2026 EXPERIENCE SCHEDULE
Click on the ℧ ℧ ℧ ℧ ℧ to find out more about the new rating system!
Snow To Sunshine Escape 🇺🇸
℧ ℧ ℧ ℧ ℧
Kay El Bar Ranch, Wickenburg, AZ
February 22nd – 27th, 2026
Join Elli for this 4-day / 5-night escape to warm Arizona!
Ride under the watchful (and proverbial) eyes of the big Saguaro cacti in the Sonoran Desert, experience the thrill of working cattle, and improve your riding even in winter!
Kay El Bar Ranch is so historic that it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in the 1970s. It offers a cozy atmosphere, family-style meals, and a variety of rooms—plus a swimming pool and hot tub!
For 2026, Elli timed this horsey experience to coincide with the Art of the Cowgirl – a unique gathering of cowgirls, artists & Western enthusiasts happening just down the road. Mix & mingle with other horsewomen, get inspired, and shop till you drop!
Trails & Tales Experience 🇺🇸
℧ ℧ ℧ ℧ ℧
Red Cliffs Lodge, Moab, UT
April 19th – 24th, 2026
This fun horsey getaway focuses on trail riding and cow working in the stunning setting of the red rocks. Red Cliffs Ranch & Lodge is a place like no other, offering comfy cabins right along the majestic Colorado River, 14 miles away from the hustle & bustle of town.
Two evening escapes will take us further into the magical landscape in & around Moab.
Bring your horse or lease one of the well-trained & reliable ranch horses – or do both!
No prior cow working experience is needed.
Andalusian Extravaganza 🇪🇸
℧ ℧ ℧ ℧ ℧
SPAIN
May 3 – 11, 2026
Ride. Explore. Indulge.
Let Elli whisk you away to the stunning Hacienda Buena Suerte in Spain, nestled between Seville, the capital of Andalusia, and Jerez de la Frontera, also known as the city of wine, flamenco, and horses.
This à-la-carte horse lover’s retreat offers daily lessons in your choice of discipline: Doma Clásica, Working Equitation, Doma Vaquera (incl. Garrocha Pole), Western Riding, Trail Obstacles, and of course, the Trail Rides, all on either a stunning Andalusian or a home-bred Quarter Horse.
Each evening, you decide your next day’s endeavor! This unique format makes this horsey experience suitable for riders of all experience levels. Plus, you wouldn’t want to spend all day in the saddle anyway, because there is so much to do and see, besides lounging by the hacienda’s own pool:
Between rides, immerse yourself in Spain’s rich culture with curated excursions into the countryside:
🇪🇸 Visit the Spanish School of Equestrian Art in Jerez de la Frontera|
🇪🇸 Admire the Puente Nuevo high above the gorge, spanning the old & new town of Ronda
🇪🇸 Experience the Feria de Caballo – the horse festival and all its festivities, such as flamenco dancing & light displays
🇪🇸 Explore the city of Seville with its multiple UNESCO sites
🇪🇸 This is not just a horse retreat—it’s an à la carte adventure for your soul in the vibrant heart of Andalusia—where passion, tradition, and the magic of the horse come alive.
Fire & Ice Adventure 🇮🇸
℧ ℧ ℧ ℧ ℧
ICELAND
July 18 – 25, 2026
Embark on this horse lover’s dream trip to the land of fire and ice with your experienced leader, Elli!
Horses, hot springs & sightseeing are the highlights of this exclusive, behind-the-scenes insider experience of Iceland. Picture yourself riding a cute Icelandic horse, tölting over hill & dale, and marveling at the magical, mystical landscape on this island. Don’t miss out!
No prior gaited horse experience is needed. Advanced riders only: Expect to canter on uneven ground, but trust that the horses and guides will take the best care of you!
Swiss Alpine Ride🇨🇭
℧ ℧ ℧ ℧ ℧
Engadine Valley, Switzerland
August 16th – 22nd, 2026
This is a “full circle” moment for Elli, and she can’t wait to have you along for the ride:
Explore the stunning high alpine Engadin Valley, where Elli went to college, taught as a ski instructor, and first discovered Natural Horsemanship!
You will get to:
- ~ Ride a Swiss Mountain Horse (locally known as “Freiberger”)
- ~ Experience the beauty of the Swiss Alps
- ~ Stay at historic hotels
- ~ Ride a funicular to the top of a mountain
- ~ Visit a traditional cheese-making hut at the base of a glacier
- ~ Explore St.Moritz on your day off, also known as being “Top of the World”
- ~ and, of course: taste aaaaaaall the cheese & chocolate your heart desires !!!
This event includes 4 days of riding, 1 day off, and 6 nights.
Our horse ranch, the Engadin River Ranch, has horses for intermediate as well as advanced riders. The ranch offers a limited number of Western saddles, in addition to English saddles.
We will be walking, trotting & cantering through the Engadin. The trails are safe; however, we will travel high above the valley at times.
There are also some steep sections where we will get off and lead our horses; physical fitness for hiking is required.
The elevation that we will be riding & sleeping at is +/- 6000ft.
Trails & Taste of Tuscany 🇮🇹
℧ ℧ ℧ ℧ ℧
Due to incredible demand, a second week has been added!
Secure your spot today, this horsey experience is still limited in size and about to sell out again!
ITALY
Week 1: October 3rd – 11th, 2026
Week 2: October 11 – 19th, 2026
Imagine fall in Tuscany… Cool mornings, warm days, it’s the time between the grape harvest and the olive harvest, and it’s the perfect season to ride through the rolling hills of Tuscany.
Your 4-legged partner will be a quarter horse, and you will be riding in a western saddle, like a true “spaghetti western” scene come to life.
Your home for the week is a charming Tuscan villa with its own private pool, owned by a longtime friend of Elli’s and a fellow natural horsemanship enthusiast, Paola. Paola also produces her own organic olive oil, so be sure to leave room in your suitcase for some souvenirs!
Not too far from there, the horses live at a ranch that is also a working winery and olive grove – all organic. Naturally, that means wine tasting will be on the agenda – best enjoyed after a day in the saddle.
Wine tasting, a cooking class, and plenty of sightseeing will add to this immersive Italian experience.
Pisa, a graceful Tuscan city that blends medieval charm and timeless architectural beauty, is best known for its iconic Leaning Tower, a UNESCO World Heritage Site will be your best starting point and closest airport to fly into (airport code PSA).
Rocky Mountain Retreat 🇺🇸
Pagosa Springs, CO
Picture this…3 to 5 days of horsemanship, adventures, and fun with your horse and your friends!
I would love to invite you to my home in this magical place of Pagosa Springs. Bring your horse and your friends! Tell me about your dream vacation. Add plenty of horsemanship to grow your Savvy. Let me show you my favorite secret spots for trail rides in the Rocky Mountains. And don’t forget to relax at the World’s Deepest Hot Springs et voilà—I present Your Private Horsemanship Retreat!
That didn’t tickle your fantasies? Well, how about some hot-air ballooning? Stand-up paddling? Cow working? Micro-Breweries? Great Sand Dunes…? Want to bring your significant other who likes to mountain bike, play golf, or fish?
Oh, you don’t want to haul your horse here? Don’t worry, ask me about the availability of a lease horse!
Contact me for more information! to find out how we can plan the most amazing Rocky Mountain Retreat just for you—with me in Pagosa Springs! Available May through September.