équin’Ox

About the venue

ÉQUIN'OX – EQUITATION AND OXYGEN
A venue for retreats and stays in the heart of the Montagne bourbonnaise
A place to come together, explore, practise and share. At the pace of nature and the horses.
BEL AIR, A PLACE APART
In the heart of the Montagne bourbonnaise, on the heights of Saint-Clément, Équin'Ox opens the doors to a distinctive place, surrounded by forests, mountains and horses.
Originally, Bel Air was a holiday camp for the Éclaireurs (the secular and interfaith scouts). Each year, nearly 200 children came to spend their holidays there, over several years. Its history remains marked by that spirit of communal and outdoor life, carried by the Éclaireurs motto: "The strong protect the weak".
Its modernist architecture, with clean lines and bright living spaces, still gives it a distinctive character today. A place that is different, both open to nature and conducive to group life.
The property is surrounded by the horses of our breeding, which live in pasture as a herd. Here, nature is not simply a backdrop: it accompanies daily life, activities and moments of rest.
Five minutes away, the lake of Saint-Clément offers a lovely summer interlude: swimming, water sports, fishing, high-ropes courses or walks by the water. Vichy is about thirty minutes away, and the estate is easy to reach from the major routes, notably the Paris-Vichy link, and only 1 hour 30 from Clermont-Ferrand and 2 h 30 from Lyon.
SPACES TO LIVE AND PRACTISE
At Équin'Ox, the accommodation comes as rooms and gîtes with varied atmospheres. Each space has its own décor, inspired by different worlds and horizons. Depending on the make-up of your group and availability, the different options allow a stay to be arranged to measure.
Kitchens are available in the accommodation, while the gîte d'étape has a large communal kitchen, a dining room and a terrace.
Outside, a large terrace opens onto the hills of the Montagne bourbonnaise. A little further on, our private woodland of centuries-old beech trees offers a shaded, peaceful setting, particularly pleasant for outdoor practice, workshops or meditation.
For indoor activities, two rooms of about 50 m² are available. The first, with its generous ceiling height, is well suited to dance, martial arts and body practices requiring space to move. The second, lower and more intimate, lends itself better to yoga, meditation, relaxation and gentle practices. They can host groups of a human scale, up to around a dozen participants depending on the discipline.
Depending on availability, other spaces may also be offered: our covered riding hall of 800 m², which provides a large sheltered area, or our 1,000 m² outdoor arena, with its sand surface.
In the warmer months, the covered swimming pool invites you to extend the days and enjoy a moment of relaxation.
Équin'Ox remains first and foremost a riding farm, with its own life, animals and way of working. We value this simplicity, far from standardised establishments: here, you share a living place as much as a space for practice.
A DIFFERENT WAY OF LIVING WITH ANIMALS
For more than twenty years, our work and our passion have led us to explore the many facets of the relationship between humans and horses.
Our approach is guided by respect, cooperation, intuition and lightness. We favour understanding and listening over constraint, relationship over performance. Awakening our own animal nature to better understand that of the horse. Setting aside our human filters, rediscovering instinct and respecting the animal for what it is. Our horses live as a herd, at pasture, and all our equestrian practices take place without a bit.
This philosophy is an integral part of our daily life and of the way we welcome people. We enjoy introducing this world and offering, to those who wish, experiences that enrich their own discipline.
For yoga, meditation or personal development retreats, we can arrange practice sessions in the pasture, surrounded by the horses, or offer an equicoaching session. This approach to personal development draws on ground-based interactions with the horse, its sensitivity and its reactions, to explore communication, presence and relationship with others in a new way.
Working at liberty with a horse or ponies also allows participants to experience non-verbal communication, based on observation, listening and cooperation. We also offer approaches to non-verbal communication and relationship with our horses and cats.
For dance and body expression retreats, classical vaulting can offer an original encounter with equestrian movement.
Groups of martial arts, fencing or sports disciplines may discover Cossack vaulting or horseback archery, two spectacular practices that combine balance, coordination, precision and mastery of movement.
Finally, for those who simply want to discover the region differently, we organise horse rides in small groups, with introductions possible for all levels.
AND TO EXTEND THE STAY...
The Montagne bourbonnaise can also be explored on foot or by bike. Hiking trails start directly from the estate, there are many marked trail-running routes, and we can supply GPX tracks. Mountain bikers will also find fine routes starting from the gîte, though with marked relief and some good climbs!
In summer, Équin'Ox also lives to the rhythm of its equestrian shows. Almost every Wednesday evening in July and August, our horses and our performers invite you to discover a world blending Cossack vaulting, artistic dressage, work at liberty, amazone and original creations. Each season brings a new show, with particular emphasis on the equestrian arts and respect for the horses. The programme and dates are available on our website.
A SIMPLE AND FLEXIBLE WELCOME
We want every organiser to find here the conditions that suit them, without rigid formulas or imposed organisation.
Accommodation is offered from 30 € per person per night, depending on the lodging chosen. The various kitchens remain accessible to participants, and the gîte d'étape has a communal space for preparing and sharing meals.
For those who prefer to be freed from this organisation, we can call on our local caterer, who delivers meals. Vegetarian options are available.
As part of your stay, the two practice rooms and the outdoor spaces are made available free of charge, according to the times agreed together and our availability.
Finally, to enrich your programme, we can arrange activities with our horses, from 40 € per session of about two hours, depending on the discipline and the number of participants.
WHAT IF YOUR NEXT RETREAT TOOK PLACE HERE?
Whether you are a teacher, an artist, a martial arts instructor, a retreat organiser or a workshop leader, we will be happy to talk with you about the possibilities for your stay.
A place with a history, spaces to practise, landscapes to breathe in and horses to open up other horizons.
ÉQUIN'OX – Equitation & Oxygen
Bel Air – 03250 Saint-Clément
Montagne bourbonnaise – Allier
Tel.: 06 76 21 50 29
Email: equinox@orange.fr
Website: www.equin-oxygene.com