Let’s ride together
Build Confidence. Learn Respect. Connect with Horses.
This one-day workshop is the perfect introduction to safe, kind horsemanship where every step is about building trust between you and the horse. Whether you're new to horses or wanting to strengthen your foundation, you'll learn how to read their language, move with calm confidence, and handle them with care.
No shouting. No forcing. Just quiet, connected learning.
What You’ll Learn:
Reading horse body language and energy
Understand what your horse is telling you — before they even move.
Approaching, catching, haltering, and leading
Learn to catch a horse calmly and guide them with respect and intention.
Grooming and care essentials
Hands-on experience with grooming tools, horse health, and connection through care.
Safe zones, boundaries, and communication
Understand how to keep yourself (and your horse) safe by working within natural cues.
Connecting through feel and timing
Learn how to match your energy to your horse's and why it matters.
Introduction to tack and gear
Get familiar with saddles, bridles, and equipment; how to fit and use them safely.
Workshop Info:
Location: Standfast Stables, 7391 State Highway 35, Te Kaha, Ōpōtiki
Time: 9:30am – 3:00pm
Cost: $120 per person, $50 for fence sitters
Who it's for: Adults and teens (13+), beginners or returning riders
Includes: Use of horse or bring your own, all gear, and light refreshments
Join us for the 2025 Rodeo Season and put your brand in front of thousands of fans, riders, and industry professionals across the North Island.
Standfast Stables is offering exclusive Gold, Silver, and Bronze sponsorship packages designed to connect your business with the heart of the western lifestyle while supporting our team on tour.
Our Bronze Package gives your brand an introduction to the arena with a small logo featured on the front of our shirts, a dedicated social media post, and a custom blog feature sharing your story.
Step up to the Silver Package for even greater exposure with your logo on the front of team shirts, two social media posts, story highlight promotion, and a blog showcasing your business.For maximum impact, the Gold Package places your brand in the spotlight with a full back logo on our shirts, your logo proudly displayed on horse covers, and premium online promotion including social media posts, stories, behind-the-scenes content, and a featured Instagram Reel, along with a custom blog feature.
This is more than sponsorship it’s an opportunity to ride with us, celebrate the grit and spirit of rodeo, and share your brand with a passionate and engaged audience. Once your sponsorship is confirmed, our team will be in touch to finalise your advertising package and get your business ready for the 2025 season.
From Intention Into Action | Step Into Summer
20-22 November 2026 | Pahaoa Marae, Te Kaha
Spring awakens possibilities. Summer calls us into Action.
There are times in our lives when we know something is ready to shift.
An idea we’re ready to pursue. A change we’ve been thinking about. Something within ourselves we want to nurture, strengthn or bring into being.
But intention is only the beginning.
This three-day Wahine Wananga is an opportunity to step away from the demands of everyday life and create space to reconnect with yourself, the whenua, horses and other wahine — while exploring what it means to move from intention into purposeful action.
Through horse-assisted experiences, raranga, korero, reflection and connection with the whenua, we will explore the things we want to nurture and the actions required to help them grow.
This is a wananga about movement.
About trusting yourself enough to take the next step.
About identifying self-sabotaging beliefs or blocks that are holding you back from taking action.
About recognizing what needs your energy and what doesn’t.
About creating conditions for growth.
About adjusting when things don’t go as planned.
About turning intention into action and beginning to bring into being what you are ready to create.
Limited to just 12 wahine
Wananga details:
Te Kaha, East Coast, Aotearoa
4pm Fri 28–12pm Sun 30 August 2026
Investment: $499
Limited to 12 wāhine
What’s Included:
2 nights marae accommodation
All meals from Friday evening to Sunday lunch
Horse-assisted experiences
Guided group wananga and reflection
River Pure Ceremony
Whenua and Wairua experiences
Standfast Wahine Journal
Connection with like-minded wahine
What to bring:
Comfortable clothing
Covered shoes/boots (gumboots) & slip on shoes
Towel & toiletries
Clothing to go in the river (Pure)
Blanket, pillow & sheet
Wananga Experiences
Horse-Assisted Experiences
Working alongside horses as teachers and guides, participants will explore themes of trust, authenticity, presence, boundaries, self-awareness and connection.
No horse experience is required
River Pure Ceremony
A guided experience in the awa, creating space to cleanse, reflect, release and reconnect.
Drawing on the wisdom of the natural world, wahine are invited to step into the water and acknowledge what they are ready to leave behind as they prepare for a new season.
Rakaunui Fire Ceremony
Held under the fullness of Rakaunui.
Gathered around the ahi, wahine will be invited to reflect on what no longr serves them and what they wish to carry forward.
Through intention setting, ceremony and collective support, we honour the transformative energy of Mahuika and the cleansing, flowing energy of Tangaroa as we release, renew and step into spring.
Whenua and Wairua
Throughout the weekend we will reconnect with the whenua, the natural rhythms of the season, and the transition from Takurua into Koanga.
This is a time of emergence.
A time to return to yourself.
A time to step forward into the next chapter of your life.
Investment
$499 per person
A deposit of $99 is required to secure your place. And full payment is required 2 weeks from the wananga date.
Places are limited and registrations will close once all spaces are filled.
Who is this for?
This wananga is for wahine who:
feel ready for change
are navigating a life transition
need time to pause and reconnect
want to deepen their connection with themselves
are seeking connection with horses, whenua, and other wahine
feel called to step into spring with greater intention
Accommodation
Participants will stay in shared marae accommodation
This experience is grounded in whanaungatanga, respect and collective connection.
Important Information
participants must be 18 years or older
No horse experience is required
Activities are primarily ground-based
Participants should be comfortable walking on uneven terrain
This wananga is not counselling or mental health treatment
Please contact us prior to booking if you have significant health concerns.
Kua Tae Te Wa
Winter is for relection
Spring is for emergence
Perhaps the woman you have been searching for is waiting on the other side of this winter.
Your time is now!