At the Threshold of Light: A Spring Equinox Journey with Horses and Expressive Arts
Join us as we honour the moment when light and dark are in balance, and consciously choose what we will grow. The equinox is a moment of balance between what has been and what is becoming. Many life transitions live here — not fully released, not yet formed. We’ll explore how to be present at that threshold.
This is an opportunity to:
- Deepen your connection to the natural world and seasonal cycles.
- Experience horses as sentient beings of balance, presence and authenticity. You’ll engage in a ground-based, non-riding experience, with emphasis on choice and observation.
- Support personal reflection on emergence, transition, growth and intention.
- Integrate body, heart, and imagination through expressive arts. No previous art experience is necessary.
The equinox is a threshold, not a destination. Balance between light and dark is dynamic, not static. Growth begins below the surface before it becomes visible.
Workshop Fee and Details:
- $60 per person paid by e-transfer to jgarland@themaneinten.ca
- Sunday, March 22, 2026
- 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
- Registration Deadline: Friday, March 20, 2026
- Maximum 8 participants
- Located: 2410 Cameron Line, Indian River, ON K0L 2B0
- To register, email jgarland@themaneinten.ca
What to Bring
- A journal and water bottle
- Closed toed-shoes/boots that you don’t mind getting muddy
- Clothing appropriate for weather
About Your Facilitator
Jennifer Garland, Registered Psychotherapist, is the Owner/Program Director of The Mane Intent, offering equine-assisted psychotherapy, health and wellness workshops, individual and team effectiveness coaching and leadership development. Jennifer Garland is also a mixed-media artist who believes in the reincarnation of found objects and images and in inviting the beauty of the natural world around us to speak for itself in colour, line, form and texture. Jennifer comes from a family of creative seekers.
Jennifer is the recipient of the 2024 Women of Impact Award from United Way Peterborough and Business Excellence Awards from Peterborough and Kawartha Chamber of Commerce.
Before her discovery of horses, Jennifer was President/Owner of The Cactus Group, a management and communications consulting business. To her equine and therapy services, she brings over 30 years of leadership experience in communications, community investment, marketing and change management supporting a variety of clients in corporate and non-profit sectors. She has provided counsel and support to senior leaders from all walks of life to create opportunities to build productive relationships, facilitate learning and to embrace change. To learn more about Jennifer’s experience, lectures, awards and publications, go here.
About the Farm
Jennifer and her husband Chris van den Berg pursued a shared dream of owning a rural property after their two daughters left the nest. They became stewards of their beautiful farm in 2010 and are pleased to share it with visiting individuals, couples, teams and small groups looking to explore what’s possible in connecting with horses and nature. Building on the property’s natural beauty and heritage, they’ve worked hard to create a serene place for exploration, renewal and wellness.
The farm features an in-door arena for equine-assisted experiences, century barns, a heated (and cooled) workshop space, a seven-circuit stone labyrinth, a walled- and perennial gardens, rolling fields and a 20-acre mature forest with trails.
The farm is located in Otonabee South-Monaghan Township near Rice Lake – just a 90 minute drive northeast of Toronto. It’s nestled in the scenic Southern Ontario countryside and offers a variety of opportunities to find tranquility in the sights and sounds of nature. Not far from Peterborough, Port Hope, Campbellford or Cobourg, an extensive variety of accommodations, restaurants, tourist attractions, historic sites and shopping are available to complement your visit.