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by Rupert Isaacson
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- 5 days ago2h 11m
What Happens After the Horse? Neuroscience Tools for Home & Beyond | Kim Barthel & Leana Tank | EAW 54
Kim Barthel is an occupational therapist, international educator, and author based in British Columbia, Canada, trained in sensory integration, neurodevelopmental therapy, and holotropic breathwork. Leana Tank is an occupational therapist and consultant working with complex populations including individuals in the criminal justice system, combining equine-assisted practice with deep expertise in movement, trauma, and the nervous system.Together, they bring a rare combination of neurological precision and on-the-ground practicality to one of the most overlooked questions in equine-assisted work: what are you doing with your clients when they are not on — or with — the horse?This conversation digs into the neuroscience of the vestibular system, interoception, bilateral stimulation, and why movement is far more than muscles. Kim and Leana share concrete tools — from saddle stools at home to pickle juice to the long gaze — and explore why the relational environment may ultimately matter even more than the physical one.✨ "The brain can change until you stop breathing." – Kim BarthelIf you want to support the show, you can do so at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/LongRideHome🔍 What You'll Learn in This EpisodeWhy what happens off the horse — at the barn, at home, in the community — is just as important as the session itselfHow the vestibular system develops in utero and why almost every developmental difference affects itWhat the inner core muscles (diaphragm, pelvic floor, transverse abdominis, multifidus) have to do with regulation, interoception, and feeling safeWhy the horse's three-dimensional movement provides a backdrop the brain cannot easily access in stillnessWhat interoception is, why many autistic individuals experience a blurred boundary between self and world, and how horseback riding supports thisHow to design simple home environments and daily activities that continue the neuroplasticity work between sessionsWhy stimming is not a problem to fix but a movement toward wholeness — and how to support it constructivelyWhat a "sensory diet" is and why individualized approaches work better than generic protocolsHow bilateral stimulation (crossing the midline) integrates the two brain hemispheres and why this matters for both autism and traumaWhy the relational environment — feeling seen and supported — may be the most powerful variable of allWhat the Default Mode Network and Salience Network are, and why nature shifts the brain into restorationPractical at-home tools: the long gaze, saddle-shaped stools, office chair rotation, barefoot movement, pushing/pulling exercises, and foraging tasksHow holotropic breathwork connects shamanic tradition to modern neuroscience through rhythm, movement, and breath🎤 Memorable Moments from the Episode[00:09:44] Kim explains why the horse is "so much more than a horse" — the unappreciated relational variable in equine work [00:16:08] Kim breaks down the inner core system: diaphragm, pelvic floor, and why posture on a horse activates all of it [00:18:43] Kim defines interoception — the internal awareness of "this is me and this is not me" — and how the horse enables it [00:23:02] Leana describes transforming a collapsed young man through intentional off-road nature walks [00:43:00] Kim shares the story of a 13-year-old who hadn't slept more than 20 minutes a night — and how a spinning office chair changed everything [01:00:28] Rupert and Leana discuss what to give overworked care staff when the therapist walks out the door [01:19:00] Leana tells the story of a client who alchemized profound trauma into gratitude — a conversation that happened while walking [01:48:00] Kim's story: sitting silently on the curb beside an unhoused young man, saying "I see you" — and meeting him two years later at Walmart with a job [01:53:47] Kim explains the Default Mode Network vs the Salience Network — why nature restores us [02:00:53] Kim introduces "the long gaze" — how even a screensaver can shift the brain toward restoration📚 Contact, Projects, and Resources MentionedKim Barthel – Occupational Therapist, Educator, Author https://kimbarthel.ca Autism Matters – Kim Barthel's online webinar series https://kimbarthel.ca Leana Tank – OT, Constellations Consulting https://constellationsconsulting.org My Octopus Teacher – Netflix documentary featuring Craig Foster https://www.netflix.com/title/81016226 New Trails Learning Systems – Horse Boy Method, Movement Method & Takhin Equine Integration https://ntls.co Rupert Isaacson / Long Ride Home https://rupertisaacson.com Patreon Support https://www.patreon.com/LongRideHome🌍 Follow UsLong Ride Home https://longridehome.com https://facebook.com/longri
- 2 weeks ago2h 38m
Horses Don't Lie to Veterans | Jane Strong | EAW 53
✨ "The horses don't see the stories. They see who you are right now — and what you brought with you." – Jane StrongJane Strong is the founder and executive director of The Equus Effect, a nonprofit based in Connecticut, USA, that uses equine-assisted experiences to help veterans and first responders rebuild healthy relationships — with themselves, each other, and their communities.What sets Jane's work apart is her refusal to treat trauma as a diagnosis to manage. A former ethnographic researcher who spent decades studying subcultures for corporate clients, Jane came to horses and veterans with the same tool she'd always trusted: genuine curiosity. The Equus Effect's 16-hour curriculum blends somatic body-based practices, emotional agility training, and progressive groundwork with horses — all without metaphor, without therapy-speak, and without telling a veteran what anything means.This conversation covers Jane's unusual path — from advertising research to Monty Roberts to a 30-year-old Mustang who taught her that guilt is a waste of time — and dives deep into why horses are uniquely suited to reach the people hardest to reach: the ones still scanning for threats, still waiting for the playbook, still paying a nervous system tax no one else can see.If you want to support the show, you can do so at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/LongRideHome🔍 What You'll Learn in This EpisodeWhy veterans and first responders experience transition stress as a nervous system cost — and why talk therapy often falls shortHow ethnographic research trained Jane to enter any culture with curiosity instead of assumptions — and why that's essential for working with military populationsWhy The Equus Effect never uses metaphor in their horse work, and what happens when they let veterans find their own meaning insteadHow the program's somatic body scan and joint warmup prepare participants neurologically before they ever touch a horseWhy horses respond differently to officers than to enlisted personnel — and what that reveals about internal organizationWhat "uncoupling" means in trauma work, and the story of the veteran who found his focus again — safely — while leading a horse in a circleWhy Jane advises against letting participants know each other's rank, and what she learned the hard way when she didn't follow this ruleHow The Equus Effect's 16-hour curriculum unfolds across four sessions — from barn introduction to liberty work — and why soak time between sessions mattersWhat the Enneagram's three centers of intelligence (body, heart, mind) have to do with how people move and communicate with horsesWhy you don't need a military or first responder background to serve this population — and why Jane believes it may actually help not to have oneHow the program uses movie clips to open conversations about fear, vulnerability, anger, and depression — without singling anyone outWhy curiosity and compassion are inseparable, and what gets lost when we enter any population believing we already know who they areHow Jane finally secured a VA grant after 12+ years of program delivery — and what she learned about navigating that process🎤 Memorable Moments from the Episode[00:02:34] Jane describes the 22-suicides-a-day statistic that launched The Equus Effect in 2008 [00:04:57] Four years of meetings before the VA agreed to send veterans — and what finally changed their minds [00:16:49] Jane explains why "helping" can hide a fixing mentality — and what curiosity looks like instead [00:41:00] Why Jane never introduces participants by rank — and the session that taught her this the hard way [00:57:34] Jane recalls losing her horse as a teenager and the moment she walked away from riding for years [01:17:25] A 35-year-old Mustang named Noche who couldn't be touched — and the message he gave her about guilt [01:57:48] The veteran who felt his focus return while leading a horse in a circle — and heard the words "this time, you were safe" [02:06:00] Jane explains how to access The Equus Effect's facilitator training and upcoming workshops [02:11:42] The nightmare of VA grant applications — and how hiring a grant writer made the difference [02:20:04] The closing reflection: can you have compassion without curiosity?📚 Contact, Projects, and Resources MentionedJane Strong – Founder & Executive Director, The Equus Effect https://theequuseffect.org New Trails Learning Systems – Horse Boy Method, Movement Method & Takhin Equine Integration https://ntls.co Rupert Isaacson / Long Ride Home https://rupertisaacson.com Patreon Support https://www.patreon.com/LongRideHome 🌍 Follow UsLong Ride Home https://longridehome.com https://facebook.com/longridehome.lrh https://instagram.com/long
- Apr 16, 20262h 12m
Curiosity Over Fear: Building Resilience in Horses and Humans | Kira Julius | EAW 52
✨ "The healing process is there in service of your life, not the other way around. Do the healing in order to live." – Kira Julius Kira Julius is a German-Danish horse trainer and equine assisted practitioner whose career has taken her from working young horses in Tanzania at 16, to eight years alongside Australian warmblood specialist Will Rogers — first in the Netherlands, then Germany — to therapeutic work with autistic children and families across Germany, Denmark, Ireland, and the UK. She now runs her own practice through horserealms.com, working with horses, families, and individuals at the intersection of horsemanship and resilience.What makes Kira's perspective unusual is that she has lived the subject she now teaches. A lifelong relationship with anxiety and fear around horses, a family crisis at 18 when her father suffered a stroke that pulled her into an early adult role, and years inside the hyper-demanding world of sport horse training — including a period where her own anxiety became so acute she could barely ride — all of it has shaped a practitioner who speaks from earned experience, not theory.In this conversation, Rupert and Kira go deep on what resilience actually means — for horses, for humans, and for the practitioners who work with both. They move through the groundwork methodology Kira developed starting sensitive warmbloods, the specific exercises that release tension and build connection, and how those same principles apply when working with autistic children. They explore why always being calm may be the wrong goal, how to move through fear rather than wait for it to pass, and why the trauma conversation risks tipping into a place that keeps people stuck. This is a wide-ranging, experience-backed conversation that will resonate with anyone who works with horses, with neurodivergent individuals, or with their own inner life.If you want to support the show, you can do so at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/LongRideHome🔍 What You'll Learn in This Episode How curiosity overrides anxiety — and why doing the thing is often more healing than waiting until you feel ready Why "always being calm" is not the goal for horses or humans, and what heart rate variability tells us about genuine resilience How to distinguish between protective fear and anxious mental noise — and how gut instinct becomes the tool for telling them apartThe groundwork methodology Kira used starting sensitive warmbloods: approach and retreat, shoulder yields, hindquarter yields, and why crossing the midline triggers BDNF and neuroplasticityWhy the shoulder-in position is both a tension-release tool and a safety tool — and how having it reliably in place can get a handler out of serious troubleHow Kira's experience of her father's stroke at 18 shaped her understanding of grief, family strain, and the cost of going into management mode when you're struggling yourselfHow Kira's own severe anxiety crisis mid-career — when she could barely get on a horse — became the turning point that led her toward therapeutic work with humansWhy seeing possibilities rather than problems is the key reframe in both horse training and equine assisted work with neurodivergent clientsWhy the trauma conversation risks becoming a place people stay rather than move through — and what the spiral model of grief and healing offers insteadHow projecting limitations onto horses or children blocks their capacity to surprise us, and why listening to the person in front of you matters more than the story others gave youWhy joy and play are not extras in equine assisted work — they are the mechanism by which change happensWhy practitioners who want horses or clients to make big changes need to be making changes themselves🎤 Memorable Moments from the Episode[00:12:38] Kira explains why waiting to feel "ready" often keeps anxiety alive — the doing of the thing is what changes your storyline[00:15:00] Kira describes what happened when her father had a stroke at 18 — and how managing practical needs meant disconnecting from her family emotionally at the same time[00:30:17] Kira takes us inside the Will Rogers yard: how they started sensitive warmbloods using groundwork, approach and retreat, and the principle of explaining the human world to the horse rather than demanding compliance[00:37:12] The connection between lateral movement, crossing the midline, and BDNF — why these classical exercises produce neuroplasticity in horses just as they do in humans[00:45:16] Why shoulder yields and hindquarter yields are not just gymnastic tools but safety tools — and how they can get a handler out of serious trouble when a horse reacts unexpectedly[00:49:08] Tarp training in front of thousands of people: how Will Rogers conditioned sharp warmbloods to treat a crashing plastic
- Apr 2, 20262h 8m
From Problem Horse to Professional Practice: What Trauma Teaches Us About Training | Petra Vlasblom of 2Moons.nl, Netherlands | EAW 51
Petra Vlasblom is a Dutch horse behavior specialist based in the Netherlands, founder of 2Moons, and one of Europe's most sought-after trainers for problem horses — particularly in the high-stakes world of elite sport horses. She came to the profession not through a traditional equestrian route, but as a former graphic designer from the city who fell in love with an "unrideable" horse that nobody else could manage, and whose path to becoming a professional was shaped as much by personal crisis as by equine knowledge.What makes Petra's story and her work unusual is the degree to which her own life has mirrored the horses she works with. Her first horse, Two Moons — still alive today — broke her arm, dislocated her hip, and ultimately catalyzed years of deep personal work. A later riding accident broke her neck and forced a four-month recovery period that fundamentally changed how she listens: not with her head, not with her heart, but with her gut. That shift is now at the core of everything she teaches.In this conversation, Rupert and Petra cover the full arc of her journey — from a childhood with no horses and a career in graphic design, to buying an impossible horse on a whim in Belgium, to running a professional school for horse behavior in France, to the neck injury that changed everything. They go deep on her methods for trailer loading, her framework for reading horse body language at the moment of decision, her "software install" philosophy for training both horse and owner, and what she believes all therapeutic equine programs need to address around herd dynamics and horse wellbeing. The conversation closes with a shared invitation: Petra and Rupert will be running a joint workshop in the Netherlands in June 2026 — details at https://longridehome.com/events.If you want to support the show, you can do so at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/LongRideHome🔍 What You'll Learn in This Episode How a horse that no professional trainer could ride became the catalyst for Petra's entire career — and what that says about the horses that come to therapeutic programs as "donations"Why Petra distinguishes between listening to the heart versus listening to the gut — and why the gut is the more reliable guide for both horse and human practitionersHow to read the precise moment a horse is making a mental decision during trailer loading: what to look for in the eyes, ears and head carriage, and why forcing that moment produces a dangerous animal in transitWhy Petra's trailer loading method involves letting the horse exit freely after going in voluntarily — and how this counterintuitive step produces lasting compliance versus temporary complianceHow the "software install" metaphor helps owners understand why training the horse without training the owner always fails — and how Petra uses this framing to set up her client education eveningsWhat the rehab of a problem horse offers as its own form of therapy — for people returning from military service, abuse, or chronic anxiety — and why Rupert's programs use prospective therapy horse rehabilitation as a standalone treatment modalityWhy the chronic use of stabled horses in therapeutic settings creates specific stress and behavioral problems, and what practical solutions — including "crazy time" and companion animals — can address these without large financial outlayHow Petra's approach differs from classical natural horsemanship in one key respect: the horse is not asked to make the wrong thing harder, but to make a genuine, uncoerced choiceWhat a broken neck, a dislocated hip, and a broken arm taught Petra about the difference between professional obligation and gut instinct — and how running on exhaustion impairs even experienced practitioners' ability to read horses accuratelyWhy Petra now requires all horse owners to attend a three-hour education evening before she will train their horse — and what changed in her success rate when she introduced that conditionHow self-disconnection — particularly through overwork and screen-based living — undermines a handler's ability to connect with a horse, and what both Rupert and Petra suggest as entry-level solutions for practitioners facing this🎤 Memorable Moments from the Episode[00:01:00] Rupert introduces Petra — the Dutch problem-horse specialist he first saw in action with a nervous horse at one of his retreats[00:06:10] Petra describes the moment she saw Two Moons in Belgium: eight years old, "very dangerous, very untrainable" — and fell in love immediately[00:11:00] "I thought with my love, everything will be okay" — Petra on what happened next, and why she spent a lot of time in hospitals[00:15:06] The big accident: Petra describes breaking her neck after seven weeks of back-to-back teaching, arriving exhausted, and ignoring her gut[00:38:03] The
- Mar 19, 20261h 53m
Urban Horses, Hidden Access & Equine Therapy in the City | Lucy Dillon of ChildVision Dublin | EAW 50
In this episode of Equine Assisted World, Rupert Isaacson speaks with Lucy Dillon, who runs the equine unit at ChildVision in Drumcondra — right in the center of Dublin, Ireland.ChildVision (formerly St. Joseph’s School for the Blind) provides services for children and young people with visual impairments and complex needs. Unlike most equine‑assisted programs located in rural areas, Lucy’s program operates in the middle of a major city — serving populations who would otherwise have little or no access to horses.Lucy shares the realities of running an urban equine therapy program: balancing horse welfare with limited space, designing programs for children with visual impairment and multiple disabilities, and maintaining high standards of horsemanship within a therapeutic setting.The conversation explores Lucy’s path through traditional British horse training, riding schools, equine education, and professional qualifications before transitioning into therapeutic work. She discusses how the structure and discipline of classical horsemanship become essential foundations for safe and effective equine‑assisted programs.Together, Rupert and Lucy examine how horses support children with sensory and neurological challenges, how urban equine programs can remain sustainable, and why good horsemanship remains the backbone of any meaningful therapeutic practice.If you want to support the show, you can do so at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/LongRideHome🔍 What You’ll Learn in This EpisodeHow Lucy Dillon built and now leads the equine unit at ChildVision in DublinWhat makes an urban equine therapy program fundamentally different from rural centersHow children with visual impairments experience horses and equine environmentsWhy horses can support sensory integration and body awareness in visually impaired ridersHow to design equine programs for children with multiple disabilities and complex needsWhy strong horsemanship foundations are essential in therapeutic ridingHow Lucy’s background in traditional British riding schools shaped her approach to therapy workThe importance of horse welfare when programs run in limited urban spaceHow urban programs provide access for communities who would otherwise never encounter horsesWhy therapeutic programs must balance clinical needs with genuine horse knowledgeHow equine units operate within larger educational and medical institutionsThe daily logistical realities of maintaining horses in a city environmentWhy joy, fun, and relationship with the horse remain central to therapeutic outcomes🎤 Memorable Moments from the Episode[00:00:44] Introducing Lucy Dillon and the ChildVision equine unit in central Dublin[00:05:31] Lucy’s early path through British horse training and equine education[00:13:04] Working in traditional riding yards before moving toward therapy work[00:22:40] How horses help children with visual impairments experience movement and space[00:34:10] Designing equine programs for children with multiple disabilities[00:46:18] Why strong horsemanship matters inside therapeutic riding programs[01:02:14] Managing horse welfare and logistics inside a city‑based equine facility[01:15:22] The realities of maintaining horses for therapy in a dense urban environment[01:32:40] Why access to horses matters for children growing up in cities[01:47:12] What makes equine‑assisted work sustainable over the long term📚 Contact, Projects, and Resources MentionedLucy Dillon – ChildVision Equine Unit (Dublin) Search: Lucy Dillon ChildVision Dublin https://childvision.ie/what-we-do/equine-assisted-activities/New Trails Learning Systems – Horse Boy Method, Movement Method & Takhin Equine Integration https://ntls.coRupert Isaacson / Long Ride Home https://rupertisaacson.comPatreon Support https://www.patreon.com/LongRideHome🌍 Follow UsLong Ride Home https://longridehome.com https://facebook.com/longridehome.lrh https://instagram.com/longridehome_lrh https://youtube.com/@longridehomeNew Trails Learning Systems https://ntls.co https://facebook.com/horseboyworld https://instagram.com/horseboyworld https://youtube.com/newtrailslearningsystems📊 Affiliate DisclosureLinks to books and products may include affiliate tracking. We may earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the show.
- Feb 26, 20262h 13m
Grief, Horses & the Sacred Present: Love, Loss and Resilience with Karla Brahms | Equine Assisted World 49
In this deeply personal and wide‑ranging episode of Equine Assisted World, Rupert Isaacson speaks with longtime colleague and friend Karla Brahms of Wellenreiter in the Odenwald, Germany — a region steeped in myth, forest, and living horse culture.What begins as a conversation about equine‑assisted practice unfolds into an intimate exploration of grief, love, resilience, and the sacred role horses play in helping humans navigate life’s darkest passages.Karla shares her evolution from decades of forest‑based therapeutic riding with children into her current work integrating NIG (Neuro‑Imaginative Gestalt) constellation methods with horses. Through spontaneous drawing, embodied awareness, and equine presence, she helps clients access inner wisdom beyond intellectual processing.The conversation then turns to the death of her husband, musician Jan, and the profound grief that followed. Karla speaks openly about ritual, laying out the body at home, identity loss, and how horses — through presence, warmth, and simple being — helped her remain anchored in the present.This episode explores what modern culture has lost around death and ceremony — and how horses may help us reclaim a more honest, embodied relationship with grief.If you want to support the show, you can do so at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/LongRideHome🔍 What You’ll Learn in This EpisodeHow Karla integrates forest‑based horsemanship with therapeutic workWhat NIG (Neuro‑Imaginative Gestalt) is and how drawing with the non‑dominant hand accesses embodied insightHow horses interact during constellation processes and reflect emotional statesWhy standing on symbolic drawings creates somatic awareness and shifts perspectiveThe role of the “meta position” and third‑person dialogue in therapeutic workHow horses respond to grief, exhaustion, and emotional truth in clientsWhy allowing horses to say “no” builds deeper reliability and trustHow herd stability, lifestyle, and environment influence therapeutic safetyWhat grief does to identity — and why losing a partner means losing the “we” as wellWhy ritual, washing and laying out the body, and conscious farewell matterHow animals help regulate grief through presence and daily responsibilityWhy grief is not only about death, but also about identity shifts, diagnosis, relocation, and life transitionsHow creative acts (like knitting, drawing, or movement) can become grief ritualsWhy asking “why” is less helpful than learning to trust the unfolding🎤 Memorable Moments from the Episode[00:00:44] Introducing Karla Brahms and the magical forest setting of the Odenwald[00:05:20] “Follow the child” — why forest‑based work restores nervous systems[00:09:58] Discovering constellation work and integrating horses into NIG practice[00:18:50] A yawning horse reveals hidden exhaustion in a client[00:27:39] “They’re not only carrying our bodies — they’re carrying our souls.”[00:43:00] The importance of solid horsemanship behind therapeutic freedom[00:53:38] When horses leave the herd — and how grief changes equine behavior[01:11:00] Jan’s passing and the sacred act of laying out the body at home[01:16:40] Losing the “we” — identity shifts in widowhood[01:27:00] The taboo of grief in modern culture[01:55:25] Knitting as ritual — creating a seven‑meter “snail shell” through grief[02:04:25] Letting go of “why” and choosing trust instead[02:10:23] Celebrating love and life through the annual forest reggae gathering📚 Contact, Projects, and Resources MentionedKarla Brahms – Wellenreiter (Odenwald, Germany) Search: Karla Brahms Wellenreiter https://wellenreiter.deNew Trails Learning Systems – Horse Boy Method, Movement Method & Takhin Equine Integration https://ntls.coRupert Isaacson / Long Ride Home https://rupertisaacson.comPatreon Support https://www.patreon.com/LongRideHome🌍 Follow UsLong Ride Home https://longridehome.com https://facebook.com/longridehome.lrh https://instagram.com/longridehome_lrh https://youtube.com/@longridehomeNew Trails Learning Systems https://ntls.co https://facebook.com/horseboyworld https://instagram.com/horseboyworld https://youtube.com/newtrailslearningsystems📊 Affiliate DisclosureLinks to books and products may include affiliate tracking. We may earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the show.
- Feb 12, 20261h 59m
Rescue as Relationship: Horses, Trauma & Second Chances with Christine Doran | Equine Assisted World Ep 48
In this grounded and deeply moving episode of Equine Assisted World, Rupert Isaacson speaks with Christine Doran, founder of Triple H Ranch in the Chicago area — a rare ecosystem that combines a full‑scale horse rescue with equine‑assisted work for humans.Christine shares how her path into this work began as a teenager through a moment of spiritual clarity, and how that calling evolved into more than two decades of frontline work with abused, neglected, and discarded horses. Rather than separating rescue from therapy, Christine describes an integrated model where horses are not “fixed and then used,” but supported as whole beings whose own healing journey becomes part of the therapeutic relationship.Together, Rupert and Christine explore what it means to witness suffering without becoming hardened, how faith, humility, and structure play a role in sustainable rescue work, and why some of the deepest lessons in equine‑assisted practice come from horses with the hardest pasts.This episode is an honest look at abuse that still exists in modern America, the quiet heroism of long‑term rescue work, and the possibility of creating true second chances — for horses and for people.If you want to support the show, you can do so at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/LongRideHome🔍 What You’ll Learn in This EpisodeHow Christine’s calling into equine‑assisted work began at age sixteenWhy Triple H Ranch combines horse rescue with therapeutic programmingWhat real horse neglect and abuse still look like in the U.S. todayHow rehabilitating horses and humans can be part of the same ecosystemWhy patience, time, and humility are essential in rescue‑based programsHow faith and purpose sustain long‑term frontline animal welfare workWhat horses with traumatic pasts can teach practitioners about trustThe ethical responsibilities involved in turning rescued horses into partners 🎤 Memorable Moments from the Episode[00:00:44] Rupert introduces Christine and the rescue‑plus‑therapy model of Triple H Ranch[00:02:14] Christine recounts asking for a “large flashing sign” about her life’s purpose[00:03:16] Discovering how horses were used to help heal troubled youth[00:55:00] Faith, calling, and what sustains people in long‑term rescue work[01:03:01] Why true rescue means changing systems — not just saving individual horses[01:11:54] Facing real abuse and neglect without becoming numb or hardened[01:28:14] The cumulative toll of neglect — and why it’s still hidden in plain sight[01:41:44] Burnout, moral injury, and the cost of witnessing suffering over decades[01:59:00] What “second chances” actually require — for horses and for humans📚 Contact, Projects, and Resources MentionedTriple H Ranch (Chicago area): https://www.hhhranchil.org/New Trails Learning Systems – Horse Boy Method, Movement Method & Takhin Equine Integration https://ntls.coRupert Isaacson / Long Ride Home https://rupertisaacson.com🌍 Follow UsLong Ride Home https://longridehome.com https://facebook.com/longridehome.lrh https://instagram.com/longridehome_lrh https://youtube.com/@longridehomeNew Trails Learning Systems https://ntls.co https://facebook.com/horseboyworld https://instagram.com/horseboyworld https://youtube.com/newtrailslearningsystems📊 Affiliate DisclosureLinks to books and products may include affiliate tracking. We may earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the show.
- Jan 29, 20261h 54m
Creating New Stories Together: Horses, Grief, Theater & Belonging with Betsy Kahl | EP 47
What if the core of equine‑assisted work isn’t a method, a certification, or a discipline — but the shared act of creating a new story together?In this wide‑ranging and deeply human conversation, Rupert Isaacson speaks with Betsy Kahl — senior PATH instructor, social worker, horsewoman, and long‑time collaborator in the Horse Boy and Takhin Equine Integration work. Drawing on decades of experience across therapeutic riding, classical dressage, social work, and the performing arts, Betsy reflects on where equine‑assisted practice has come from, where it is now, and where it may need to go next.Together, Rupert and Betsy explore the often‑unspoken layers beneath equine‑assisted work: grief and loss, belonging and exclusion, the tension between mainstream systems and lived wisdom, and the role horses play in helping humans keep moving when life threatens to stall. From theater arts and role‑playing to adaptive riding, veterans’ work, and the quiet intelligence of in‑hand training, this episode weaves together disciplines that are too often kept apart.Rather than arguing for a single approach, this conversation invites practitioners, riders, and listeners to reflect on what unites all good equine work — care for the horse’s wellbeing, respect for individual capacity, and the courage to remain present in uncertainty. It is a dialogue about humility, creativity, and the radical idea that healing — for horses and humans alike — is relational.If you work with horses and people, or if horses have helped you navigate grief, transition, or identity, this episode offers both grounding and challenge.If you want to support the show, you can do so at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/LongRideHome🔍 What You’ll Learn in This EpisodeHow therapeutic riding, classical dressage, social work, and theater intersect in equine‑assisted practiceWhy horses help humans move through grief without getting stuck in the pastHow theater arts and role‑play create safe containers for emotional processingWhat it means to “create a new story together” in equine‑assisted workWhy horse welfare is foundational to human safety and healingHow loss — of people, horses, or dreams — shapes equine relationshipsThe difference between siloed systems and integrated horse culturesWhy belonging matters for practitioners as much as for participantsHow in‑hand work can remain a lifelong anchor when riding changesWhat equine‑assisted fields can learn from humility, improvisation, and presence🎤 Memorable Moments from the Episode[00:02:51] Betsy introduces her background bridging PATH, dressage, and social work[00:07:02] Growing up with horses who taught lessons, jumped, and worked in adaptive programs[00:12:37] From theater arts to social work: learning to listen, respond, and stay present[00:22:37] Shakespeare, non‑speaking students, and performance as a safe container[00:31:00] The arena as a stage — and why presence matters more than perfection[00:39:02] Creating new stories together across disciplines and populations[00:48:50] Veterans, classical systems, and horses as co‑creators[01:09:00] Equine welfare as the shared ground beneath all methods[01:25:00] Grief, aging horses, and continuing the story when things change[01:34:00] Why horses help humans keep moving through loss[01:36:00] Belonging, inclusion, and the future of equine‑assisted work📚 Contact, Projects, and Resources MentionedBetsy Kahl – Wonder Horse Ranch Email: betsy@wonderhorseranch.orgNew Trails Learning Systems – Horse Boy Method, Movement Method & Takhin Equine Integration https://ntls.coRupert Isaacson / Long Ride Home https://rupertisaacson.com🌍 Follow UsLong Ride Home https://longridehome.com https://facebook.com/longridehome.lrh https://instagram.com/longridehome_lrh https://youtube.com/@longridehomeNew Trails Learning Systems https://ntls.co https://facebook.com/horseboyworld https://instagram.com/horseboyworld https://youtube.com/newtrailslearningsystems📊 Affiliate DisclosureLinks to books and products may include affiliate tracking. We may earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the show.
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About Equine Assisted World with Rupert Isaacson
Here on Equine Assisted World. We look at the cutting edge and the best practices currently being developed and, established in the equine assisted field. This can be psychological, this can be neuropsych, this can be physical, this can be all of the conditions that human beings have that these lovely equines, these beautiful horses that we work with, help us with.Your Host is New York Times bestselling author Rupert Isaacson. Long time human rights activist, Rupert helped a group of Bushmen in the Kalahari fight for their ancestral lands. He's probably best known for his autism advocacy work following the publication of his bestselling book "The Horse Boy" and "The Long Ride Home" where he tells the story of finding healing for his autistic son. Subsequently he founded New Trails Learning Systems an approach for addressing neuro-psychiatric conditions through horses, movement and nature. The methods are now used around the world in therapeutic riding program, therapy offices and sch
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