Horsemanship & Wild Food
Four days by a lake in Jämtland, learning to be present with a horse, and finding out what the forest has to eat and drink.
- When
- May - Sept 2027one trip a month
- Duration
- 4 days / 3 nights
- Group
- Up to 6
- Price
- €2,600€500 deposit
Reserve your spot
Ask a question
Who this trip is for
For anyone looking for a different kind of horse trip. Not the same loop on the same trail, but depth: a real connection with the horse, and with the nature around you both. Understanding the horse comes first, before anything else.
It works whether you've never sat on a horse or you've ridden for years. Beginners start on the ground, and experienced riders go deeper into the same work. No riding experience needed.
The trip
Four days by the lake, with the horses living right next to camp. Mornings start with you: a gentle breathwork session to settle in and find some calm, breakfast by the water, and then out to the horses.
Jan teaches by doing, so the learning happens with the horse, not in a lecture. We start with how to ask a horse for something, then work on sensitivity, and on how aware you are of your own presence. Jan shows you how to steer a horse without even touching it. Then into the saddle, western style, at your level.
Afternoons we ride or walk out into the forest, paying attention, and forage as we go. Back at camp it turns into food and drink. Over the four days we make wild, healthy food and drinks together, cook over the fire, and show you how to preserve food and bring out its flavour with smoke, fermentation and drying. Some of it comes home with you, along with the know-how to do it again.
In between there's the lake, the sauna, a boat if you want one, and time to just sit with the horses or wander off into the forest. Nothing is forced.
In short
Professionally trained horses.With renowned horse trainer Jan Persson.
Wild food and foraging.With George, founder of the @george.of.the.forest Instagram channel.
Mountain-view camping.Next to the lake, with a sauna, a boat and a beach.
The highlights
- Groundwork and western riding with Jan Persson, a renowned trainer
- Learning to read a horse, and how it reads you
- Morning breathwork, sauna and lake swims
- Slow rides and walks through the forest
- A wild ferment to take home, wild berry drinks and fire-smoked food
- Canvas tents by the lake, right next to the horses
From the stables
Hover to watch, or click for sound.
Where you sleep
A proper bed, under canvas
Two-person canvas tents on a small peninsula by the lake, right next to where the horses live, looking out towards the mountains. Real mattresses and bedding, the sauna and the lake a few steps away, and an indoor shower and toilet close by.
If you'd rather sleep indoors, there's a room on request.
What you come home with
What the forest offers changes through the summer, so no two months are quite the same.
Horsemanship
- A real connection with, and understanding of, the horse
- The fundamentals of horsemanship
- Groundwork, taught by doing
- Progress at whatever level you're at
Wild cooking
- How to forage, and what to leave
- Fermenting, drying and pickling
- Cooking wild food over the fire
- Recipes to use when you're back home
A real break
- Morning breathwork
- Time in nature, at an easier pace
- A change from your usual habits
- Something genuinely new
Trip details
- Dates
- May - Sept 2027
- Duration
- 4 days / 3 nights
- Location
- Heljesund, Jämtland
- Group
- Up to 6 guests
- Level
- Beginner to experienced
- Price
- €2,600
- Deposit
- €500
- Getting there
- Pick-up can be arranged from Östersund
Reserve your spot
Ask a question
What's included
- Horsemanship and riding sessions every day, with Jan
- Morning breathwork
- Rides and walks out into the forest
- Wild food sessions: a ferment to take home, wild berry drinks, fire cooking and smoking
- Horses, tack, helmets and guides
- 3 nights in a canvas tent by the lake, bedding provided
- All meals, fire-cooked and locally sourced
- Sauna, lake swims, boats and fishing gear
What's not included
- Flights or trains to Östersund
- Travel insurance
- Personal clothing and toiletries
Good to know
Do I need riding experience?
No. The first part of each day is on the ground, and the riding is matched to your level, from complete beginner to experienced.
When does it run?
One trip a month, from May to September 2027, each for up to six guests. The forest changes through the summer: early summer is spruce tips and fresh greens, high summer brings the berries, and late summer is mushroom season. Exact dates are coming soon.
Where do we stay?
In two-person canvas tents on a small peninsula by the lake, next to where the horses live, looking out over the Bydalen mountains. Proper mattresses and bedding are provided. There's an indoor shower and toilet about 100 metres away, and an indoor room on request if you'd rather.
What's the food like?
Cooked over the fire and locally sourced, with plenty of what we forage along the way. Meals are made by Åsa, who has spent years as a chef and training other chefs. Let us know about any dietary needs and we'll plan around them.
Getting there
Fly to Östersund (OSD), direct from Stockholm Arlanda, or take the train from Stockholm, around six hours. Pick-up from the airport or station can be arranged, just let us know your times.
What do I need?
Mainly clothes and personal bits. All riding gear is provided. We send a full kit list before you travel.
Deposit, balance and cancellation
A €500 deposit holds your place. The balance is due six weeks before the trip. The deposit isn't refundable, but it can be moved to another G.O.N.E trip within 12 months.
Private groups
Yes. Bring your own group or team of up to six. Get in touch and we'll talk dates.
The team
Hosted by George, with Jan and Åsa Persson in Heljesund
George
Host
George spent years living off-grid in northern Sweden, learning from its landscapes, seasons and people. On this trip he leads the foraging and the wild food, keeps the fire going and makes sure the days feel easy.
Jan Persson
Horse trainer, Bydalen
A renowned horse trainer, competing in reining at an elite level and training horses in Europe and America. Jan teaches by doing: less talk, more time with the horse. Every horse here has been chosen and trained by him for a calm, steady temperament.
Åsa Persson
Host, trainer and chef
Åsa worked as a chef for many years before going on to train other chefs and restaurants. On the trip she hosts alongside George, works with the horses, and runs the kitchen and the fire.