Miraval in Tucson, Arizona, is a destination spa known for special programs and spa treatments that you can’t find anywhere else. The most famous is The Equine Experience, where you interact with a horse and learn things about yourself: how you try to communicate non-verbally, with frustration, and how you relate to all living things.
The Equine Experience was created by the charismatic cowboy therapist Wyatt Webb, who has been doing it at Miraval for many years. His idea is that the way you do one thing is the way you do most things. So Wyatt or his trained instructors teach you how to do simple tasks with a specially trained horse, watch him do it, and give him feedback.
Miraval’s most famous experience
The equine experience is one of the many Miraval experiences that allows you to develop confidence, character and self-knowledge by taking yourself out of your comfort zone. Some people who do the equine experience have a tremendous fear of horses, either because they have been injured (trampled, kicked, stepped on, whatever). Some people anxious because they have never been around a horse. Or some people are confident and then have to deal with setbacks when the horse doesn’t do what it wants, when it wants.
Check into The Equine Experience before you arrive as it is popular. A small group of people gathers out front, gets into a van, and drives to a nearby location. There, Wyatt or his staff talk to the group about what to do with the horses, while you sit in a circle under a tent. You can also talk about any feelings you may have about what to expect.
Tasks include choosing a horse’s hooves (which includes making the horse hold the foot). Once this is done, you brush the horse, walk it, and then ram it into a closed ring. Lunging is where you stand in the center of a ring with a whip (out of my comfort zone!) And make the horse move around you in a circle, at a constant speed, then change direction.
The horse listens to what you say
All of these tasks require non-verbal communication, and the horse picks up on what you are saying with its body. Being relaxed and confident definitely helps. If you are afraid, doubtful, or just don’t know how to tell a horse what you want, they probably won’t respond.
People who are used to being in control often have a hard time if the horse is uncooperative. This is a place where tears can flow, and more than one person told me that The Equine Experience changed their life. The idea is to see how you do things and see if it works for you. If it works, keep doing it. If something doesn’t work, don’t do it anymore. Try something different (and repeat until it works). And if that doesn’t work, ASK FOR HELP… even if it looks weak in our culture.
The demon of perfectionism
There wasn’t much drama in our group, but I still learned things about myself. I noticed a few things about myself while doing the simple tasks. First, I had a bit of anxiety, not because I was afraid of the horse, but because I knew other people would be there and I want everything to turn out 100% right, THE FIRST TIME. Ninety-five percent correct and a learning curve is not good enough for this perfectionist!
Carolyn came to check in with me and I told her I had to do some work with the horse to get its legs up. “You’ve made four hooves and some people haven’t even lifted one,” he said. So I diminished what I had done. “Well that’s because I’ve been around horses before.” It was interesting to note that it would not allow me to have a sense of accomplishment, even when I got the result I wanted. Brushing and walking the horse was also very easy for me.
Dial up or down to get the result you want
Then it came at full speed, which it had never done before. Carolyn explained that it requires using your intention and energy to communicate with the horse, asking it to go around the ring and change direction. The horse (and – big surprise! – others we communicate with) really respond to the energy we put out. For example, a woman was super anxious and the horse kept moving faster and faster. Carolyn said that you can “flag” or “flag” it to get the result you want. It is very important to remember this.
After the exercises there was a bit of “processing” when we gathered under the tent. I found that my perfectionism takes the fun out of things.
The equine experience costs $ 45 for 2 hours if led by Wyatt staff, and $ 150 if you do the experience with Wyatt himself in a group limited to 10 people. You can also take a two-hour “conscious horseback ride” through the desert for $ 105.
I also recommend Webb’s book, “It’s Not About the Horse: It’s About Overcoming Fear and Doubt.” He has no problem with horses, but he faced his demons on the Miraval high ropes course!
Contact Miraval:
5000 East Via Estancia Miraval, Catalina, AZ, 85739
Phone: 800-232-3969 or 520-825-4000
