Play isn’t frivolous. It’s fuel.
A half-day, hands-on afternoon with the horses. Step out of go-mode, get a little silly, and reconnect with the part of you that leads lighter. No horse experience needed. The horses do the teaching.
Monday, August 31 · 4:00 to 7:30pm · Ember Ridge Equestrian Center, Moss Beach · Capped at 6
Somewhere along the way, we decided play was something you grow out of. The research says the opposite.
Dr. Stuart Brown, who founded the National Institute for Play, spent decades studying what happens to adults who stop playing. His finding: play isn’t the opposite of work. Adults who keep playing stay more creative, more resilient, and better at solving problems, and going without it quietly wears you down.
“The opposite of play is not work. It’s depression.”
Brian Sutton-Smith, play scholarThat’s what this afternoon is for. Not a trust fall, not a ropes course. Real, low-stakes play, alongside animals who happen to be experts at being fully present.
No agenda you have to perform.
You’ll spend unhurried time with the horses, try a few playful, low-stakes challenges (yes, there may be flowers braided into a mane), and let your nervous system finally downshift out of the go-go-go it’s been stuck in.
It’s a small group, on purpose. Six people, two facilitators, and a handful of horses who don’t care about your title and won’t let you fake it.
What you’ll take home.
- A genuine reset, the kind a weekend rarely delivers
- A lighter, more creative headspace
- A felt reminder of what play actually does for your brain
- A small group of people who showed up to exhale
Who it’s for.
- You run at full speed and can’t remember the last time you did something just because it was fun.
- You’re good at your job and quietly fried.
- You lead people, and you’ve gotten a little too serious to be the leader you actually want to be.
- You don’t need another productivity hack. You need an afternoon off from being useful.
Your two facilitators.
Ranger Kielak
Joan Brennan
Horsin’ Around
Wear closed-toe shoes and dress in layers for the outdoors and the barn.
Quick questions.
Do I need any horse experience?+
None at all, and you won’t be riding. Everything happens on the ground, guided the whole way by two facilitators. Most people who come have never worked with a horse.
Is this just for “horse people”?+
Not even a little. It’s for anyone who’s been running on empty and needs to remember how to play. The horses are the teachers, not the prerequisite.
What if I feel silly?+
Good. That’s kind of the point. It’s a small, judgment-free group of six, and feeling a bit silly is usually the doorway to the reset you came for.
What should I bring or wear?+
Just yourself, closed-toe shoes, and layers. Moss Beach weather shifts, and the barn runs cool. We’ll handle the rest.
Come exhale with us.
August 31, an afternoon with the horses, and permission to lead a little lighter. Grab your spot before it’s full.
Reserve your seat →Questions? Email Ranger@WithinRangeCoaching.com · (650) 479-4398 · Half Moon Bay, California