I booked a week's riding holiday as part of my 70th year's celebrations.  With some trepidation as I wasn't sure I was fit, strong or brave enough,  but was determined to give it a try.  

I've ridden since a small child, It's many years since I've had my own horse, but I have been riding again pretty regularly over the last few years.  But an hour or two at a time, on fairly gentle hacks. So a whole week at Wilder Ways felt like a big step up.

I can honestly say that I have come back a different person,  in a really positive way.  

Firstly,  you never do forget how to ride. Your body really does remember how to do it. The trick is learning to trust that. That is exactly what Wilder Ways taught me.  There were no lessons,  no lectures, just good common sense,  gentle encouragement and calm expectations of my abilities.  

Nikki and Cara matched me with a lovely mare, perfect for my level of expertise and confidence.  Over the week, Raven and I really got to know each other as I was shown a whole new way of looking at everything.  I learned to listen to my body and shut out the negatives that a lot of women carry around.  You know, the, " you're too old", "you can't do it" , "you'll get too tired" , "you'll slow everyone else down " etc, etc. That week in May , I found the inner me that had been in hiding for a while. No longer an ageing granny, but an Amazon! 

I galloped flat out on beaches, climbed my horse up and down steep trails, rode bareback into the sea and swam with the horse under me, did horseback archery at the canter, and re-learned all the wonderful ways to care for my horse. All with the quiet, persistently  positive atmosphere that Wilder Ways exudes. 

I came home feeling empowered.  I still do. And absolutely will do it again.  At 71 next time! 

Jane (2025)

The first 3 sessions we tackle ‘the catch’.  The field is 10 acres and contains 2 other ponies.  As soon as we enter the field, he’s off prancing, tail in the air.  The guys are desperate to reach for the feedbag – stand firm I command.  Over these 3 days, we play that childhood game of ‘you’re getting warmer’.  Running around the field is colder.  When he approaches the gate, he is getting warmer and when he heads to the guys – he’s smoking hot.  The first day, with no halter, we just ask him to stand with us.  Day 2 the game begins again and takes even longer, Marksman is testing the resolve of the menfolk – he is getting to know them.  Day 3, Marksman wins the game, he gets smoking hot quickly.  It’s a win-win.  We put the halter on.  Walk him out the gate, love on him, then instantly return him to the field and release him.  Everyone looks confused. The boys, “WTF, we had him”.  Marksman “Well that was easy”.  Less is often more, particularly in the early days.  I recommend the boys spend some time in the field just chilling out whenever they can.  Take a beer and take in the view.  Let Marksman come and go as he pleases and just love on him if it pleases him.  The value of just ‘being’ with your horse should never be underestimated.  

​In horsemanship ‘consistency’, ‘clarity’ and ‘confidence’ are considered key to success.  We agree.  We just believe ‘creativity’ can be the clincher to a fun, connected and engaging partnership for all.
The wilds were our arena and luckily this was the natural habitat for this horse and these men.  Once we established a soft forward and back up and were able to isolate and move the haunches and shoulders independently (i.e. the basic word order and grammar), we were ready to start forming some pretty cool sentences.

​But my greatest pleasure that day was not the overall progress, but the beauty of watching horse and man figure out each obstacle in the moment; each thinking through what ‘words’ would best convey their intention to each other.  Whilst nothing was actually ‘verbalised’ the communication was quite evident and the results most beautiful.
Marksman headed to the hills the very next day to begin the stalking season.  Initially he carried only his saddle as he built up the mental and physical fitness needed for full days on the hill.   The guys tell me that by the end of the season he started carrying light loads.  
We look forward to catching up with Marksman and the lads during our time on Knoydart in June 2025; to witness their progress, to give them a few new hints and tips to help iron out any teething problems, and to set them up for a successful first full season.  This garron will make his mark on the hills as well as on a few hearts, of that I am sure.   

- Cara

​You can read all about our volunteer placements and how you can become a volunteer with us here.

One thing I am certain of, horsemanship is not a new phenomenon.  It would be arrogant to think that horsemanship didn’t have a part in the very domestication of horses 6,000 years ago.  This is not to mention the many civilizations since, who claim to be the godfather of horsemanship.  Whoever was the first, today it is great to see so many more people consciously challenging how they work with horses and trying to improve.  As we say at home, “do your best until you know better, then do better”.
 
Whatever method we follow and whatever our end goals, as I get older, ‘play’ has an increasingly important role for me. ​

​However, I will never forget just how painful it was to take that step from unconsciously incompetent to consciously incompetent during that clinic.  Sometimes I wish that step had been slightly less public, as I stood in the middle of that dusty arena, in 35 degree heat.  The crowd peered down at me as I struggled to comprehend just how many different ways you could hold a rope whilst Peter repeatedly mocked ‘nope’ at my every attempt and the tears began to fall.  In hindsight, this was my awakening, the only way remaining from the bottom – upwards!

​Being publicly vulnerable can be particularly difficult in today’s society where judgement appears from every corner and if you make a mistake someone is sure to gloat or worse still, post about it.  It sometimes feels like everyone is out to get you and willing you to fall flat on your face.  I’ll remind you; horses are prey animals and perhaps know a thing or two about this feeling.  Vulnerability is not weakness.

​If you would like to continue to follow my story, keep an eye on this space as I publish my next two blogs in this wee series I am calling ‘For the love of play’.
 
Thanks for being part of my story.
​Keep adventuring, Cara xxx

I want to thank Echo for being my student and my teacher, I could not have wished for a better first.

- Nikki 

I signed up for a Sean Coleman clinic at Wilder Ways because my friend was going, I didn’t really have any expectations, it just felt like an interesting thing to do.  It turned out to be a brilliant experience.   Wilder Ways, if you’ve never been there, is a magical place.  Tucked away in Kintyre, it feels like a world of it’s own.  Nikki and Cara were very welcoming, wise and dryly funny.  And the food is completely ace, which is an underrated but essential part of a great horsey weekend.
 
I love to ride, but I work, and I’ve got three children, so I tend to get to the field, saddle up and go, I’ve never had, or made, time for non ridden work.  So learning how much you can teach your horse on the ground, and how much that can benefit your relationship with him, was a real eye-opener.  In the morning Sean would do a big theory session before we’d head down to the arena.  The first day was all ground work, lots of flags, which me and my horse Mac had never used before.  The second day we did some ground and some ridden work.  It was all good.

Sean has an ability to size up a horse, and communicate with it, that is fascinating to watch.  Mac really benefited.  At the beginning of the weekend Sean asked us all what we wanted to work on.  Mac is what we politely call a reluctant loader (he has also on occasions in this context been called a wee shite).  It’s something we really struggle with.  Sean trained him, teaching Mac that he had to work when he was away from the trailer, firm but very calm. In about 90 minutes he had my horse - who previously thought trailers were the terrifying work of the devil - popping in to relax.  When Mac  self loaded, Sean unclipped him and Mac stayed in the trailer for 10 minutes before wandering out.  Now Sean had been working Mac  hard, and there had been moments where it seemed a bit much, and I had to sit on my hands not to step in and say take it easy.  But astonishingly when Mac came out of that trailer, he didn’t walk over to me, or the other horses, he walked over to Sean, as if to say hi boss, what are we doing next?  My horse recognised someone who really knew what they were doing and appreciated it as much as I did.
 
The loading looms large for me, because it was transformational.  Since that weekend I have a horse who loads.  He quite often takes longer than I’d like, but I can now get him places in a trailer without worrying.  

- Clara Glynn   
 

Have a detailed look at our feature on pages 54-55 in the the June edition of Farming & Country Magazine here - Farming and Country (colstonmedia.co.uk)

​​My wilder ways journey so far has been brilliant, I have met lots of amazing people and horses, and gained so much valuable knowledge and experience. I cannot wait for spring to come so I can get back outdoors full time with the horses, doing what I love most! 

- Hilary

A question I get asked the most from our guests that stay with us is – ‘So, how long have you been working here for?’, and nearly every time people are so surprised when I tell them that it’s been nearly 3 years! While writing this, I have just completed my 3rd season at Wilder Ways (4th season here we come!) and in that time, I feel like so much has changed. Not just in my life generally, but in terms of my work skills and as a person. A lot of you may know me as the girl who cooks and serves most meals during your stay (my chocolate brownies are now quite renowned!), however there’s a lot that I do behind the scenes which many of you may be surprised to know!

I had discovered Wilder Ways a few years back whilst exploring the idea of a riding holiday with my daughter to mark a special occasion. Though a keen rider in younger years, I hadn’t been on a horse for some time and my confidence levels had worn thin, whereas she had turned into the same horse obsessed dare devil I had once been. 

When I came across the Wilder Ways website with all the different adventures, pictures of past excursions and the herd and Nikki and Cara at the helm, I knew we had found our tribe and the place. Unfortunately the pandemic delayed things slightly due to fewer rides on offer, albeit Nikki was most accommodating in trying to squeeze us in, but we had our hearts set on Knoydart, so we waited.

Finally, in May 2022, we set off from London to Mallaig via Glasgow, an unforgettable journey in itself and a magical start to our adventure. When we got to Knoydart we first met our co-riders, whom we hit it off with straight away, sharing our thoughts on our expectations and fears, our riding histories etc. Our accommodation proved to be luxurious and comfortable: a generous and welcoming modern cottage with several bedrooms and en-suite facilities, as well as a big open living room/kitchen. All our breakfasts and most evening meals would be served there, just outside our room, looking out over the fields and into the hills. We couldn’t have wished for a nicer setting or more convenient set up. Other meals were also fab, either in a nearby restaurant or the local pub, watching the sun set on our last evening, complete with folk music from a very cool bunch of young musicians and a pool tournament.

From the moment we were joined by our riding hosts Nikki and Cara, we all knew we were in safe hands: Firm, but incredibly warm, passionate and with an irresistible sense of humour, they laid down ground rules, safety and etiquette around the horses. We were introduced to the herd and the horses that we would ride for the duration of our stay. Raven and Roxy became our best friends for the next few days.

Each day offered us a new type of different terrain to conquer, becoming more challenging as we progressed and with it came new things we had to learn. Nikki and Cara taught and kept reminding us how we could help the horses do their job and the importance of good horsemanship, but also the relevance of trusting in ourselves and our horse. Our ride around the peninsula took us through breathtakingly beautiful scenery from lush valleys, across beaches, hills and moors and culminated in a swim in the sea on horseback. We were always given the option to miss a canter if we did not feel like it, but there were also plenty of opportunities to really go for it. I was amazed to discover how agile my sturdy cob proved to be, climbing and traversing uneven ground. We would stop for lunch and untack, allowing the horses and ourselves a well deserved break.

I think the idea of letting go of fear and allowing ourselves to surrender to the experience meant a lot to some of us and it felt great to have the collective experience of the results with such a lovely group of women. In the evenings we shared stories of the day, of life back home, as well as how to soothe sore legs and sunburnt noses and before we knew it, we were a team.
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We both came home happy, windswept, feeling strong and a bit more brave and I really hope we get to go back at some point soon. Thank you Wilder Ways!

Cosima Shaw
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