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Equine Intuitive Awareness Retreats

Healing Journeys
with NIHI’s Horse Whisperer

As part of our evolving equine offering, NIHI Sumba now presents private healing journeys with our horse whisperer, Carol.

Inspired by ancient wisdom and sacred practices, these immersive retreats include one to one equine healing sessions, cultural immersion, and time with our majestic Sandalwood horses, revered for their intuitive guidance and powerful healing presence. Each retreat is designed as a private experience, shaped around individual intention. Through one to one equine sessions, time in nature, and moments of cultural connection, no two journeys are the same. The rhythm is yours. The path unfolds as it needs to.


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Overview

Growing up on a horse property in South Australia, Carol has always felt an intrinsic bond with horses. Embracing the challenge of working with Sumba’s beautiful yet untamed Sandalwood horses, Carol established our Sandalwood Stables over a decade ago. During this journey, Carol honed her skills in nonverbal communication, energy reading and healing, forming deep connections with the horses and the community. Her equine healing sessions have had a profound impact on guests, helping them to grow, heal and connect.

The Intuitive Awareness Retreats perfectly synergize with the spirit of NIHI and the animist beliefs of the island. Sumba’s ancient but living religion, Marapu, centres on the balance between the spirit world, humans and nature – including the island’s unique Sandalwood horses. As well as healing sessions, NIHI’s equine wellness experiences include reiki, yoga and massage, all harnessing the powerful healing presence of horses. Each experience offers a path to the transformative, healing power that flows from these majestic animals.

  • One-to-one equine-guided healing session with Carol, NIHI’s horse whisperer.
  • Energetic awareness and somatic practices inspired by Sumba’s natural elements.
  • Cultural immersion rooted in the island’s ancestral horse traditions.
  • Grounding rituals, yoga, oceanfront rides and NIHI’s signature Spa Safari.

A deeply personal journey, designed around individual intention.

Private equine retreats with Carol are open to all, regardless of age or riding experience. Both educational and spiritual in nature, each experience is centered on healing, growth, and a meaningful connection with both horses and self.

Private retreats are available from USD 2,835++ per person for a minimum of three days.

Retreat pricing excludes accommodation at NIHI Sumba.

** Prices are in USD and subject to a 21% tax and service charge.

Retreats are available year round with flexible timing and duration, beginning from a minimum of three days. We invite you to connect with our team to begin shaping your time, with scheduling guided by Carol’s availability.

SECURE YOUR PLACE

“I was looking to connect with animals, and specifically horses, as they had always held intrigue for me. When I discovered NIHI’s equine therapy retreat I was both curious and a little apprehensive as I’ve always been slightly scared of horses, but Carol made me feel instantly safe. We were invited to simply be with the herd, to observe, to listen, and to understand. I learned how horses mirror us, how they honour boundaries, and how powerful it is to build a connection before asking anything of them. It was deeply moving. What made this even more special was working with Carol, who knows each horse by name, by story, by spirit – many from birth. You don’t return from NIHI the same. You return with a deeper understanding of yourself, of nature, and of the quiet strength in just being. This is not something I have found in any other place in the world.”

– Baroness Rebecca Wedellsborg –
MAY 2025

Get in touch

For reservations or more information, please contact our

Travel Designers

E. [email protected]
W. +62 811 3821 2910

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