Spirit Horse Journeys · Women only

The Four Agreements Retreat

Name: The Four Agreements Retreat · September 3 to 8, 2026, six days
Start: 2026-09-03
End: 2026-09-08
Location: Rancho Baile de la Luna

A six-day women's equine-wisdom retreat at Rancho Baile de la Luna near San Miguel de Allende, September 2026. One of don Miguel Ruiz's Four Agreements each day, guided by the herd and a credentialed facilitator bench. Eight women, $2,750 to $3,550 USD including lodging, meals, transport, and hot springs.

When

September 3 to 8, 2026, six days

Circle of

8 women

Price

$2,750 to $3,550 USD

The circle

Women only

There is a moment, standing in a pen with a twelve-hundred-pound animal who has decided to trust you, when the stories you tell about yourself go quiet. That is where this retreat begins.

Over six days on a real working ranch, we take don Miguel Ruiz's Four Agreements one at a time, one day for each, with the herd as our teachers. Horses do not care who you are supposed to be. They respond to who you actually are, moment to moment, and they are incapable of flattery. That honesty, held inside a small circle of women, is the engine of the week.

This is not a polished retreat center. It is a real, working ranch outside San Miguel de Allende, with dust and golden light and a herd that is loved by name. That is part of its magic. Mornings are for the work. Afternoons are for the land, the hot springs, the village, and each other. You do not need any horse experience. Most of the work is on the ground, side by side with the herd.

The circle is capped at eight women so that nobody is a face in a crowd. By that last long dinner together, you will understand why we say that people arrive here as strangers and leave as family.

Day by day

The shape of the week.

Day 1

Arrival

Travel day. Our shuttle collects you from the airport, either Leon (BJX) or Queretaro (QRO), settles you into your lodging, and we gather for a first dinner and an evening meeting of the herd.

Day 2

Be impeccable with your word

The first agreement, worked on the ground with the horses in the round pen and the arena. What you say, to them and to yourself, lands in your body. The herd shows you exactly how. In the afternoon we go into Atotonilco for lunch, the market and the street vendors, and the Santuario, a UNESCO World Heritage site ten minutes from the ranch.

Day 3

Don't take anything personally

A horse's mood is never about you, and neither is most of what people do. A day of unhooking, with an afternoon at the hot springs.

Day 4

Don't make assumptions

Horses assume nothing. They check, moment by moment. We practice asking instead of guessing, in the round pen, in the arena, and in the circle. The afternoon is for San Miguel de Allende, its cobbled streets and shaded plazas, twenty minutes from the ranch.

Day 5

Always do your best

The fourth agreement, and the gathering of the week. A closing ceremony and our goodbyes to the herd, then a long last dinner under the moon the ranch is named for.

Day 6

Departure

A slow morning, and transport back to the airport.

The dates are fixed, so you can book your flights around them. The order of the days may shift a little with the weather and with the herd.

Dates

September 3 to 8, 2026, six days Places open

Pricing

Early bird, shared room (double occupancy)	$2,750 USD
Early bird, private room (single occupancy)	$3,350 USD
Standard, shared room (double occupancy)	$2,950 USD
Standard, private room (single occupancy)	$3,550 USD

A $750 USD deposit secures your place. The balance is due 30 days before the retreat.

Reserve your place

Message on WhatsApp Email the ranch Text us (US SMS)

Cancellation policy

Deposits are non-refundable. Cancellations made 30 or more days before the retreat may be transferred to a future retreat, subject to availability. Cancellations within 30 days are non-refundable unless your place is filled.

Hear about new dates first

Leave your email and we will tell you when the next date opens. No spam, just the ranch.

★★★★★

Chris, Amy and Jeff, you gave us such a meaningful and beautiful day. And to all you gorgeous women, thank you, thank you, thank you.

Bobbi, Fire Horse day

Who holds the space

The facilitators.

Chris Rausten

Founder, 50+ years with horses

Chris Rausten is the founder of Rancho Baile de la Luna and the creator of Spirit Horse Journeys. Her journey with horses began at age seven with a $35 Shetland pony and has shaped nearly every part of who she is. From early years riding freely to later studies in dressage and natural horsemanship, and decades of hands-on care and training, Chris approaches horses as both student and steward. She actively trains and competes in working equitation.

Amy Spencer

CHA-certified instructor, bilingual

Amy Spencer brings a lifetime of lived experience with horses, shaped by a life spent between Mexico and the United States. Fluent in both Spanish and English, she moves naturally between cultures as well as within the subtle, unspoken language of horses. Her work focuses on biomechanics and the therapeutic art of equitation, exploring how horse and human move, communicate, and find balance together. She is a Certified Horsemanship Association instructor and a certified equine therapist.

Marti McGinnis

EAGALA Level 2 Certified Equine Specialist

Marti McGinnis is a lifelong creative, facilitator, and pioneer in equine-assisted learning, with over 40 years of experience guiding people through experiential and transformative processes. With a Master's degree in Communication and decades as a professional artist, her work brings together authentic expression, human connection, and the intuitive wisdom of horses.

Jocelyn Rausten

Mindvalley Certified Life Coach

Jocelyn Rausten is a Mindvalley Certified Life Coach who brings a grounded, intuitive, and compassionate approach to her work. She holds a degree in Biology and Chemistry from Lewis and Clark College, bringing a thoughtful, holistic perspective to human behavior and growth. She has long been recognized for her natural ability to listen deeply, reflect insightfully, and guide others with clarity and care.

Meet the full bench →

Good to know

Questions, answered.

Are the retreats women-only?

The Fire Horse day series and the six-day Four Agreements retreat are women-only. The one-day Spirit Horse Journey, the two-day immersive, private sessions, Reiki, and constellations are open to everyone, and men are genuinely welcome there. Trail rides, lessons, and leasing are open to all.

What is included in the six-day retreat?

The September Four Agreements retreat includes four full days of guided horse experiences, five nights of lodging, all meals (five breakfasts, four lunches, five dinners), daily transport between hotel and ranch, airport transfers, an afternoon at the hot springs, dinner in San Miguel de Allende, and your choice of a horseback ride, Reiki, or massage. Price is $2,750 to $3,550 USD depending on room and timing, capped at eight women.

Can I book a retreat or journey on any day?

No, and this trips people up, so here it is plainly: retreats and Spirit Horse Journeys run only on set dates, announced in advance. Trail rides, lessons, and private sessions can be scheduled around you. If no date is posted for the journey you want, join the waitlist and you will hear first.

Do I have to ride a horse at the retreats?

No. The retreats and Spirit Horse Journeys are ground-based: you work beside the horses on foot, not from the saddle. No riding and no horse experience is needed, ever.

Can horses help with anxiety, grief, or stress?

Many guests come away calmer. Horses are large, honest, present animals, and simply being near one, on the ground, breathing, slowing down, tends to settle a busy nervous system. This is not a medical treatment or a clinical claim, it is presence and attention, held by an experienced facilitator.

Is this equine therapy?

We call it equine wisdom work, not therapy. It is adult, ground-based, and non-clinical, held by trained facilitators. It complements psychotherapy well for guests who are already in it, but it does not replace it.

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