Gentle Giants Gathering
Exploring Horse Connection and Togetherness
Join our herd for a day and discover how nature’s harmony teaches the art of Realationship.
A day among horses changes the way you see yourself and the way you see the world.
At The Wilde, under the shadow of the Budawang Range, you’ll slow down enough to hear the heartbeat of the land, the steady breath of a horse, and the quiet truth within yourself.
Exploring the principles of trust, connection and presence through the wisdom of horses.
A one-day, fully catered women’s retreat where you’ll explore the subtle language of relationship. Not through words, but through the embodied dialogue between human and horse.
No riding. No performance. Just pure, grounded presence.
Slow down. Listen. Remember what it feels like to be part of the living world.
Why Spend a Day with Horses?
Heart-to-Heart Connection
Come into gentle contact with an equine friend and discover what it feels like to be truly seen.
The Power of Presence
Learn how your internal state influences every relationship you have; human or horse.
Trust in Motion
Experience what it means to be trusted by a gentle giant, where safety begins in mutual respect.
Realationship, Not Control
Develop a bond rooted in attunement and awareness, not dominance or demand.
Circle of Belonging
Connect with a circle of nurturing women who welcome you exactly as you are.
For Women who...
Long to reconnect with their bodies, nature and authentic rhythm.
Feel drawn to horses; whether in awe, curiosity or even fear.
Desire to explore relationships that are based in mutual respect, not control.
Want to cultivate emotional regulation and embodied presence.
Are seeking small, trauma-informed spaces to explore growth and belonging.
No experience with horses is needed — only a willingness to be curious and open.
Why Horses?
When you see a herd, your heart might skip a beat. Their sheer beauty evokes awe, but it’s more than that… it’s resonance.
Horses live as one with their herd, the land and the skies. They sense coherence and incongruence immediately, responding not to words but to energy, posture and authenticity. In their presence, you are invited to come home to your own truth.
Some people feel excitement and delight. Others meet discomfort or fear. Both are welcome here because what’s in the way is The Way.
Through gentle facilitation, you’ll learn how to regulate your own nervous system and meet whatever arises with curiosity. The horses mirror your state, helping you recognise when you’re centred and when you’re not… an awareness you’ll carry into every relationship in your life.
What women say…
“Hollie holds space like no one else. Time slows, connections grow and self knowing deepens. With Hollie’s holistic and collaborative mentorship and immersed in country I’m invited back to my Self. I come home with the gifts of clarity, healing and agency.”
~ Monica
“I didn’t get a chance to speak to you afterward to say a big thankyou, your presentation brought home a lot to many of us. We are re-membered.”
~ Margaret
“Hollie holds a beautifully open, safe and creative space for women to be in connection with one another, the earth, and ourselves. I was filled up and can still feel the vibrations of warmth, strength and knowing that were stirred within me while at the retreat.”
~ Helaine
Gentle Giants Day Retreat
What you’ll experience
Guided Equine Encounters
Spend intentional time with our herd in gentle, ground-based activities. You’ll learn to regulate your state, read subtle cues and build connection through presence, not performance.
Embodied Awareness Practice
Through guided mindfulness and somatic exercises, you’ll explore how your own energy and emotions shape every interaction. Horses reflect your state in real time, helping you return to calm coherence.
Nature-Led Reflection
Move slowly through the landscape of The Wilde; forest, field and open sky; noticing how your body responds to stillness, sound and the steady rhythm of hoofbeats on earth.
Women’s Circle Gathering
Share your experience within a small, supportive circle of women. Together we integrate the day’s insights with reflection, story and gentle grounding practices.
Tools to Take Home
Leave with embodied skills for regulating your nervous system, rebuilding trust and creating real, respectful relationships with yourself, others and the world around you.
Nourishing Food & Care
Enjoy wholesome, locally sourced meals prepared with love. Every detail of the day, from food to flow, is designed to nurture your body as deeply as the horses nurture your soul.
This retreat will meet you where you are, even if:
You’ve never worked with horses before.
You feel nervous or unsure.
You’ve struggled to slow down or stay in your body.
You think “I’m not the kind of person who does retreats.”
The horses don’t need you to know anything.
They just ask that you show up; willing to listen, breathe, and be.
RETREAT DETAILS
📍 Location: The Wilde, private property on Walbunja Yuin land near Braidwood, NSW
90 mins from Canberra (closest airport) - 60 mins from Batemans Bay - 3 hours from Sydney
Time: 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
Group Size: Maximum 10 participants
Catering: Nourishing, ethical, locally sourced food
Optional Upgrades : Midglamp and Early/Late Stays
🐴 Note: Ground-only day. No riding
💰 Investment: $210 per woman
$175 per teen girl attending with mother or carer
Take a break from...
❌ Overthinking, over-giving and feeling unseen.
❌ Seeking control instead of trust.
❌ Carrying tension you didn’t even realise was there.
And say Hello to…
✅ Embodied presence.
✅ Nervous system calm.
✅ Connection that feels alive, mutual and true.
Meet Your Guide
I’m Hollie Wildëthorn; psychotherapist, circle holder, ritualist and rhythm weaver.
For over two decades, I’ve been supporting women to reconnect with themselves and the natural world in ways that are deep, real and sustainable.
Horses have always been my teachers. As a child, I felt their presence as kin. Steady, knowing and safe in a way that words could never offer. Later, my autism diagnosis illuminated why: I’d always resonated with beings who communicate through energy, rhythm and subtle cues rather than conversation.
Living here on the land with my herd, I’ve come to know each horse as an individual with their own medicine; the steady elder, the playful trickster, the sensitive mirror. They hold an extraordinary capacity to meet humans exactly as we are, reflecting truth without judgement. Again and again, I’ve witnessed women soften, regulate and rediscover trust in the company of these gentle giants.
My work weaves together psychotherapy, somatic practice, and women’s group facilitation with lived experience of autism and chronic illness. Healing, I’ve learned, doesn’t come from striving… it arises from relationship: with land, with body, with one another.
Ready for an Equine experience that’s held with care, professionalism and trauma-informed facilitation?
Each Gentle Giants day is limited to 10 women only to ensure intimacy, attention and connection.
Spaces are limited and our herd only gathers a few times each year.
Come walk among the Gentle Giants.
Let them show you what it means to belong to the land, to life, to yourself.
If circumstances change (weather, horse welfare, etc.), your booking can be transferred to another retreat date or credited toward a future event.
💰 Investment: $210 per woman
$175 per teen girl attending with mother or care
This is for you if:
You want to explore presence, trust and connection through gentle, grounded practice.
You’re open to learning from the natural world and the wisdom of horses.
You value small, supportive spaces for growth and reflection.
It’s not for you if:
You’re seeking horsemanship, riding or traditional equine training.
You’re uncomfortable with nature’s unpredictability (weather, mud, real life).
You prefer a high-energy, fast-paced environment… this day is intentionally slow.
Questions?
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No. This program is entirely ground-based; grooming, feeding and groundwork.
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Not at all. This retreat is designed for beginners and the horse-curious. Every activity is ground-based and guided with care. You’ll learn how to meet the horses through presence and regulation - not technique - and the herd will respond to you exactly as you are.
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Long pants and enclosed shoes are essential. Bring sun protection and clothes that can get dirty.
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We work in harmony with the elements, so gentle rain is part of the experience. In extreme conditions, the retreat may be rescheduled for safety and comfort. Your booking can always be transferred or credited toward another date.
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You’re in good company. Many women arrive feeling both curious and cautious, and that’s completely welcome. Horses are sensitive, attuned beings; they don’t judge fear, they simply meet what’s present. We’ll move slowly and ensure you feel safe at every stage.
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If you have mild allergies, you’re still very welcome. We can adapt activities so you can participate without touching the horses and we ask that you bring your preferred antihistamine.
If you experience anaphylaxis, please contact Hollie before booking so we can discuss safety and accessibility options together.
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Yes. Teen girls attending with their mother or carer are warmly invited and receive a discounted rate. The day offers a beautiful opportunity to share calm, connection and confidence together.