Reflect & Restore — Summer Day Retreat with Horses
Reflect & Restore: A Summer Day Retreat with Horses
Sunday 26 July & Sunday 16 August 2026 · 10:00–16:30 · 12 places per dateSome days ask nothing of you except that you show up. This is one of them.
Eat Sleep Ride sits on 24 acres of reclaimed land above the North Sea — a former landfill site rebuilt by volunteers into wildflower meadows, wildlife ponds and growing spaces, entirely off-grid and solar-powered, and home to 18 rescued horses. There's no mains electricity here, no traffic noise, no rush. The land itself is a story of second chances, and that story sits at the heart of this day.
10:00 — Arrive and settle. Welcome tea by the fire, meet your hosts, and hear the story of the land and the herd.
10:30 — Yoga with Amy Christie. A gentle hour in the yurt or outdoors, shaped around whoever's in the room — complete beginners through to regular practitioners. Mats, blankets and props all provided.
11:45 — Reflective horsework: the heart of the day. Every horse here has a story — many came from neglect, injury, or lives that had simply ended — and each has been given a second chance on land that's been given one too. Working with them on the ground (no riding, no experience needed), you'll learn to read their body language, slow your pace to meet theirs, and practise simply being present. Horses live entirely in the moment and respond to who we are, not who we say we are — they notice what we carry before we've said a word, and hold no judgement about any of it. People often tell us this hour shows them something about themselves that nothing else has. Sessions are led by ESR founder Danielle McKinnon, a licensed TeachingHorse™ practitioner whose approach is rooted in trust, patience and shared leadership — joined by Midi Fairgrieve of Awakening Through Horses on 26 July, and Loretta Windsor-Mackenzie of Greentree Wellbeing on 16 August. Each date has its own character; plenty of guests come to both.
13:00 — Farm-to-fork lunch. Seasonal food made on site, much of it grown in our own garden and polytunnel, eaten together — with time to talk, or not. All dietary needs catered with advance notice.
14:00 — Afternoon in small groups. Two groups of six, swapping halfway, so everyone gets both: deeper, quieter time with the horses in an intimate group, and a terrarium workshop with Myriam of My Mini Terrariums — three miniature glass-jar ecosystems with live plants and moss, taken home in a cotton gift bag. Three little living worlds to remind you of the day long after it ends.
16:15 — Closing circle. A quiet end around the fire, and a last goodbye to the herd.
Who this day is for: anyone who needs to stop for a day. People who love horses, and people who've never touched one. Friends, mothers and daughters, solo travellers, anyone marking a change or simply running on empty. No riding, no fitness requirement, nothing you have to share.
Where your money goes: Eat Sleep Ride is a registered Scottish charity, and every booking directly funds our work with young people, women and communities across the Scottish Borders. In 2025 alone we supported over 400 regular participants — including 144 children under 14, young carers, people with disabilities and families experiencing hardship. When you book this retreat, you're not just buying a day for yourself; you're funding one for someone who couldn't otherwise have it.
Full Day £155 (early bird £140) · Morning Pass £110 (yoga, horsework and lunch)
12 places per date · Runs with a minimum of 6 guests — free transfer or full refund if not reached · Ages 12+ · Wheelchair-accessible site · Quarry Farm, Lamberton TD15 1XB — just off the A1, 1 hour from Edinburgh, 5 miles from Berwick-upon-TweedBook: danielle@eatsleeprides.org · 07516 360 235