Where Memory Gathers: A Samhain Gathering with Horses

There are people we remember most clearly in autumn. Someone who loved the cooler weather. Someone whose kitchen smelled of apples, whose coat we remember hanging by the door, whose voice returns to us unexpectedly on an ordinary afternoon. As the days shorten, memories sometimes find their way closer.

On October 4, we will gather with the horses as we begin our approach to Samhain, making room for our ancestors, our own changing lives and those we love who are no longer beside us.

The landscape will be turning around us. Leaves gathering along the fences. Seed heads standing in the fading grasses. The horses growing their winter coats, their bodies already responding to the shortening days. We will spend the morning here, beneath the open sky, with time to notice what autumn is stirring in us.

At the heart of our gathering will be a gentle, shared ritual: creating our Tree of Remembrance. Each woman will receive a linen ribbon to dedicate to an ancestor or loved one, with a name, a few written words or a memory held quietly in her thoughts. Together, we will gather beneath the tree and tie our ribbons among its branches, speaking a name or sharing a memory if we wish. There may be a grandmother, an old friend, a beloved animal. Someone whose hands we remember. Someone we never met, but whose life made our own possible.

Our ribbons will remain when we leave, stirring in the autumn air beside the horses. A small gathering of names among the branches. A place for those we wish could be here with us.

Samhain gives us a season in which to remember them deliberately. To tell a story we haven’t told in years. To notice what we have inherited beyond possessions: a way of laughing, a love of gardens, a stubborn streak, a song. There will be room for tenderness and for the memories that make us smile, as well as for whatever feels unfinished.

The horses will be our companions through the morning. While memory carries us elsewhere, their presence brings us back to the ground beneath our feet. We hear them grazing, watch an ear turn, feel the warmth of a body standing nearby. We can remember and still be here, in the autumn light, among the living.

Our Gathering

• We will begin outdoors with a guided seasonal meditation and opening circle, taking time to arrive and notice the land around us. Each woman will draw a card from our Samhain oracle deck, offering an image or a few words to carry into her morning with the horses.

• Before entering the paddock, we will spend time observing the herd. We will notice how the horses approach one another, make space, seek companionship and settle into rest. There is much to see when we give ourselves time to watch.

• When we enter, the horses will be at liberty. They may approach, move away, remain nearby or simply continue about their day. Nothing will be asked of them, and there is no particular encounter we are trying to create. We will follow what unfolds, with space to be curious about what we notice in the horses and within ourselves.

• Throughout our three hours together, we will move between time among the horses, quiet reflection and journaling, with Samhain’s stories and traditions of remembrance woven through the morning.

• Before gathering under our Tree of Remembrance, we will draw a second card from the Samhain deck, allowing it to lead us a little further into the season’s mysteries. There will be time to sit with both cards, notice what they bring to mind and explore the connections between their stories and our own. It is a beautiful practice for grounding ourselves in the present while making room for what the darker half of the year may ask of us.

• Our Tree of Remembrance ritual will give those reflections a place among the branches. Together, we will honor the lives that have touched our own, tying our ribbons to the tree and sharing a name or memory if we wish. Some stories will be spoken. Others will be held quietly by the women who bring them.

Throughout the morning, there will be opportunities to share and room to keep your thoughts your own. You are welcome to bring someone particular into remembrance or simply come with an openness to the season and what it brings. You do not need to arrive with a story prepared.

We will close beside our Tree of Remembrance, with the ribbons in its branches and the horses nearby, taking a final quiet moment together before returning to the rest of our day.

No horse experience is required. You are welcome to observe, remain outside the paddock or participate at the level that feels right for you. All interactions are facilitated with care and supported by experienced guides and volunteers, with the wellbeing of both horses and participants at the center of the experience.

This gathering is created for women seeking a thoughtful, personal way to approach Samhain, in the company of horses and other women. A morning to remember, to listen and to feel the season turning around us.

A few days before our gathering, you will receive an email with details on what to bring, what to wear and directions. All participants are required to sign a liability waiver for High Hopes Therapeutic Riding Center.

About our Facilitators

• About Kathleen Lowe:‍ ‍Kathleen Lowe, the founder of Friends of the Forest. Kathleen brings extensive expertise as a certified Mindful Outdoor Guide through the Kripalu School of Mindful Outdoor Leadership and a certified Forest Therapy Guide with the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy (ANFT), a global leader in evidence-based nature therapy practices. Her walks follow the ANFT’s structured approach, rooted in the Japanese practice of Shinrin-yoku, as well as ecotherapy and the Way of Council. Each walk is a gentle, sensory-rich journey designed to reduce stress, enhance well-being, and deepen personal connection to nature. Kathleen's work is specifically designed for women, offering a safe, nurturing space to release the demands of daily life and reconnect with one’s body, inner wisdom, and the earth. Her recent training in somatic healing adds a deeper layer to this practice, inviting participants into embodied presence — allowing for release, grounding, and integration. Her background in art history from Brown University weaves in a unique appreciation for nature’s beauty as a living canvas, blending reflection, creativity, and reverence in every experience.

• About Kim Severance, CTRS, ESMHL, CTRI, MMES: From a young age, Kim has harbored a profound love for animals, with horses holding a special place in her heart. Her journey into the equestrian world began at the tender age of five, quickly evolving from casual riding to competitive events both on the flat and over jumps. These early experiences not only honed her skills but also deepened her empathy and appreciation for horses as sentient beings.

  Holding a Master of Science in Recreation and Leisure, Kim has dedicated her career to therapeutic recreation, becoming a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) in 2006. Her approach is unique, integrating animals ranging from dogs and dolphins to horses into her therapy sessions. She is continually inspired by the significant insights and transformations her clients achieve through these interspecies interactions.

  In 2019, Kim shifted her focus to primarily working with horses, earning her certification as a therapeutic riding instructor (CTRI) through PATH, followed by her qualification as an equine specialist in mental health and learning (ESMHL). Driven by a desire to reciprocate the healing horses provide, Kim has also delved into equine bodywork. As a certified Masterson Method Equine Specialist (MMES), she finds joy in fostering trust and connection, enhancing the well-being of her equine companions.

  Kim's philosophy centers on encouraging individuals to live in the moment, remain inquisitive, and trust their instincts—lessons she believes are best taught by our equine partners. Her passion and dedication not only highlight the therapeutic power of animals but also underscore the profound bond between humans and horses.

• About our Horse Partners: Our horse partners at High Hopes are professional therapeutic partners, carefully trained and supported to interact with humans in grounded, meaningful ways. Unlike “rescued” horses, each of their horses is thoughtfully selected and welcomed into the program only after a thorough evaluation by the expert team at High Hopes.