#70 That time a horse coached me
Equine therapy, intuitive healing and much more in the serene Portuguese countryside...
‘I manifested all of this,’ says Michelle Thomas, while surveying the rural idyll that is Quinta Carvalhas that she has cultivated from scratch since 2016 after relocating from South Africa. From the energy-enhancing rolling hills surrounding carefully restored 150-year-old farm buildings, to a copse of tall trees (a rarity in the central Portugal’s agriculture-focused Ribatejo region) whose roots are watered by an underground stream, the foundations of the luxury retreat venue were beautifully foreseen.
In fact, it’s a setting that feels so magically pastoral that I can’t believe I am just a one-hour train (or car) journey north of Lisbon. In the same week as the country hits the headlines for a location one-hour south of the capital—Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s reported second home in trendy Melides—I’ve travelled the same distance in the other direction for an escape that feels, dare I say it, far more authentic.
Portugal has been gathering pace as a key player on the ever-growing wellness travel scene thanks to its international accessibility, glorious weather and stunning scenery. Its healing qualities are even said to have substance—from the iodine-rich waves of Praia de Francelos near Porto, to the selection of natural minerals emanating from the hot island sands of Porto Santo off Madeira. Yet, spa hotels and surf breaks aside, look inland and you’ll find a genuine mind-body reset with a difference.
Retreats. That is Quinta Carvalhas’ (fresh) bread and butter—with renowned teachers, coaches, shamans and artists coming to host—and the schedule includes their upcoming group Just Flow Yoga & Meditation five-night stay in November. However, I’m visiting on the brilliant concept that is the ‘build your own retreat’, which begins at €720 (approximately £600) for three nights in one of their 16 cosy bedrooms (the farm is able to sleep a total of 32 people at a time) that are deliberately screen-free.
It means you can check in and out on dates that might better suit you, and is ideal if a group setting—while rejuvenating in many cases—perhaps isn’t quite what you need right now. In my view, the best bit is that you can tailor your itinerary precisely to your needs, with a range of add-ons such as yoga, reiki, massage, equine therapy, art expression and sound healing available. Not had the chance to try a particular practice before? This is your time. For example, my personal schedule looked as follows:
Day 1
10am—Check-in
1pm—Lunch
2.30pm—Sound healing and meditation
4.30pm—Massage
7pm—Dinner
Day 2
8am—Yoga
9.30am—Breakfast
10.30am—Intuitive healing
1pm—Lunch
3pm—Afternoon tea with horses
7pm—Dinner
Day 3
8am—Yoga
9.30am—Breakfast
10.30am—Horse coaching
1pm—Lunch
3pm—Art expression
4.30pm—Check-out
As I passed through each element of my curated itinerary, it felt like a thorough excavation of the mental cobwebs that had been dusting my day-to-day for some time. Several sessions led by founder Michelle—who lives on site with her family—were held in the airy Pine Hall, a five-minute stroll from my room past an olive grove. The sound bath with meditation pressed pause on whirring thoughts, while during yoga I discovered I had been doing breathwork wrong and worked towards overcoming my adult fear of doing a ‘roly poly’ (yep, really).
Indeed, what becomes clear is that every aspect of Quinta Carvalhas has been designed with wellbeing in mind. There’s the candlelit treatment room, where I have the best massage of my life with therapist Micaela. Over on the other side of the endearingly named Oak Lodge—where a warming herbal brew is always readily available—there is a swimming pool and terrace where, on a balmier stay than mine, I could imagine reclining with a good book.
However, much about Quinta Carvalhas feels like it goes above and beyond a regular wellness retreat. There’s a leafy meditation garden that hosts forest bathing, a light-filled art studio in which to make some creative mess (the first time I’ve picked up a paint brush for fun in two decades!) and an outdoor yoga ‘shala’ set beside a picturesque pond and oak wood. I also dine on delicious vegetarian food made from ingredients produced on site, including eggs and cabbage.
But, perhaps most uniquely of all, is the presence of over a dozen horses grazing in the acres of surrounding fields or being tended to at the on-site stables bearing intricate mosaics in their form. I hadn’t realised before I visited that this area of Portugal is big on these graceful animals, being the historic home of the noble Lusitano breed who are celebrated annually at a ten-day November fair—an event dating back to the 18th century—in the nearby town of Golegã.
What’s more, I was lucky enough to be raised by a horse-loving mum and grew up riding and caring for them at home, but even I hadn’t appreciated their therapeutic powers. Quinta Carvalhas is a well-respected centre for equine therapy, a form of mental health treatment used since the 1990s. I connect with two adorable Shetland ponies, called Janice and Toby, during a grooming session (there’s something about brushing their coat, and feeling their inhales and exhales, that brings your heart rate right down) before enjoying afternoon tea in the stables.
The next day, instructor Christine helps me bond with a friendly skewbald horse—explaining how to read his cues to interpret how he is feeling. More interesting, still, was to learn that horses act as unflinching mirrors of our own emotions. Feeling anxious? They’ll reflect it in their restlessness. Feeling calm? They’ll follow suit. So, in the sandy indoor arena, he aids me in better understanding how I am truly feeling about two conflicting parts of my life (represented by two jumping blocks that I lead him in between so he can sense my emotions). Previous guests have brought with them everything from career dilemmas to relationship difficulties.
That being said, few 90 minutes of my life have been more transformative than the intuitive healing session I had with Michelle, who utilises various techniques and modalities, such as reiki, counselling, EFT tapping and meditation to help people tune into their own energy and intuition (a service she also offers online, as well as in-person, if you can’t stay for a retreat). Through her own otherworldly gifts, it feels as though she is able to read me like a book even when I’m not able to find the words.
During my session, in which I sniffled my way through Michelle’s tissue supply (*a final British sorry!*), I gained a fresh perspective on what I perceived to be the unfairness of some of life’s challenges and left the treatment room with a greater grasp of how I could better protect my energy as I continue to try to be there for others. At the beginning of my stay, she shared her hopes that all guests depart feeling ‘lighter’ than when they arrived. I hop on the short train ride back to Lisbon with an unmistakeable spring in my step.
*Well, Actually… was a guest of Quinta Carvalhas
Three more build-your-own retreats
Lopota Lake Resort and Spa, Georgia—in a country yet to be discovered by the wellness masses, this resort has everything for a personal itinerary aimed at R and R. Try the ‘vinotherapy’, in which you soak in local antioxidant-rich red wine with lake views for 30 minutes, or enjoy a traditional Slavic circulation-boosting ‘banya’—a sweat lodge filled with dried herbs and wood.
The Montagu Arms, Hampshire—want to switch-off to your own schedule? This quaint, 33-room hotel (complete with dreamy four-poster beds) is surrounded by the stunning New Forest National Park with ancient trees and other wildlife (including butterflies and toadstools) that make it the ideal setting for long walks. Refuel afterwards on a menu of homemade classics using ingredients from the restaurant’s kitchen garden.
Finca Serena, Mallorca—a friend with impeccable taste visited recently. You can create your own ‘wellness experience’ at the hotel, flanked by olive trees and lavender, and nestled away in the quiet of the Spanish island. Don’t miss the all-glass yoga space (enough to stop me mid-scroll on Instagram), book in for a hammam or go cycling with a mountainous backdrop. Utter bliss.
Have thoughts? Tell me in the comments below. Until next time!
