A Different Kind of Horse Experience This Melbourne Cup 2026
With Melbourne Cup season approaching, I’ve been thinking about how many different ways there are to experience this iconic time of year and perhaps, for some, there is a gentler way to connect with horses.
At Heart of the Horse, just 90 minutes from Melbourne in the rolling hills of Central Victoria, I welcome people from all over Australia who are looking for something a little different. They aren’t coming to ride horses or watch them race. They are coming to slow down, step away from the busyness of everyday life and reconnect with themselves, nature and the quiet wisdom of horses.
I’m seeing a growing desire for more innovative and meaningful ways to support our wellbeing. Experiences that take us outdoors, away from screens and routines, and back into our bodies and the natural world. Horses can offer a beautiful doorway into this. Through gentle, non-riding experiences with the herd, mindfulness, meditation, movement and nature-based practices, guests have the opportunity to pause, listen inwardly and explore what is really going on beneath the surface.
For some, a Heart of the Horse retreat is simply a much-needed reset. For others, it becomes part of a deeper healing or self-discovery journey. Either way, there is something powerful about spending a few days surrounded by nature, with horses quietly sharing the experience.
This Melbourne Cup season, perhaps there’s another way to celebrate our connection with horses. By slowing down and simply being with them.
I’m also excited that my forthcoming book, What the Horses Told Me, is now nearing publication. It brings together my own journey, stories from people who have experienced Heart of the Horse, and what I describe as transmissions from the consciousness of horses. Exploring what horses might have to teach us about healing, self-discovery and reconnecting with ourselves.
Perhaps the greatest gift the horses offer us is not something they do for us, but something they help us remember within ourselves.
It’s horse country with a difference and a uniquely Central Victorian experience.
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