Horses, humanity, and the power of simplicity: Matthias Geysen brings his philosophy to Mallorca

From forest trails to life lessons

Geysen’s journey with horses began in the forests of Belgium, where he rode with his father from the age of ten. “We never took lessons, we never followed any method,“ he recalls. My dad just bought two horses, and we went exploring. We made mistakes. It was beautiful, a bond between father and son.”

But by the age of twelve, riding didn’t feel cool anymore, and Geysen swapped horses for skateboards. He spent his teenage years competing and studying before returning to horses in adulthood. What began as an attempt to reconnect with his father turned into something much more profound. “He had already stopped working with horses by then, but I kept going,” Geysen says. “And one thing led to another.”

Now 33, Geysen has spent his adult life developing an intuitive, holistic, and deeply personal approach to horses. His methods defy easy categorisation. They’re not a system or a technique. “It’s not about fixing problems,” he explains. “It’s about understanding energy, balance, and connection.”

At the core of Geysen’s work is the belief that horses reflect the state of their human counterparts. “Life is about finding balance between the masculine and feminine energies, thoughts and emotions, action and stillness,“ he explains. “Horses are amazing teachers for this. If you’re too much in your head, they’ll show you. If you’re too emotional, they’ll reflect that too.”

This isn’t spiritual fluff. Geysen is quick to distance himself from labels like ‘spiritual healer.’ “I don’t like the word ‘spirituality’,“ he says. “That word was created by people who had lost their connection to themselves. For people who are truly connected — like aboriginal or native cultures — that word doesn’t even make sense. They just live. I try to live.”

From his base in the Swiss Alps, where he lives simply and without electricity or running water, Geysen works with traumatised horses, runs retreats, and shares his philosophy through videos, seminars, and quiet, transformational encounters with both humans and animals.

Lessons from Cleo: Trust and transformation

One of his most remarkable partnerships is with Cleo, a horse he describes as “the most difficult” he has ever met. When she first arrived, she was so traumatised that even the simple act of mounting would cause her to rear up and fall. “She taught me so much about calming, about trust. When I took away the saddle and the reins, everything changed. She felt free. She felt safe.”

That notion of safety — for the horse and the human — is at the heart of Geysen’s method. He believes most people who work with horses do so with good intentions: they provide food, shelter, grooming, and care. “But we forget the essence,“ he says. “Like in any relationship, the most important thing is to truly see someone for who they are. Accept their character. Horses feel safe when they are seen. That’s when the connection begins.”

Next month, Geysen will bring this philosophy to Mallorca for the first time. The private retreat, already fully booked, will involve just three participants and a total immersion into Geysen’s world. “We live together for three days. We start the day connecting, and we end the day the same way. It’s not just about horses—it’s about how we live.”

For those not attending the retreat, a one-day seminar titled Horses & Humanity will take place on 10 May. It’s open to anyone curious about the deeper bonds between humans and animals. “A seminar allows us to explore much more than a clinic,“ Geysen explains. “With clinics, you’re limited to the horses and riders in the arena. A seminar opens the door to wider topics like character, energy, intention, and presence.”

Rather than demonstrations with horses, the seminar will feature videos, stories, and personal insights, followed by an open Q&A session. “People often come thinking they’ll learn how to fix something with their horse,“ he says. “But by the end, they realise it’s about themselves. If you can connect with yourself, the horse responds. The rest becomes simple.”

Simplicity is a recurring theme in Geysen’s work. It’s not a gimmick. It’s not performative minimalism. It’s a deliberate shedding of excess. “We overcomplicate so much,“ he says. “One participant in Romania said to me, ‘It’s so simple, it’s hard to understand.’ That’s exactly it. Simplicity is powerful.”

This simplicity also applies to the way Geysen sees his own journey. After years of studying other horsemen, he took a long pause from external influences. “I saw a picture of Klaus Ferdinand Hempfling riding in liberty, and I thought it was beautiful,“ he recalls. “But then I noticed I was trying to copy. The connection with my own horses wasn’t the same. So, for three or four years, I stopped watching anyone else. I just listened to myself.”

That inner listening has shaped not only his work with horses but also his view of humanity. “We are the last creation of existence. It is an honour to be human. But people have forgotten. We learn from horses and trees and dogs because we are disconnected from ourselves. But if we can truly be present, truly live our essence, then every animal wants to be near us.”

He tells the story of a 92-year-old woman in France who had two horses, aged 41 and 42. “They were her only companions,“ he says. “The connection was so deep. I believe that the horses lived so long because they knew they were needed. They were seen. They were loved. That’s the power of connection.”

Applying the lessons: Living the connection daily

As Geysen prepares to bring his message to Mallorca, he’s also looking to the future. He and his partner are working to establish a new retreat centre in the south of France. “We’ve found a beautiful property; it looks like a castle, and we want to create a place where people can come back to the essence, a place where horses and humans can thrive.”

It may be a brief encounter for those lucky enough to attend next month’s events in Mallorca, but Geysen is keenly aware that re-entering the real world after such a retreat is often the hardest part.

“People always tell me, ‘It was so easy there, but when I go back home, it falls apart.’ So now we dedicate the last day to preparing for that return — how to apply the insights to everyday life. That’s where the real work begins.”

For more information about the Horses & Humanity seminar on 10 May, visit www.matthiasgeysen.com.