HEARTS & HORSES FOR MEN: STRENGTH UNDER PRESSURE
March 4–7, 2027
Swell Retreat | Castle Dale, Utah
For the man who carries more than anyone realizes—and is ready to stop carrying it alone.
You may be the person others rely on to provide, protect, solve problems, make decisions and remain steady under pressure. You keep moving because people need you, responsibilities do not stop and slowing down may feel like something you cannot afford to do.
But carrying pressure without processing it eventually costs something.
Maybe you have become exhausted, irritable, disconnected or uncertain about your direction. Maybe you bury yourself in work, withdraw from people you love, react more strongly than you intend or avoid conversations you know need to happen. Maybe you have built a life that looks successful from the outside but no longer feels aligned on the inside.
You may not know exactly what needs to change. You simply know that continuing in the same way is no longer working.
Strength is not pretending the pressure does not affect you.
Strength is developing the awareness, regulation, courage and clarity to choose how you will respond.
Hearts & Horses for Men is a Christian-centered experience combining faith, the SWELL Method, horse-guided empowerment and time in nature to help men better understand themselves, reconnect with God, strengthen important relationships and lead their lives with greater intention.
This is a three-day, three-night experiential retreat for men who are ready to step outside the noise, become curious about who they are under pressure and determine what must change next.
This is not simply a weekend away from your responsibilities. It is an opportunity to see more clearly how you are carrying them—and decide how you want to return to your life.
THE EXPERIENCE
Through the SWELL Method, horse-guided empowerment, horsemanship, light riding, personal reflection, nature and meaningful connection with other men, you will explore:
• Who shows up when pressure shows up
• Fight, flight, freeze and please patterns
• How anger, withdrawal, overworking, numbing, fixing or controlling may communicate something deeper
• The difference between responsibility and over-responsibility
• The difference between strength, control and emotional avoidance
• Survival patterns that once protected you but may now be limiting you
• Regulation, self-trust and intentional decision-making
• Boundaries that strengthen relationships without creating disconnection
• Communicating clearly without aggression, avoidance or self-abandonment
• Receiving support without interpreting it as weakness
• What belongs to you to carry—and what does not
• How to lead yourself, your relationships and your responsibilities from clarity rather than fear, pressure, anger, guilt or habit
• The man you believe God is calling you to become
The horses offer immediate, honest feedback without judgment. They respond to what we bring into the relationship: our energy, clarity, boundaries, pressure, communication and ability to remain present.
Working with horses creates a powerful opportunity to recognize patterns that may be difficult to see in everyday life and safely practice a different response.
No previous horse experience is necessary. All horse activities are guided and designed to meet participants at their individual comfort and experience levels.
THE THREE-DAY JOURNEY
DAY ONE: SEE IT
What can no longer remain the same?
Step outside your normal routine and identify the pressure, relationship, responsibility or pattern that brought you here. Begin recognizing what your life—and your responses—have been trying to show you.
Examine where you feel stuck, what you have been carrying and what the cost may be if nothing changes.
DAY TWO: KNOW IT
Who shows up when pressure shows up?
Explore your fight, flight, freeze and please responses. Work with the horses to practice regulation, boundaries, communication, pressure and release, trust, presence and personal responsibility.
Become curious about what lies beneath your reactions without judgment, excuses or shame.
DAY THREE: LEAD IT
What will you do now that you know what you know?
Move from awareness into intentional action. Identify the pattern you are ready to interrupt, the conversation or boundary that must be addressed and the next steps required to lead your life differently.
You may not leave with every answer. You can leave more grounded, more connected to God and yourself, and clearer about what comes next.
YOUR RETREAT INCLUDES
• Three full days of facilitated SWELL experiences
• Three nights of lodging based on your selected registration option
• Horse-guided empowerment activities
• Horsemanship, grooming and light horse care
• Light riding experiences—no previous experience necessary
• Meals, snacks and beverages
• Hearts & Horses workbook 
• Retreat T-shirt
• Evening connection and integration experiences
• Personal 30-day action plan
• Post-retreat virtual follow-up gathering
PROGRAM INVESTMENT
Program Value: $2,500
Foundation-subsidized registration options may be available through SWELL Foundation.
Payment plans are available. Contact Lacy at 801-230-6363.
Registration is limited to 16 men to preserve the personal connection, safety and small-herd experience that make Hearts & Horses so powerful.
 
IS THIS EXPERIENCE FOR YOU?
Hearts & Horses for Men may be for you if:
• You carry significant responsibility and rarely create space to examine how it is affecting you.
• You feel exhausted, disconnected, irritable, stuck or uncertain about your direction.
• You tend to withdraw, overwork, numb, control, fix or react when pressure builds.
• You recognize that your current patterns are affecting your marriage, family, work, faith or health.
• You want to become more present and connected in the relationships that matter most.
• You are ready to examine your own responses—not only what someone else needs to change.
• You want more than temporary relief and are willing to take meaningful action.
• You are willing to participate honestly, respectfully and fully in the experience.
• You want to strengthen your relationship with God and better understand the man you are being called to become.
You do not need to be at rock bottom. You do not need to have everything figured out.
You only need to recognize that something needs to change—and be willing to begin.
Pressure may have brought you here. Awareness will show you what it has been revealing. Intentional action will move you forward.
Reserve your place today.
RETREAT SCHEDULE
Check In: 10:00 AM on March 4, 2027
Program Finish: 10:00 PM on March 6, 2027
Check Out: 11:00 AM on March 7, 2027
LODGING
Off-site accommodations may be found through Airbnb or VRBO in Castle Dale, Orangeville or Huntington, Utah.
For lodging questions, contact Lacy at 801-230-6363.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Hearts & Horses is an educational and experiential personal-development program. It is not psychotherapy, medical treatment or a substitute for professional mental-health care.
 
***Off-grid glamping for lodging at Swell Retreat: no power, no HVAC, porta potties, and outdoor private shower OR shower at Swimming Pool 1.5 miles away.