The Fire Horse Retreat
transform your relationship to pressure
A 3-day immersive retreat for women leaders who want to change their relationship to pressure
Imagine an early morning on a ranch in North Texas.
The breeze has a touch of coolness.
Four horses graze contentedy in the field, unhurried, completely present.
As you watch them, something inside you realizes what you've been missing.
You've known for a while that something needs to shift. You just haven't found the right place to do it.
This is where the work begins.
What would be possible if you could change your relationship to pressure?
Picture walking into a high-stakes room, settled and grounded. You didn't need to overprepare all night or think through every possible scenario, because you
trust yourself
to
manage the pressure with grace and mastery.
You notice what's moving beneath the surface without anyone naming it. You make the hard call from a solid place and you know it's the right one before the outcome confirms it.
The people across the table
feel
the difference -- and so does your team.
There's a quality to your presence that doesn't have to be performed or maintained.
It simply is.
You know the feeling.
Something shifts in the room and instead of trusting what you're sensing, you think harder. You can't afford to be wrong, so you override the signal and reach for the most defensible answer. You walk out knowing you missed something, but you're not sure what.
You tell yourself you'll slow down as soon as this next thing wraps up. You show up to dinner and you're still in the meeting. You wake at 2am and your mind is already running the next conversation.
The strategies that got you here, thinking harder, preparing more, pushing through, are the same ones that are keeping you stuck.

The answer isn't in your head. Something else is possible here.
Why Horses?
People in your world respond to your title, your reputation, and your track record.
Horses respond to who you are in each moment.
They carry no agenda or story about who you are or who you've been. They simply respond to what's true right now, and because there's no judgment behind it, it's surprisingly easy to receive.
Whether you're bracing, frozen, or feeling small, they feel the subtle tension you've learned to ignore.
You get to see yourself clearly without the defenses that usually come up when a human points something out.
You aren't just analyzing a problem. You're physically experiencing a new way of being.
"Kathy and her horses showed me a blindspot in my leadership within one hour that completely changed the way I engage with teams. I learned the difference between compliance and engagement, and I have never gone back. Engagement is where the magic is. The innovation, the drive, the propulsion to success." — Mic Berman, Executive Coach
Why Horses?
The people around you respond to your title, your reputation, and your track record.
Horses respond to who you are in each moment.
They carry no agenda or story about who you are or who you've been. They simply respond to what's true right now.
There's no judgment behind what they show you, which makes it surprisingly easy to receive.
Whether you're bracing, frozen, or feeling small, they feel the subtle tension you've learned to ignore.
You get to see yourself clearly without the defenses that usually come up when a human points something out.
You aren't just analyzing a problem. You're physically experiencing a new way of being.
Horses embody who we want to be.
Wildly powerful and extraordinarily sensitive.
Fierce and gentle in the same breath.
Dynamic and quiet.
Because they live so fully in paradox, they make a powerful mirror.
They can be tentative or bold, cautious or explosive, assertive or timid, and they carry no story about what any of it means about them--or you.
They show you who you are in the moment, without judgment. They simply feel what they feel, respond with authenticity, and go back to grazing.
Most women in leadership recognize that they want that kind of freedom for themselves.
When you spend time with them, you're immersed in a different way of being that most of us have been trained out of.
Kathy and her horses showed me a blindspot in my leadership within one hour that completely changed the way I engage with teams. I learned the difference between compliance and engagement, and I have never gone back. Engagement is where the magic is. The innovation, the drive, the propulsion to success.
~ Mic Berman, Executive Coach
How We'll Spend Our Time
1
SEEING THINGS DIFFERENTLY
You arrive, slow down, and begin to be seen, by the horses, by each other, by yourself. You'll spot the hidden habits and background pressure that have been running the show, and see exactly how your body prepares to brace before a word is even spoken.
2
INCREASING YOUR CAPACITY
This is the work. You build the stamina to stay present, grounded, and decisive even when things are shifting in the moment. You practice catching your own reactions in real time and leading from a place of choice rather than an old pattern.
3
OWN YOUR NEW BASELINE
Now that you've felt what it's like to show up differently, you can take that with you. You'll leave with simple practices to anchor this new way of being alive through board meetings and the rest of your real life.
How You'll Be Supported
We've designed these three days to be spacious and focused. It's a place where you can step out of the need to perform and look honestly at how you actually meet the world.
Before You Arrive
In the weeks leading up to the retreat, we'll gather as a group to prepare you to get the most out of your time at the ranch. We'll set a personal intention and begin to get to know one another so you're not walking into a room full of strangers. This isn't orientation. It's the beginning of the work.
The Wisdom of the Herd
The wisdom of the herd. The horses offer a direct and honest mirror. Because the horses respond to everyone differently, what unfolds for each woman in the group is entirely her own. What you're here for is to see your own patterns as they occur. There's no task for you to master and you can't get it wrong.
Room to Breathe
The group is limited to six women, all of whom are carrying a similar weight and have earned their seat at significant tables. This allows for a quiet, intentional pace with time and space to process what's coming up without being rushed to the next thing.
Nourishment + Space
We provide high-quality, simple lunches and snacks on-site so you can stay focused on the work. One evening we'll share dinner together, which tends to be where some of the most honest conversations happen. You'll be responsible for your own lodging nearby, giving you a chance to retreat to your own space at the end of each day.
After the Retreat
We'll reconvene as a group after the retreat to help you integrate what you've experienced back into your real life, the board meetings, the hard conversations, and everything else that was waiting when you got home.

What You'll Leave With
The best answer to this question probably doesn't have words
- You'll know what it feels like in your body to meet pressure differently. It's no longer just a concept in your head. You'll recognize the sensations that go along with it, which means you can find your way back to it.
- A deeper, visceral understanding of the patterns you reach for when things get hard, and an embodied way to recognize it sooner rather than later.
- The ability to make decisions from both information and intuition, instead of just what your intellect can rationalize.
- The capacity to read a room more fully because you'll be more fully in it.
- The memory of being seen without your title, in a group of women who understand your commitment and what it costs.
Your Guides
We came together because we believe true power lives at the intersection of operational success and personal vitality, not in choosing between them. We believe that presence under pressure is a practice that creates meaningful change.
Michal Berman
executive coach + Regenerative Farmer
Mic knows the pressure of sitting at the highest tables. As the former COO of FreshBooks and an advisor to C-suite leaders, she has navigated the pressure of founders and boards. Today, as a regenerative farmer and executive coach, she helps leaders find the balance between massive scale and a sustainable sense of self.
Kathy Taylor
Leadership + Embodiment Coach
Kathy has spent decades working with horses and the humans who are ready to learn from them. As an Embodiment and Leadership Coach, she specializes in the internal landscape, helping high-achieving women move beyond thinking and into the deeper truth of their own felt sense and presence.
Together, we provide a high-integrity space for you to bridge the gap between your professional role and your human self. We create the conditions for you to experience yourself at a level that thinking alone can't reach, so when you return to your world, you meet it differently.
This retreat is for you if...
- You lead at a high level and you've earned every seat you've sat in.
- You've been second-guessing yourself more than ever before.
- You're tired of walking away from hard moments feeling like you left something on the table.
- You have a sense that there's information available to you that you haven't figured out how to access.
- You're done with programs that add to your mental load. You're looking for a deeper, lasting transformation.
This retreat is not for you if...
- You're looking for another leadership framework or curriculum or a set of tools to implement.
- You're not yet open to the idea that your body has anything to do with how you lead.
- You're looking for a relaxing getaway. This work feels spacious, but it's real work.
Something
brought you here.
Maybe it was a moment in an important conversation where you knew, even as it was happening, that you weren't showing up the way you wanted to. You handled it and moved on, but it hasn't quite left you.
Maybe you're in the middle of a transition, a new role, a company pivot, a shift in what you want from your work and your life, and you can feel that the way you've been operating doesn't quite fit where you're headed.
What got you here won't get you there, and you know it.
Or maybe the feedback is coming from closer to home. Your team, your family, the people who know you best are getting a version of you that you’re not proud of. And that matters to you more than almost anything else on this list.
You don't have to wait for a bigger wake-up call. The one you already have is enough.
Why Now ?
The Details
Because of the depth of this work, this retreat is limited to six participants.
- Investment
$6,500 USD per person - Dates
November 6-8, 2026
Friday 9am to Sunday at 2pm - Location
Squared Away Ranch, Weatherford, Texas.
The nearest airport is Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport - Food
Simple, wholesome lunches, nutritious snacks, and a group dinner on Saturday night are provided. Please inform us of any dietary restrictions. - Accommodation
SpringHill Suites by Marriott Weatherford/Willow Park is the nearest hotel. Several AirBnB options are also nearby.
What's Next?
This retreat is intentionally small and intimate. We want to make sure it's the right fit for every leader who attends.
If you're ready to explore deeper, schedule a discovery call. We'll spend 30 minutes getting clear on where you are, what you're navigating, and whether this is the right next step for you.
FAQs
These are the questions we get asked the most. If you have others, please feel free to contact us.
Do I need previous experience with horses?
No experience is necessary. All of our work is ground-based, which means there is no riding involved.

What if I am uncomfortable or afraid of horses?
Many of the most meaningful moments in this work happen for women who started exactly there. The horses don't require you to be comfortable or confident. They simply respond to where you are. Everything here is an invitation, and we work at a pace that feels right for you.
How is this different from other leadership programs?
Most programs give you more to think about. This one gives you a different way to be present. We aren't here to teach you how to lead. We're here to help you find a deeper, grounded presence that lets you lead powerfully even under pressure.

Will three days actually make a difference when my reality back home stays the same?
The goal isn't to change your workload. It's to change the bracing you do to meet it. You will leave with a clear understanding of your own patterns under pressure and a felt sense of what it's like to meet that pressure differently.

What is the pace of the three days?
We limit the group to six women to ensure the days feel focused but unhurried. There is plenty of time for work with the horses and quiet space for yourself.
How do I handle travel and lodging?
The ranch is in Weatherford, Texas, and the nearest airport is DFW International Airport. You'll be responsible for your own lodging. We are happy to provide recommendations for local hotels and Airbnb options nearby.
Move Better, Ride Better
What if your body wasn’t the thing holding you back?
Imagine going to the barn without your back flaring up—or riding and working with your horse without worrying what might hurt afterward?
What if your mind felt calmer and free of spinning, anxious thoughts because you finally had tools that actually made a difference?
Pain doesn’t have to run the show. With the right tools—and a guide who understands both horses and nervous system healing—you can retrain the patterns that keep you stuck and start building real, lasting change.
Most of what’s offered to people in pain focuses on stretching, strengthening, or finding ways to manage it better. And while those things can bring some temporary relief, they rarely get to the root.
Chronic pain and anxiety START in the brain.
Until your nervous system feels safe enough to change, the patterns tend to hold on, no matter how hard you try.
That’s why this work isn’t about pushing through. It’s about learning to listen differently, so your body can finally respond differently.
How We Work: A Path to Lasting Relief
1: REGULATE
Getting your nervous system to settle is what must come before anything else. A dysregulated system can’t heal, it can only react.
But when your body starts to feel safe, it can stop bracing and begin to shift. This is the first step because without it, even the best tools and intentions won’t land.
Together, we’ll begin calming the system and creating the conditions for change.
2: REBUILD
Next, we focus on giving it what it’s been missing—targeted input that brings relief, support, and a sense of possibility.
Through simple, customized movement drills and body-based tools, you’ll learn what actually helps your system feel and move better.
As you practice, the shifts come—not from efforting, but because your nervous system finally has what it needs to respond in healthier ways.
3: REPATTERN
Once your nervous system can access a felt sense of safety—and hold it more consistently—it finally has the bandwidth to try something new. Instead of defaulting to old, reactive patterns, it starts choosing more efficient, coordinated movement that doesn’t trigger pain.
With steady input and support, your brain begins to recognize these new patterns as safer and easier. The alarms quiet down, pain decreases, and strong, fluid movement starts to feel natural.
Your horse feels the shift, too. When you’re no longer bracing or second-guessing, your cues become clearer, your timing improves, and your partnership becomes more connected and more enjoyable.
What You’ll Receive
Weeks 1–8: Weekly 1:1 Sessions (60 min via Zoom)
We meet weekly to build momentum and give your body the consistency it needs to respond. Each session includes nervous system education, guided movement, and time to integrate what’s working.
Time Commitment
Plan to spend about an hour with the guide and practices.
Then give yourself a few days to try them out in real life before joining the live call.
This is designed to meet you where you are—not to add more to your plate.
But here’s the thing: the more you actually do the practices, even just one or two, the more useful the integration call will be.
You’ll come in with real experiences to reflect on and a felt sense of what’s working (or not) for your system. I can help a lot more if you've done your practice ahead of time.
That’s what makes this different from just another download.
You’re not here to consume information.
You’re here to experience change.