Tired of Overthinking Every Decision You Make?
Arrive Thursday afternoon, exhale into a long weekend, and head home Sunday after brunch—clearer, calmer, and finally decided.
And perhaps feeling lighter than you expected.
Calm Leadership with Horses
A retreat for high‑achieving women who need a calmer way to lead their lives.
June 4-7, 2026
Stepping Stones Farm & Retreat Center in Temple, NH
Intentionally small group of 8 women
CALL TO ACTION TO WATCH!
What if your mind could finally get quiet?
For high‑achieving women whose brains never turn off
You’re smart, capable, and the one everyone counts on—yet your own decisions are the ones that keep you up at night. You’ve read the books, tried the productivity hacks, and told yourself to “just decide,” but your brain keeps spinning while your body feels more and more depleted. Calm Leadership with Horses gives you something different: a long, spacious weekend away with a gentle herd and a small group of women like you, where your nervous system can finally exhale. In that quieter place, you can listen to your own wisdom, see your patterns clearly, and practice leading yourself from calm without forcing anything. And as the noise drops, you may be surprised to feel something you haven’t in a while—real, uncomplicated joy. The kind that comes from being fully present, not trying to fix anything.
What surprised many women most?
Not just the calm—but the joy that returned once the grip softened.
The retreat reminded me of something I didn’t realize I was missing: joy. As a competitive rider and Type A overachiever, I had lost sight of the fun. Playing with my horse, listening without words, and simply being present brought me back to the magic. Leadership and work can be joyful again.
"Being offline, connected to myself and the land, and spending time with the horses was magical. I had never spent time with horses before, but their energy and presence were so calming. The retreat gave me the space to slow down, recharge, and be fully present— something I didn’t realize I was craving. I discovered I wasn’t struggling with attention, I was just addicted to my phone. Taking this pause from the hectic nature of everyday life was so important, and I left feeling renewed, grounded, and deeply grateful."
“This retreat unplugged me. I'd been moving too fast, not enjoying life's little things. It slowed me down and I feel it - my horse feels it too."
This retreat is for you if…
You’re Ready To Stop Holding Everything So Tightly
You don’t need another strategy, hack, or color‑coded planner. You need a calmer inner baseline and a place to practice making decisions without pressure.
Your brain keeps replaying decisions (or conversations) long after the day is over.
You crave honest reflection and support that doesn’t try to fix you.
You’ve tried “pushing through,” but your body is asking for a different way.
You feel drawn to horses as teachers or mirrors, even if you’ve never worked with them this way.
You’re ready tend to your own clarity, not just everyone else’s needs for a full long weekend
When your nervous system is constantly activated, your brain defaults to scanning for risk, replaying conversations, and second-guessing decisions.
Calm Leadership isn’t about slowing down for its own sake. It’s about creating the internal conditions where your thinking becomes clear again.
From that calmer baseline, you can finally see what’s yours to decide, what isn’t, and what your next right step actually is.
What You’ll Experience Over the Weekend
You’ll experience horse-guided sessions that are unmounted, spacious, and deeply revealing.
This is not a retreat where you learn about calm leadership.
It’s a weekend where you experience what clarity feels like in your body, so decisions can begin to feel less heavy, less forced, and easier to trust.
Over the weekend, you’ll be guided through unmounted, horse-led experiences designed to quiet your nervous system and reveal the patterns that keep you overthinking. All experiences are invitational, with room to move at your own pace.
You’ll also receive gentle support before you arrive, including a guided grounding journey to help your system begin settling even before the weekend begins.
Here’s what that looks like:
Horse-guided sessions that reflect how you lead under pressure.
Horses respond to your presence, boundaries, and internal state—not your words or effort—offering immediate, honest feedback without judgment.
Clear insight into where your mind takes over and your body checks out.
The herd helps you notice when you’re pushing, hesitating, second-guessing, or over-managing—patterns that quietly shape everyday decisions.
Practice choosing from calm instead without forcing anything.
You’ll experiment with slowing down, listening inwardly, and making small, embodied choices—then notice how clarity emerges without forcing anything.
Spacious integration that turns insight into action.
Each experience is followed by guided reflection to help you connect what happens with the horses to the real choices waiting for you at home or work.
A nervous system that finally gets to exhale.
No performing. No fixing. No need to get it right. Just space to settle—so your own wisdom becomes audible again.
Moments of lightness and play that emerge naturally once you’re no longer pushing—often through simple, wordless connection with the horses.
By the end of the weekend, many women describe feeling more grounded, more confident, and more trusting of their own decisions—not because they learned another strategy, but because they remembered how clarity feels when they lead from within—and how to return to it.
There’s no expectation to arrive calm, clear, or certain, only willing to notice what’s true.
Meet Your Wild & Wise Guides
Your Wild & Wise Hosts
Isabella "Boo" Martin
Boo leads Wisdom Horse, an equine‑assisted learning program that uses unmounted work with the herd to build practical leadership and communication skills. She designs clear, goal‑focused exercises that help participants see how they actually show up under pressure—then translate those insights into timely action back at work and at home.
At Wild & Wise, Boo partners with the horses to create safe, well‑structured sessions where you can experiment with new ways of leading and get immediate, honest feedback.
Bettyann Cernese
Bettyann is an equine-guided leadership coach and creator of The Inner Reins Method, a calm-leadership framework for high-achieving women who are tired of overthinking their way forward. She helps women recognize the patterns beneath their decisions, regulate their nervous systems, and choose next steps that honor both ambition and wellbeing.
At Wild & Wise, Bettyann weaves emotional energy mentoring, grounded leadership tools, and the clear, unfiltered feedback of the herd into experiences that restore clarity, confidence, and inner authority.
An invitation to an optional post‑retreat Inner Reins Debrief call with Bettyann if you want continued support after you get home.
What a Day at Wild & Wise Looks Like
The schedule is intentionally spacious, but here’s a feel for how a day flows so your planning brain can relax.
Morning – Slow breakfast, grounding practice, and a calm‑leadership teaching to frame the day.
Late Morning – Unmounted equine‑guided session with the Wisdom Horse herd, focusing on presence, boundaries, or decision‑making.
Afternoon – Lunch, then circle or coaching lab time to apply what you learned to a real‑life decision, plus space for walks, journaling, a little barn-yard play, or simply doing nothing at all.
Evening – Nourishing dinner and a gentle reflection circle, with plenty of time to turn in early or enjoy quiet connection with the group.
What's Included in Your Wild & Wise Weekend
So your planning brain can relax, here’s exactly what's included when you join us.
3 nights of lodging at Stepping Stones Farm & Retreat Center in Temple, New Hampshire in a cozy private room (shared common spaces).
All meals from Thursday dinner through Sunday brunch, plus snacks, coffee, tea, and water throughout the weekend.
Everything above and below is included so you can arrive, unplug, and remember that clarity doesn’t have to be hard or heavy.
2.5 days of gently guided retreat programming from Thursday evening through Sunday after brunch (departing around 1 p.m.)
Daily unmounted equine‑guided sessions with the Wisdom Horse herd (no riding; all horse experiences take place on the ground).
Calm leadership teachings and guided circles focused on overthinking, nervous-system regulation, and clear decision-making.
At least one structured “decision lab” to support a real-life decision or boundary you’re exploring or ready to move forward.
Built-in time for rest and integration, including walks on the land, journaling, and quiet connection with the group.
Pre-retreat preparation emails, including packing list, schedule overview, arrival details, and an optional guided grounding journey to support a calm, present arrival.
Optional post-retreat Inner Reins Debrief call with Bettyann to support integration once you’re home.
Investment: $2,500
Includes lodging, meals, all guided experiences, and post-retreat integration support.
Payment plans are available if helpful.
What Wild & Wise Women Are Saying
Watch Charis’ story
I arrived burned out. I left joyful,
present… and fun!
~ Charis Loveland
Watch Kerry’s story
I finally unplugged—and I feel it.
So does my horse.
~ Kerry Jordan
Before you decide
A few questions you may be holding, answered simply and honestly.
Do I need prior experience with horses?
No. You don’t need any horse experience at all. All horse-guided sessions are unmounted, gently facilitated, and designed for reflection rather than performance. The horses meet you where you are.
Will we be riding?
No. All experiences with the horses take place on the ground. This allows the focus to stay on presence, boundaries, and decision-making rather than skill or technique.
What if I don’t feel calm, clear, or ready when I arrive?
That’s completely okay. There’s no expectation to arrive calm, clear, or certain, only willing to notice what’s true. The retreat is designed to support your nervous system so clarity can emerge naturally. Many women arrive tense and leave surprised by how natural ease and even moments of joy begin to feel.
What’s the group size?
The retreat is intentionally limited to 8 women. This keeps the space personal, well-supported, and spacious enough for reflection and integration.
Is this retreat physically demanding?
No. Activities are gentle and accessible. You’ll be on your feet at times during horse-guided sessions, but there is no strenuous physical activity. Rest, pacing, and listening to your body are encouraged throughout the weekend.
What happens after I apply?
After you submit your application, we’ll review it with care. If it feels like a potential fit, you’ll be invited to a short conversation. This is a chance to ask questions, talk through your intentions, and make sure the retreat feels supportive for you and for the group.
Is the conversation a sales call?
No. The conversation is not about convincing you or pushing a decision. It’s a space for mutual clarity and fit. There’s no pressure to decide on the call, and no expectation to have everything figured out.
What if I’m unsure whether this retreat is the right fit for me?
That uncertainty is welcome here. Many women apply because something in them is curious, not because they feel completely certain. The application and conversation are both part of exploring fit together.
