Why Quinta Carvalhas Is a Sanctuary for Somatic Healing
Are you a retreat facilitator looking for a venue in Portugal that offers horse therapy as a core modality?
At Quinta Carvalhas, we offer more than just a retreat space. We offer a living, breathing environment where horses and humans co-create healing experiences.
Equine therapy is a powerful tool for transformation, and facilitators around the world are choosing Quinta Carvalhas as the retreat venue that supports both structure and soul.
What Is Horse Therapy in Retreat Settings?
Horse therapy, also known as equine assisted therapy, is a somatic and experiential practice where guests engage with horses in a safe, grounded setting, usually without riding.
At Quinta Carvalhas, horse therapy sessions are offered as 1 on 1 private sessions. These are designed to help guests:
- Regulate their nervous systems
- Build emotional awareness and energetic congruence
- Access deeper healing through the presence and feedback of horses
Our horses act as intuitive mirrors, reflecting the energy, intention, and emotional state of the person standing before them.
Why Is Horse Therapy So Effective?
Horses are prey animals (hunted by others). That means they are constantly scanning their environment for authenticity, tension, and coherence. This makes them powerful teachers for:
- Emotional regulation
- Leadership presence
- Nonverbal communication
- Somatic awareness
They respond in real time to the energy behind a person’s actions, not their words.
For retreat guests who spend much of their life “in their head” or in high-performance roles, this encounter with presence and embodied feedback can be life-changing.
How Horse Therapy Is Used at Quinta Carvalhas
At Quinta Carvalhas, we partner with experienced facilitators to offer horse therapy through a deeply respectful, relational approach to horse interactions.
- Sessions are always off-the-saddle (no riding required)
- Guests are guided in a regulated, attuned connection with one of our horses
- Each session is personalised based on the guest’s emotional and energetic needs
- Our horses live in peaceful, small herds on 44 hectares of open land
Whether your retreat is focused on nervous system healing, trauma recovery, creativity, leadership, or deep rest, horse therapy can be an integral and unforgettable part of your offering.
Ideal Retreats That Pair with Horse Therapy
Our horse therapy offering is especially aligned with facilitators leading:
- Somatic and embodiment retreats
- Trauma-informed nervous system retreats
- Breathwork, yoga, and nature-based immersions
- Leadership and conscious business retreats
- Inner child and emotional release retreats
- Mindfulness and creativity residencies
Even guests with no prior experience with horses often say this was the most impactful part of their retreat.
Why Retreat Facilitators Choose Quinta Carvalhas
Quinta Carvalhas is one of the only retreat venues in Portugal that offers integrated equine therapy on-site. In addition to our horse work, facilitators love that we offer:
- A restored 150-year-old farm with luxury accommodation
- Indoor and outdoor workshop spaces
- Three movement barns with heating
- Seasonal vegetarian meals from our own organic farm
- A dedicated on-site host for your retreat
How to Host Your Retreat with Horse Therapy in Portugal
We are currently accepting bookings for 2026. If you’re planning your next retreat and want to include horse therapy as a core modality, we invite you to explore Quinta Carvalhas.
