8-Day Silent Equine Therapy Retreat in Cumbria

The retreat runs for eight days at Sunnycote on Silverdale Road, Carnforth, in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty on the edge of the Cumbrian coast. The format is silent: guests don't chat with each other or with the facilitators, apart from check-ins and the equine sessions themselves. Meals are eaten together in silence. Phones are generally put away. The first day or two tend to feel strange, and then most people settle.

Equine-assisted sessions happen most days, sometimes one-to-one in the paddock and sometimes in a small group. The horses are used for emotional grounding rather than riding — you'll be grooming, leading, standing with them, and noticing how they react to you. The facilitation team provides emotional support and counsel alongside the horse work, and the sessions aren't therapeutic counselling in a clinical sense, but they do go deep.

The rest of the day is yours. There's beach access a short distance away, forest walks from the property, and views out to the mountains. Some guests walk for hours; others sleep. There are grounding practices — breathing, simple meditation, time outdoors — but nothing compulsory beyond the silent container itself.

Meals are described as grounding and nourishing, cooked on site and eaten together. Expect plain, warming food rather than a cleanse or a juice programme: soups, stews, whole grains, vegetables, puddings. Dietary requirements can be accommodated if you flag them at booking.

What separates this from a standard silent meditation retreat is the horses. Meditate With Horses Ltd runs three retreats in the UK, including shorter four-day and six-day versions, and this is the longest. The length matters — eight days is enough for the silence to stop feeling like an exercise and start doing something. The site has been recognised in a top-10 retreat providers list by The Guardian for 2026.

What's included

- 8 days of silent retreat in Cumbria - Accommodation at Sunnycote (shared or private room) - Equine therapy sessions with the horses - Grounding meals throughout the retreat - Emotional support and counsel from the facilitation team - Access to the surrounding beaches, forest and mountain walks - Scheduled group check-ins and opening/closing circles

What's not included

- Travel to and from Carnforth - Travel insurance - Personal expenses - Optional upgrades and extras - Any treatments or services not listed as included