Groom & bond
Quiet, hands-on time — a grooming session is one of the gentlest ways to build trust with a horse.
The herd · No. 02
Nine gaited mountain horses.
Rare-breed mountain horses that can do a four-beat gait — friendly, people-oriented, and very much themselves.
Meet them safely
Friendly — with a hierarchy worth respecting.
The horses are friendly and people-oriented, but like any herd they have their own dominance dynamics, so every guest starts with a short introductory safety session with Erica before spending time among them.
A lovely way to begin is a grooming session — therapeutic for both of you. Erica also runs sessions on horse behaviour and communication, drawing on Marthe Kiley-Worthington’s ethological study Horsewatch.
Time with the herd
Ways to be with the horses.
Learn the herd
Sessions on horse behaviour and communication, so you can read what the herd is telling you.
Ride gently
Western-style, bitless riding using the least pressure possible — so the horse responds to the slightest cue.
Welfare first
The horse always comes first.
La Volée is not a licensed riding establishment, and that’s deliberate. Riding happens only when it’s right for the horse — we prioritise their welfare over any request to ride, every time.
- Bitless bridles, western-style, lightest possible aids
- Introductory safety session with Erica for every guest
- Photography coaching and drawing or painting setups available
- No fixed lessons — time with the herd flexes around the horses
Spend a few days with the horses.
Stay over and let the days find their own rhythm around grooming, walking and the valley.