Clients have started businesses, closed businesses down, bought houses, finalized divorces. Elders in their 60s found love when they thought it was too late, and folks in their 20s named their purpose after surfing their Saturn returns.
You’ll leave here with an expanded sense of your own identity. You’ll own the stories and archetypes that have eluded you thus far. And you’ll have resources and practical tools to keep this work in your life — for decision-making, to illuminate what you can’t normally see, and to help orient you in the greater world.
Your life can change — in just one breath to the next.
You’ll have a new herd — one with other humans, and also horses.
This retreat is a special one. We’re partnering with an MD and integrative health clinic to provide biomarker insights before, during, and after the retreat. We’ll look at baseline markers of stress and resiliency.
Administered and overseen by an MD. Costs are covered by your insurance. You own your medical data, and it will not be shared beyond this study. Offered at no additional cost to you.
The Practice
Horses are highly evolved to observe and respond to their environments. They see us in our states of being, not how we think we’re presenting to the world — and they respond in the moment. Our mustangs, Grace and Spirit, are highly skilled at working with humans. Horses evolved 50 million years ago, so they’re a vastly different intelligence than modern humans.
The body is the home of our natural intelligence. We learn to land here first. Then, drawing on Taoism, qi gong, and dance, we move in space with the horses.
Story as technology. For thousands of years, we’ve gathered in circles and told each other stories. Stories to understand our lives, not escape them. Stories are tools that add depth, richness, clarity, and possibility to our days. Here we find the archetypes already running in our subconscious, bring them into the light, and map them out together.
What others say
“The horses care for and guide the experience as Katy May interprets each movement into new levels of sensitivity and awareness. I had no idea how impactful it would be.”
— B.
Sample Itinerary
Friday · Apr 2
Saturday · Apr 3
Sunday · Apr 4
Accommodations & meals
Accommodations are on your own — Ojai has wonderful options nearby. Meals provided: dinner on Friday evening, and lunch on Saturday and Sunday.
Is this for you?
You’ve done enough talk therapy to know that some things live in the body, not the mind
You’re drawn to horses but don’t know why, and you’re willing to find out
You’re in a transition (Saturn return around 30, Uranus opposition around 40, or just in the messy middle of a life pivot) and need something more than advice
You’re curious about whether healing work actually changes your biology—not just your mood—and you want data
You want to be held by something bigger than your individual effort while you do hard, tender work
You’re ready to stop white-knuckling your way through and let the herd, the land, and the group carry you for a weekend
You want to walk away with a new business plan and action steps. For that, come to the Creativity & Business retreat this winter.
You’re looking for a wellness weekend with massages and mimosas. While we love a good bodywork session, this weekend is for working with the horses.
Your guide
I’m a student of nature, horses, and stories. I’ve built and lost entire lives: Pivoted from a fast-paced New York City life working in social impact companies and tech, earned my MBA from Oxford Uni, and have built and failed at building companies.
I turned away from that path — spending a year living on 250 acres of old growth forest. I remembered how to learn directly from the natural world: from plants, from horses, and from the stories we live and tell each other everyday.
Now I teach, write and provide experiences with horses.
Sharing this work with you, with teams, and with companies is my greatest joy.
$1,100
Accessibility pricing available. If cost is a barrier and you feel called, reach out.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need experience with horses?
No, you don’t need to have any prior horse experience. We won’t be riding during this retreat. Grace and Spirit will roam freely in the pasture while we work. What matters is your willingness to be present and pay attention.
Where do I stay? Are accommodations included?
Accommodations are on your own. Ojai has beautiful options at a variety of price points — from El Roblar and Ojai Valley Inn to bed and breakfasts in the valley. Please see www.katymayspencer.com/ojai for a list of recommendations.
What meals are provided?
Dinner on Friday evening is provided, along with lunch on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday dinner is on your own — a perfect chance to explore Ojai!
What should I bring?
We will be outside most of the time. So bring comfortable layers for hot and cool, boots for the pasture, a hat for sun protection, a refillable water bottle and a journal. We’ll send a full packing list once you register.
What is constellation work?
It’s not astrology for horses! Constellation work is a somatic, systemic practice. We use representation to play with the subconscious and the greater intelligence of the field. It’s one part play, one part experiential, a dash of imagination, and a whole lot of sense-making. It’s one of those things best experienced in person than explained on a page. We are unique from most constellation facilitators in that we allow horses to move around and among us. The horses respond to our states of being and our shifts, revealing what’s hidden. You leave knowing something true.
Is there a refund policy?
If you cancel up to 60 days before the retreat, we can discuss a refund. And we’re always happy to honor your commitment and reserve another space for you at a future retreat where the timing works best for you!
Three days. Ojai.
The horses are waiting.