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✨  “The principal thing is love, passion, love, passion and passion and love.” – Luis Valença ✨ “The first thing is to communicate with the horse, and for the horse to accept you.” – Luis Valença  ✨ “It’s not gymnastics.” / “Our work is like music. It’s the same as listening to Chopin or Beethoven.” – Luis Valença ✨ “I have the same enthusiasm because I love life, I love the horses, I love the family.” – Luis Valença  ✨ “Never take the personality from the horse.” – Luis Valença Rupert Isaacson welcomes Mestre Luis Valença of Lisbon, whom he calls a living legend, a national treasure and the greatest living exponent of equestrian art, together with his daughter Sofia. Luis describes his method as a connection between human and horse built on love, comparable to the way we communicate with our children, and traces it back through his three masters: his godfather Fernando Ralão, Cunha Menezes (a Baucherist), and Nuno Oliveira. The conversation explores what the word dressage truly means (to dress the horse so he feels soft and good in his own body), the comparison of the work to music like Chopin and Beethoven, and how older, arthritic or traumatized horses are given back their trust and often rejuvenated. Sofia and Rupert also discuss the simplicity and flexibility of the method, learning to read the student in front of you, the contrast with competition dressage, and why the Valença family's inclusive, tribal approach sends people home with real tools. A rich, story-filled conversation with a family at the heart of classical equestrian tradition. FREE Helios Harmony Intro Course: https://longridehome.com/onoutpout What You'll Learn in This Episode 00:02:37 – Luis describes his method as a connection between human and horse, built on love and the same communication we use with children. 00:07:47 – How the method works for young horses and old ones alike, clearing negative memories and rebuilding trust before any work begins. 00:11:08 – Luis introduces his three masters and what each gave him, from his godfather's farm to Cunha Menezes and Nuno Oliveira. 00:25:10 – Rupert asks what dressage really means, and Luis explains "to dress" the horse as something soft, like music. 00:29:31 – Sofia explains dressage as helping the horse feel good in his own skin, and why the joy should begin the moment he enters the arena. 00:32:16 – Luis shares how he adapted a session for a horse showing back pain, staying with what worked without force. 00:48:15 – Sofia describes what a method really is and why the most important skill is learning to read the student in front of you. 00:50:12 – Rupert recalls Luis's sequence of lunging, in-hand work and the laterals that grow into piaffe and passage. 01:02:48 – Luis explains why you must never take away a horse's personality and how each horse has its own specialty. 01:35:38 – Luis and Sofia share their parting thoughts: love and passion, and learning to listen to what your horse is saying. Memorable Moments from the Episode 00:18:17 – Luis recalls receiving lessons from the ailing Cunha Menezes, who taught him from a chair with two reins and a spoon in his hand. 00:20:30 – Nuno Oliveira phones Luis's mother after watching him ride and invites him to begin working with him. 00:38:31 – Nuno chooses the "worst" horse from a group of Russian youngsters, Bunker, to prove his method could solve it. 01:16:47 – The story of a polo player's horse that fought its strong-handed owner and then opened up for a rider it trusted. 01:37:21 – Luis explains his habit of giving a carrot or sugar at the start and end of each lesson as discipline without force. Guest Contact & Links Valença Equestrian Academy: https://valencaequestrianacademy.com Social media: Valença Classical Riding and Sofia Valençahttps://www.facebook.com/ValencaEquestrianTours/https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100069242888414 About Luis & Sofia Valença Mestre Luis Valença, introduced by Rupert as the living master of equestrian art, lives in Lisbon, where he has practiced and taught equestrian art for decades, keeping a stable of school master horses that he and his family have prepared themselves. His approach centers on love, passion and a soft, communicative way of working that respects each horse's personality, drawing on the old masters, including Baucher and Nuno Oliveira. His daughter Sofia teaches the method in around 40 countries and helps people learn to read their horse and apply it with a simple language. Their work is relevant to anyone who wants joy and softness in their riding, and you can find them at valencaequestrianacademy.com. See All of Rupert's Programs and Shows: Website: https://rupertisaacson.com Follow Us: Long Ride Home Website: https://longridehome.com Facebook: https://facebook.com/longridehome.lrh Instagram: https://instagram.com/longridehome_lrh YouTube: https://youtube.com/@longridehome New Trails Learning Systems Website: https://ntls.co Facebook: https://facebook.com/horseboyworld Instagram: https://instagram.com/horseboyworld YouTube: https://youtube.com/newtrailslearningsystems Affiliate Disclosure: Links 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.

✨ "For me, competition has always been real feedback, not what I think is good." – Sinead Maynard ✨ "There's nothing about me that's gonna make you do this. You gotta love it, and we gotta love it together." – Sinead Maynard Sinead Halpin Maynard was born in Fort Worth, Texas, to Irish immigrant parents and grew up in South Carolina, where she stumbled into eventing via a hunter-jumper barn that didn't approve of her mother's black saddle. At 15 she drove herself to Middleburg, Virginia, as a working student, went on to train with David and Karen O'Connor, and after losing a horse on course, moved to England to ride for William Fox-Pitt. On the French-bred Manoir de Carneville ("Tate"), she finished third at her first five-star at 30, was first reserve for the London 2012 Olympics and rode on the US team at the 2014 World Championships in Normandy. Today she and her husband, Tik Maynard, run their farm in Florida, teach clinics, and Sinead commentates on top-level eventing and serves as a US team selector. Rupert and Sinead talk candidly about the money and hustle behind a competitive career, why she still loves competing, and how she uses competition as honest feedback on her partnership with the horse. They explore sports psychology and narrow-versus-broad focus, whether riders have the right to ask horses to compete at all, and the difference between training from fear and training from play. Sinead explains retreat and approach, why she'll swap a bigger bit for a rope halter, how rider selection now weighs horse welfare, and why fitness and varied terrain are the foundation of a sound, happy horse. A frank, funny and wide-ranging conversation between two eventers at heart. FREE Helios Harmony Intro Course: https://longridehome.com/onoutpout What You'll Learn in This Episode 00:03:19 – Why eventing's camaraderie comes from competing against the track and your own preparation, not other riders 00:17:59 – The honest truth about money, sponsorship and getting a "leg up" in upper-level horse sport 00:37:58 – William Fox-Pitt's two pieces of advice: go five-star by 30, and don't let anyone change a horse's natural style 00:52:15 – Why Sinead competes: taking the relationship out under pressure to find the flaws you can't see at home 00:56:00 – Narrow focus, broad focus and visualization: the sports psychology that turned fear into a skill set 01:06:07 – Do we have the right to ask horses to compete? Matching the horse to the job and calling it when it isn't a fit 01:09:26 – Fear versus love, the role of play, and how skill sets and familiarity make room for joy 01:17:42 – Why "tough it out" training fails, and how retreat and approach builds a horse's confidence in you 01:34:36 – How to watch a top-level horse: expression, balance and why independent balance means safety 01:45:20 – Fitness as the foundation of welfare: varied terrain, interval work and heart rate monitoring Memorable Moments from the Episode 00:19:33 – Karen O'Connor tears up Sinead's lesson check; years later she pays David with her first big prize money 00:33:04 – Sinead takes a 30-quid ferry to France to see a "skinny and ugly" horse who becomes her five-star partner 00:36:00 – Days after arriving at William Fox-Pitt's, a surprise pony provokes Tate into kicking through a metal door 00:55:32 – David O'Connor's "one jump at a time" gets a terrified Sinead around the course after breaking her femur 01:38:00 – An Italian rider jumps off his horse one fence from home at the World Championships because something feels wrong Guest Contact & Links Copperline Equestrian (Sinead & Tik Maynard): https://www.copperlineequestrian.com About Sinead Maynard Sinead Halpin Maynard is a five-star event rider who represented the US at the 2014 World Championships and was first reserve for the London 2012 Olympics with Manoir de Carneville. She learned her trade as a working student in Middleburg, with David and Karen O'Connor and as a rider for William Fox-Pitt in England. Now based in Florida with her husband, Tik Maynard, she combines competition with a horse-first approach built on retreat and approach, play and honest feedback. She teaches clinics, commentates on top-level eventing and serves as a US eventing team selector. See All of Rupert's Programs and Shows: Website: https://rupertisaacson.com Follow Us: Long Ride Home Website: https://longridehome.com Facebook: https://facebook.com/longridehome.lrh Instagram: https://instagram.com/longridehome_lrh YouTube: https://youtube.com/@longridehome New Trails Learning Systems Website: https://ntls.co Facebook: https://facebook.com/horseboyworld Instagram: https://instagram.com/horseboyworld YouTube: https://youtube.com/newtrailslearningsystems Affiliate Disclosure: Links 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.

✨ "Dressage should be for the horse — the horse should not be for dressage." – Mark Russell, quoted by Patrick King ✨ "Speed is the enemy of balance." – Patrick King Patrick King is a classical dressage trainer based in Lexington, Virginia, who came up through Western horsemanship — 4-H as a kid, an apprenticeship with legendary colt-starter Ray Hunt, then mentorship from the late Mark Russell before he found his way, like Rupert, to Luis Valença and the Portuguese school. He's since studied with Charles de Kunffy and Bettina Drummond, earned bronze and silver dressage medals, and now teaches through his online Academy for Classical Horsemanship and clinics from his farm. He and Rupert trace how diagonal balance actually works and why the word "driving aids" gets lost in translation from the German, why competition pressure changes how horses and riders move, and how Western pleasure and saddle seat drifted from practical function into pure fashion. Patrick also walks through his simplest test for good training — could the horse explain to its paddock mates what you just asked of it — and why he stops mid-exercise to wait for a full diaphragmatic breath before asking a horse to go forward. It's a wide-ranging, technically rich conversation between two horsemen who share a mentor but arrived from opposite directions — and it's only part one. They run out of time before finishing, so a follow-up conversation is coming. FREE Helios Harmony Intro Course: https://longridehome.com/onoutpout All Books Mentioned: https://longridehome.com/books What You'll Learn in This Episode 00:01:50 – A shared mentor, Luis Valença, connects two very different paths into classical horsemanship 00:04:21 – Patrick's apprenticeship with Western horseman Ray Hunt and learning to "get to the mind through the feet" 00:08:29 – Mentor Mark Russell's insight that the feet are an extension of the spine 00:19:49 – The real difference between submission and relaxation in horse training 00:34:28 – Mark Russell's guiding principle that dressage should serve the horse, not the other way around 00:45:00 – Training the test versus testing the training, and how competition pressure changes the ride 01:23:06 – Diagonalization explained: how horses balance on diagonal leg pairs, and what that means for every transition 01:31:18 – Luis Valença's "position, balance, execute," and why "prepare, don't repair" beats fixing a movement mid-stride 01:36:36 – The "driving aids" mistranslation from German, and the physical, mental, and emotional dimensions of the half halt 01:54:37 – Why "is my horse breathing?" might be the most overlooked question in training Memorable Moments from the Episode 00:13:44 – Patrick's story of an abusively trained Western pleasure horse that once cornered him in a stall as a teenager 00:27:38 – Rupert's breakdown of dopamine, serotonin, endorphins, and oxytocin, and why riding this way feels so good 01:06:52 – The surprising history of dressage as a European import tied to wealth and status 02:01:00 – Two hours fly by, and Rupert and Patrick agree on the spot to record a part two Guest Contact & Links https://pkhorsemanship.com https://academyforclassicalhorsemanship.com About Patrick King Patrick King is a classical dressage trainer based near the Blue Ridge Mountains in Lexington, Virginia. He grew up riding a wide range of breeds in Western Pennsylvania, apprenticed with Western horseman Ray Hunt, and was later mentored by the late Mark Russell before training with Luis Valença in Portugal and riding as a guest student at Spain's Royal School. He teaches a busy clinic schedule, competes occasionally — earning bronze and silver dressage medals with encouragement from Charles de Kunffy — and runs an online Academy for Classical Horsemanship with monthly live lectures. His approach blends the Western horsemanship principle of "getting to the mind through the feet" with classical dressage biomechanics, with a particular focus on balance, breath, and treating the horse as an active participant in training. Website: pkhorsemanship.com. 🐎 Want to go deeper? Join the Long Ride Home membership — weekly live sessions, exclusive content, and a community of riders seeking real connection with their horses. 👉 https://longridehome.com — just $24.95/month See All of Rupert's Programs and Shows: Website: https://rupertisaacson.com Follow Us: Long Ride Home Website: https://longridehome.com Facebook: https://facebook.com/longridehome.lrh Instagram: https://instagram.com/longridehome_lrh YouTube: https://youtube.com/@longridehome New Trails Learning Systems Website: https://ntls.co Facebook: https://facebook.com/horseboyworld Instagram: https://instagram.com/horseboyworld YouTube: https://youtube.com/newtrailslearningsystems Affiliate Disclosure: Links 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. academyforclassicalhorsemanship.com

✨ "You do it by offering before you ask, connection before direction." – Jenifer Zeligs ✨ "Look with appreciation. Look with delight. Look with interest. Look with curiosity." – Jenifer Zeligs Jenifer Zeligs has spent her life reading animals of every kind, from cheetahs and wolves to sea lions and horses. She started at the National Zoo at nine years old, mentored by exotic animal trainer Casey Cover, and went on to a career that helped shape modern liberty horse training. She is also the person that legendary horse trainer David Lichman credits with the "come bearing gifts" philosophy that underpins his own work. The conversation ranges across the two foundational techniques of animal training, why prevention beats correction in a crisis, and the true story of training sea lions to film humpback whales in the open ocean. Jenifer and Rupert also explore how a childhood horse allergy set her on this path, why individual variation matters more than breed or species, and how her practice as a Buddhist has shaped the way she teaches fearlessness and calm to horses. A wide-ranging, generous conversation between two people who have spent decades thinking about what animals need from us. FREE Helios Harmony Intro Course: https://longridehome.com/onoutpout All Books Mentioned: https://longridehome.com/books What You'll Learn in This Episode 00:04:23 – How a childhood horse allergy led Jenifer into a lifelong career as an animal behaviorist 00:10:18 – The two foundational techniques of bridging (reward markers) and targeting that changed how she trains any species 00:14:13 – The "come bearing gifts" principle: offering trust before ever asking for anything in return 00:35:42 – What actually makes you a safe space for an animal, and what makes you unsafe 00:41:31 – Systematic desensitization, and why announcing your intentions changes everything 00:52:15 – The difference between behavioral and environmental enrichment, and why horses are missing out 00:56:00 – Why consistency matters for communication but variety matters for motivation 01:09:19 – The extraordinary story of training sea lions to film whales in the open ocean 01:28:00 – "Contra freeloading," and why animals (and humans) are wired to want to work for things 02:08:24 – Teaching a horse to find calm through a simple "head down" cue Memorable Moments from the Episode 00:14:43 – Jenifer describes conditioning trust with cheetahs, mountain lions, and wolves through patient, positive interactions from behind a safety barrier 01:14:43 – A sea lion caught between orcas and open water swims 20 miles home, then leaps into the boat exhausted 01:40:18 – Jenifer's reminder that the best trainers "don't get into the crash" in the first place 02:10:00 – The story of the notoriously aggressive horse David Litchman connected her with, and how a new paradigm transformed him 02:15:00 – Rupert traces the story of the Buddha's own horse, Kantaka, and its place in Buddhist legend Guest Contact & Links animaltraining.usBooks: Animal Training 101: The Complete and Practical Guide to the Art and Science of Behavior Modification https://amzn.to/3UA43YZMindful Partners: The Zen Art and Science of Working with Animals https://amzn.to/4xM2KVw About Jenifer Zeligs Jenifer Zeligs is an animal behaviorist, psychologist, and author who has spent decades working with species ranging from horses and dogs to cheetahs, wolves, and sea lions. She began her training career at the National Zoo at nine years old, mentored by exotic animal trainer Casey Cover, and later became a foundational influence on liberty horse trainer David Lichman, who credits her "come bearing gifts" philosophy as central to his own approach. She is the author of Animal Training 101 and Mindful Partners: The Zen Art and Science of Working with Animals, and teaches online courses at animaltraining.us. Now based in Oxford, England, she brings together decades of hands-on behavioral science with a practicing Buddhist's approach to trust, safety, and fearlessness. See All of Rupert's Programs and Shows: Website: https://rupertisaacson.com Follow Us: Long Ride Home Website: https://longridehome.com Facebook: https://facebook.com/longridehome.lrh Instagram: https://instagram.com/longridehome_lrh YouTube: https://youtube.com/@longridehome New Trails Learning Systems Website: https://ntls.co Facebook: https://facebook.com/horseboyworld Instagram: https://instagram.com/horseboyworld YouTube: https://youtube.com/newtrailslearningsystems Affiliate Disclosure: Links 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.

✨ "I think love is just not blocking out your connectedness to anything else." – Warwick Schiller ✨ "The same action with a different intention has a different energetic signature." – Warwick Schiller Warwick Schiller joins Rupert Isaacson for a wide-ranging conversation on altered states of consciousness in horsemanship, a subject the two first began exploring together on Warwick's own podcast. Rupert opens with the story of his son Rowan's healing ceremony with Kuku Yalanji shamans in Australia's Daintree Rainforest, and the two trace the theme from there into what "consent" and so-called horse slapping actually look like through a horse's nervous system. From there the conversation moves through the deep history of horse worship, from the goddess Epona and Xenophon's writings to Roman cavalry rituals and Mongolian shamanism, and lands on a central idea both men keep circling back to: that intention itself changes the energy, or as Warwick puts it, the "energetic signature," of any action, whether that's patting a horse, backing one up, or riding into battle. A wide-ranging, unhurried conversation that moves from hardware stores and rodeo bulls to henbane, King Arthur, and a closing reading from the Hadith. What You'll Learn in This Episode 00:00:36 – Rupert opens the episode by introducing the theme of altered states of consciousness in horsemanship 00:05:24 – Rupert recounts his son Rowan's healing ceremony with Kuku Yalanji shamans in the Daintree Rainforest 00:11:03 – Warwick unpacks consent, "horse slapping," and what it means to actually be present with a horse 00:24:13 – Why Warwick loses all sense of time while running clinics, and what that says about altered states 00:38:38 – A journey through the ancient history of horse worship, from Epona and Xenophon to Roman cavalry and Mongolian shamanism 00:44:49 – What it might look like to bring ritual and reverence back into everyday training 01:09:20 – Warwick on his real job as a teacher: "busting" people's long-held truths 01:27:00 – The henbane story, and how intention changes the "energetic signature" of an action 01:41:00 – How a Horse Boy fox hunt became a bloodless, inclusive tradition for kids with special needs and refugee children 01:51:24 – Ancient horse divination rituals from the Baltic to Rajasthan, and the Hadith reading that closes the episode Memorable Moments from the Episode 00:56:21 – Warwick's story about trying to buy "starter cord" from a bemused hardware store clerk 01:01:14 – Rupert admits he prays before every clinic or talk, weaving together Christian and Germanic horse-god iconography 01:28:56 – The Elizabeth Gilbert and Raya story: the same purse-saving gesture, told twice, with two very different meanings behind it 01:57:15 – Warwick closes with a line from the Hadith that, as he puts it, ties the whole conversation together 01:59:24 – Rupert describes something "coming out of the cliff" and speaking to him during a retreat in Sweden Warwick Schiller https://warwickschiller.com Journey On Podcast Warwick's own podcast, referenced throughout the conversation as the place he and Rupert first began discussing these ideas See All of Rupert's Programs and Shows: Website: https://rupertisaacson.com Follow Us: Long Ride Home Website: https://longridehome.com Facebook: https://facebook.com/longridehome.lrh Instagram: https://instagram.com/longridehome_lrh YouTube: https://youtube.com/@longridehome New Trails Learning Systems Website: https://ntls.co Facebook: https://facebook.com/horseboyworld Instagram: https://instagram.com/horseboyworld YouTube: https://youtube.com/newtrailslearningsystems Affiliate Disclosure: Links 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.

✨ "Everyone knows that the conqueror writes his story." – Louis Hook ✨ "I stood up. I told my son, 'That's not true.' And from there, I started a research path." – Louis Hook Louis Hook is a founding member of the Compton Cowboys, the decades-old therapeutic riding program based in Compton, Los Angeles, and previously featured on Rupert's Equine Assisted World podcast. He carries an MIT PhD program background and a Harvard Business School education, and for the last several years has redirected that analytical training toward an independent research project: documenting the African cavalry traditions written out of mainstream history. The catalyst was watching the film The Woman King and being stunned to see a Black cavalry on screen — a moment that sent him down a research path he is still on today. Rupert brings his own family history into the conversation, including a 19th-century surcoat, chain mail, and sword taken from a Mahdist cavalryman at the Battle of Omdurman by his ancestor, George Spotswood Sparks. Together they trace the arc of African equestrian power — the Moors' 800-year hold on southern Spain, Mansa Musa's cavalry-protected gold empire in Mali, the Kanem-Bornu Empire and Sokoto Caliphate, and the horse cultures of the Sahel that, as Rupert notes, never went away and still produce true Barb horses in Senegal today. From there the conversation moves to the American side of the story — the "brain drain" model of slavery that targeted skilled horsemen, blacksmiths, and rice farmers, and the land-grant gated-horse tradition of East Texas that Rupert witnessed firsthand. A wide-ranging, deeply researched conversation. FREE Helios Harmony Intro Course: https://longridehome.com/onoutpout What You'll Learn in This Episode 00:01:44 – Rupert's family connection to African horse cultures, sparked by a 19th-century surcoat and chain mail taken from a Mahdist cavalryman 00:07:23 – How watching The Woman King sent Louis on a research journey into Africa's erased cavalry history 00:11:19 – The Moors' 800-year conquest of southern Spain and their overlooked African identity 00:23:00 – Mansa Musa's cavalry-protected gold empire, and Louis's case that he ranks among history's five greatest men 00:35:19 – Why true Barb horses survive today only in Senegal 00:37:43 – How the Catholic Church whitewashed Christian imagery and helped embed a racial hierarchy 00:53:29 – The "brain drain" model of slavery — how expert horsemen, blacksmiths, and rice farmers were targeted and bought at a premium 00:58:00 – The land-grant horse culture of East Texas, where freed slave families built a gated-horse tradition still alive today 01:13:29 – Louis and Rupert trace the likely African roots of dressage rising star Nashon Cook 01:30:04 – The "horses to heal, horses to harm" philosophy — how the same training system can wound or heal Memorable Moments from the Episode 00:04:02 – Rupert describes the surcoat, chain mail, and sword hanging on his family's wall, taken from a Mahdist cavalryman by his ancestor 00:09:36 – Louis recounts standing up in the theater during The Woman King and telling his son, "That's not true" 01:00:13 – Rupert recalls roughly 200 Black riders on gated horses passing his Texas home, beer trucks blasting hip-hop 01:19:43 – Louis describes the emotional experience of visiting "The Last Bath," the Ghanaian site where enslaved people were bathed before auction 01:34:38 – Louis walks through using AI to fact-check erased history, using the Benjamin Franklin slavery example Guest Contact & Links Louis Hook's book, Black in the Saddle: From African Cavalries to Modern Cowboys https://amzn.to/4htcuPf Louis is a founding member of the Compton Cowboys, the Compton, Los Angeles-based therapeutic riding program also featured on Rupert's Equine Assisted World podcast. https://educatedhoodrat.com About Louis Hook Louis Hook is a founding member of the Compton Cowboys, a therapeutic riding program serving Compton, Los Angeles for several decades. He brings an MIT PhD program background and a Harvard Business School education to his independent research into the African cavalry cultures erased from mainstream history. He is the author of Black in the Saddle: From African Cavalries to Modern Cowboys, with a second volume in progress tracing his own ancestral roots to Sierra Leone and Burkina Faso. See All of Rupert's Programs and Shows: Follow Us: Long Ride Home Website: https://longridehome.com Facebook: https://facebook.com/longridehome.lrh Instagram: https://instagram.com/longridehome_lrh YouTube: https://youtube.com/@longridehome New Trails Learning Systems Website: https://ntls.co Facebook: https://facebook.com/horseboyworld Instagram: https://instagram.com/horseboyworld YouTube: https://youtube.com/newtrailslearningsystems Affiliate Disclosure: Links 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.

✨ "I've never used Baucher to train anything. I've always used Baucher to heal." – Nahshon Cook ✨ "Does your horse feel good after you've done what you've done with them? ... That's connection." – Nahshon Cook Nahshon Cook is a classical dressage trainer based in Colorado whose path began riding donated horses as a kid at the Urban Farm at Stapleton, an inner-city youth program in Denver. Two mentors — Cynthia Spalding and former Cadre Noir rider Jean-François Fabier — introduced him to dressage before he was out of his teens, and after a detour through divinity school, Southeast Asia, and a stint training show and race horses in Thailand, he returned to Colorado and built a reputation for taking on horses other trainers had given up on. The conversation moves through Nahshon's approach to kissing spine, poll and TMJ tension, and how he reads a horse's tongue as a barometer for what's happening throughout the rest of the body. He walks through three distinct flexion positions he uses to unlock the hips, stifle, and hocks, and describes rehabilitating horses diagnosed with DSLD and a herniated disc using Baucher-based flexion work, treats, and nervous-system regulation. A rich, wide-ranging conversation that moves between technical dressage detail and questions of safety, mercy, and what it means to truly listen to a horse. FREE Helios Harmony Intro Course: https://longridehome.com/onoutpout All Books Mentioned: https://longridehome.com/books What You'll Learn in This Episode 00:02:07 – How riding at the Urban Farm at Stapleton in Denver opened the door to dressage 00:06:13 – What mentor Cynthia Spalding taught him about feel, not just technique 00:11:21 – Learning from ex-Cadre Noir rider Jean-François Fabier and matching training to each horse's breed 00:19:18 – Leaving divinity school for Southeast Asia, and training horses in Thailand 00:31:14 – Why he swore off training for clients, and how horses get used as "bait" 01:05:13 – The real cause of kissing spine: tension in the poll and TMJ 01:07:38 – How to use a noseband correctly so it helps the horse feel safe 01:15:44 – Reading the tongue as a map to the horse's fascia and poll 01:26:16 – The three flexion positions that unlock the hips, stifle, and hocks 01:30:45 – Treats, poll work, and grooming tools for regulating the nervous system Memorable Moments from the Episode 00:38:31 – A client asks a 15-year-old Nahshon to fake a South African accent to hide his age 00:49:34 – Healing a chronically colicking horse with stones and touch 01:14:33 – Popping a horse's spine and ribs back into place with Baucher flexions 01:28:06 – A herniated-disc horse's dramatic physical release during a flexion session 01:55:15 – Nahshon closes the conversation with an original poem Guest Contact & Links https://www.facebook.com/NahshonCookHorsemanship/ About Nahshon Cook Nahshon Cook is a classical dressage trainer based in Colorado who began riding at 13 through an inner-city youth program and went on to study with mentors from two different dressage traditions before he turned 18. His approach centers on reading tension in the poll, TMJ, and tongue as the key to unlocking a horse's back and hind end, and he's known for taking on horses — including cases of DSLD, PSSM2, and herniated discs — that other trainers and vets had written off. He now holds small working gatherings in Wisconsin rather than teaching public clinics. See All of Rupert's Programs and Shows: Website: https://rupertisaacson.com Follow Us: Long Ride Home Website: https://longridehome.com Facebook: https://facebook.com/longridehome.lrh Instagram: https://instagram.com/longridehome_lrh YouTube: https://youtube.com/@longridehome New Trails Learning Systems Website: https://ntls.co Facebook: https://facebook.com/horseboyworld Instagram: https://instagram.com/horseboyworld YouTube: https://youtube.com/newtrailslearningsystems Affiliate Disclosure: Links 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.

✨ "Your horse does not anticipate. He simply reads your mind." – Dominique Barbier ✨ "I want people to smile when they ride, because if they don't smile, why are you riding?" – Dominique Barbier Dominique Barbier grew up in France with no horsey family background, but an early and almost uncanny sensitivity to horses that set him apart from the biomechanical training he encountered in England and France. After training and competing across multiple disciplines, he made his way to Portugal to study for two years with the legendary Nuno Oliveira, absorbing lessons that would go on to shape the French-Portuguese school of dressage he now teaches worldwide from his base in California. This conversation centers on Don Giovanni, the volatile, nearly-destroyed stallion who became Dominique's greatest teacher, and the three-step process of "getting out of the way" that Dominique developed to earn his trust. Dominique and Rupert also dig into descente de main and descente de jambe, the difference between riding physically and riding mentally, and Dominique's blunt take on spurs, competition, and the pursuit of joy over technique. A candid, wide-ranging two-hour conversation from one of dressage's most original voices. FREE Helios Harmony Intro Course: https://longridehome.com/onoutpout All Books Mentioned: https://longridehome.com/books What You'll Learn in This Episode 00:03:00 – Dominique's unusual early sensitivity to horses and how his father let him follow his passion 00:12:00 – Why Dominique says a horse doesn't anticipate — he reads your mind 00:16:00 – The nine months Dominique couldn't ride, and what he discovered about the intellectual mind blocking connection 00:20:00 – Dominique's 90/10 philosophy: staying out of the horse's way 00:39:00 – How Dominique met and nearly lost the chance to save Don Giovanni, the horse who taught him the most 00:48:00 – The three-step process Dominique used to earn Don Giovanni's trust 00:52:00 – Reading a horse's true preferences through nature, play, and "crazy time" 01:04:00 – The story behind descente de main, descente de jambe from Dominique's time with Nuno Oliveira 01:13:00 – Why Dominique now teaches people to smile when they ride 01:50:00 – Fear as simply "what you don't know," and how Dominique helps students move through it Memorable Moments from the Episode 00:42:00 – The dramatic story of winning the right to bring Don Giovanni home — a horse marked for destruction 01:26:00 – Dominique's candid reflection on Nuno Oliveira's complicated inner life, and why he never wanted to "be" his master 01:42:00 – Dominique's confession about once owning 300 spurs, and why he regrets it 02:00:00 – Dominique reveals his upcoming book, simply titled Consciousness 02:16:00 – Dominique's parting invitation to share a glass of Merlot with Rupert in California Guest Contact & Links Dominique Barbier Website: https://dominiquebarbier.com About Dominique Barbier Dominique Barbier is one of the leading figures in classical dressage, known as an exponent of the French-Portuguese school. Raised in France with no equestrian family background, he trained across multiple disciplines before spending two formative years studying under the legendary Nuno Oliveira in Portugal. He has authored numerous books, including Dressage for the New Age, with a new book titled Consciousness forthcoming, and continues to teach and train worldwide from his base in California. His approach emphasizes visualization, presence, and reading what a horse genuinely enjoys over rigid technique. 🐎 Want to go deeper? Join the Long Ride Home membership — weekly live sessions, exclusive content, and a community of riders seeking real connection with their horses. 👉 https://longridehome.com — just $24.95/month See All of Rupert's Programs and Shows: Website: https://rupertisaacson.com Follow Us: Long Ride Home Website: https://longridehome.com Facebook: https://facebook.com/longridehome.lrh Instagram: https://instagram.com/longridehome_lrh YouTube: https://youtube.com/@longridehome New Trails Learning Systems Website: https://ntls.co Facebook: https://facebook.com/horseboyworld Instagram: https://instagram.com/horseboyworld YouTube: https://youtube.com/newtrailslearningsystems Affiliate Disclosure: Links 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.

✨ "The difference between destruction and creation kind of just disappears, and this is a beautiful thing to be able to do." – Arne Koets ✨ "Are you making a foundation for a skyscraper or are you making a foundation for a shed? Those are not the same foundations." – Arne Koets Arne Koets is a historical dressage teacher, jouster, and practitioner of Rossfechten — mounted sword fighting — who trained at the Fürstliche Hofreitschule in Bückeburg, Germany, reaching the level of Hofberater (courtly rider). His work draws on European martial arts manuscripts dating back to the 14th and 15th centuries, blending biomechanics, classical in-hand work, and the disciplines of combat horsemanship into a living, practiced tradition. In this conversation, Rupert and Arne trace the deep connections between martial arts on horseback, tango, and the finest ideals of classical dressage. They explore how the same biomechanical principles that make a good fighter also make a good dancer — and how understanding this can transform the way we train and relate to our horses. The conversation moves through in-hand work, the role of the schoolmaster horse, the philosophy of building community, and what it actually takes to get a beginner riding with confidence and joy from the very first lesson. A far-ranging, intellectually rich conversation that will delight history nerds, dressage geeks, and anyone who has ever wondered what riding was really for. Timestamps How Arne's background in reconstructing European martial arts led him to historical dressage and Bückeburg [00:01:00]The connection between Argentine tango, wrestling, and riding — and why the line between building balance and destroying it is thinner than we think [00:10:00]Why teaching the collection work first, not last, is the old way — and why Steinbrecht actually agrees [00:16:00]The concept of unificare — inviting the horse to come up into an embrace with the rider — versus driving the seat bone down [00:25:00]Why confused definitions (what does "forward" actually mean?) have degraded the modern system of riding instruction [00:32:00]Arne's step-by-step in-hand training sequence: figure-of-eight, lateral movements, piaffe steps, and preparing for the first rider [01:03:00]The role of the "ground monkey" and "sky monkey" — why team work is not optional in breaking young horses [01:13:00]How Rossfechten (mounted sword fighting) builds community, releases ego, and teaches riders to feel what their horse is doing [01:26:00]Why horses become genuine strategic partners in mounted fencing — including Arne's story of a horse who executed a spontaneous 360 to protect his rider [01:41:00]How "deliberate hacking" — making conscious choices in the terrain — builds the horse's back and collection as effectively as arena work [02:30:00]A beginner sword fighter with zero riding experience sits piaffe on a stallion during his first lesson, then rides one-handed with a sword in canter by his tenth [00:16:00]Arne recounts confronting an FN clinician about why German riding schools don't follow what Steinbrecht actually says on page three [00:20:00]The horse who competed fully blindfolded by accident — caparison covering his eyes — and never put a foot wrong because rider and horse were one [01:44:00]Arne describes a group cavalry skirmish with 200 infantry and 48 mounted riders — and how the horses learn to aim the sword [02:13:00]The moment Arne's horse spontaneously executed a 360-degree bullfighting spin mid-sword fight, placed the weapon to parry an incoming blow, and then resumed the attack — entirely the horse's idea [01:41:00]Arne's Website: www.arnekoets.com Rosswochen Symposium (first weekend of May — academic lectures, workshops, tango night, mounted demonstrations): www.arnekoets.com Fürstliche Hofreitschule Bückeburg (the Princely School for Riding Art referenced throughout): www.hofgestut-bueckeburg.de About Arne Koets Arne Koets is a Dutch-born historical dressage teacher, jouster, and the foremost practitioner of Rossfechten — mounted sword fighting in the tradition of the European fighting manuscripts. He trained at the Fürstliche Hofreitschule in Bückeburg, Germany, achieving the rank of Hofberater, and spent years interpreting equestrian history at the Royal Armouries and the Dutch Army Museum. He now teaches clinics internationally and hosts students and riders at his home in Thuringia, Germany. His approach synthesizes biomechanics, classical in-hand work, and the martial arts manuscripts of the 14th through 16th centuries into a living, teachable system. His events attract riders from across Europe, the US, and beyond. 🐎 Want to go deeper? Join the Long Ride Home membership — weekly live sessions, exclusive content, and a community of riders seeking real connection with their horses. 👉 https://longridehome.com — just $24.95/month See All of Rupert's Programs and Shows: Website: https://rupertisaacson.com Follow Us: Long Ride Home Website: https://longridehome.com Facebook: https://facebook.com/longridehome.lrh Instagram: https://instagram.com/longridehome_lrh YouTube: https://youtube.com/@longridehome New Trails Learning Systems Website: https://ntls.co Facebook: https://facebook.com/horseboyworld Instagram: https://instagram.com/horseboyworld YouTube: https://youtube.com/newtrailslearningsystems Affiliate Disclosure: Links 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.

✨ "All social species seek connections. People and horses are no different. Safety and comfort are the core elements to build strong social bonds regardless of species. “ – Mary Ann Simonds ✨ "The best tool we have is be the best human you can be. You don't have to know everything. You just have to be clear on yourself and be pure and be silent, and then help your horse be the best horse it can be." – Mary Ann Simonds Mary Ann Simonds has spent more than four decades sitting at the intersection of wildlife biology, consciousness studies, and horsemanship — and almost none of it has looked the way science was supposed to look. She grew up in California riding hunter/jumpers, earned her BS from the University of Wyoming in Wildlife Conservation and Management and a minor in Range Management studying wild horse ecology and whole systems approaches.   She was appointed to the National Advisory Board for Wild Horses and Burros in the early 1990s after years of field research on wild horse behavioral ecology.  She has worked for oil and gas companies as a reclamation specialist, pioneered ecotourism partnerships with ranchers in Wyoming and Oregon, taught interspecies communication at Nippon Veterinary and Life Sciences University in Tokyo, earned a graduate degree in Inter-disciplinary Consciousness Studies and has spent years working quietly behind the scenes in the sport horse welfare world near her home in Wellington, Florida. Her new book, A Horse by Nature, published by Trafalgar Square, draws on all of it — wild horse social behavior, domestic horse psychology, welfare ethics, and practical communication tools — organized in red, blue, and green tips so riders can go straight to what they need most. It is, as Rupert and Mary Ann agree at the end of this conversation, Part One of what will be a longer series. This is a conversation about what happens when rigorous science and genuine animal communication occupy the same person — and what that has to teach anyone who lives and works with horses. FREE Helios Harmony Intro Course: https://longridehome.com/onoutpout What You'll Learn in This Episode 00:05:30 – How Mary Ann first recognized, at age 11, that a trainer couldn't hear what a horse with a headache was saying — and why that question drove her entire career00:13:00 – What double degrees in range management and wildlife biology taught her about the gap between academic science and what animals are actually doing00:39:00 – The dietary overlap study she conducted as an undergraduate — and how it became the data cited to justify mass BLM removal of wild horses decades later00:44:00 – How BLM's gate-cut removal policy destroyed wild horse social structures and caused reproductive rates to skyrocket00:47:00 – Why a Nevada rancher admitted he hated the wild stallion eating his alfalfa — and what that revealed about the real psychology behind mustang persecution00:56:00 – How she converted ranchers into ecotourism operators years before the concept had a name — and why she calls herself a solution finder, not an activist01:04:00 – The discovery that studying nature with a quiet mind produced completely different wildlife sightings than looking at it with scientific intent01:20:00 – Why she went to graduate school to study human consciousness after watching a BLM official throw a briefcase at a rancher in a public meeting01:38:00 – How she taught interspecies communication at Nippon Animal Science University in Tokyo, and why Japanese vet students grasped it almost instantly01:44:00 – Why a horse's first two years determine everything, and how not knowing a horse's early history is one of the most common mistakes buyers make01:49:00 – What A Horse by Nature offers: how to teach a horse to be a functional horse, the OFFER technique, and why eye contact, nose bump, and buddy scratch transform the relationship01:51:00 – The red, blue, and green tip system — and why safety and comfort, not food, are a horse's primary motivation for bonding with a humanMemorable Moments from the Episode 00:12:00 – Mary Ann describes sleeping with rattlesnakes as an 18-year-old after refusing to leave the field — and what it taught her about looking with nature rather than at it00:43:00 – She discovers her own undergraduate data, filed under her maiden name Canny, was the study used to justify mass wild horse removals — and the range manager confirms it was never statistically significant00:49:00 – An Oregon rancher comes to her door late at night to confess he killed a band of horses because they looked too pathetic to live — and her response: "So if you look like that, should I shoot you too?"01:33:00 – A Wyoming cowboy's horse jumps into the back of his pickup truck with his dog, unprompted and untrained — and that moment becomes the seed of her interspecies communication research01:42:00 – Rupert describes aloud, for the first time, all the prayers and invisible preparation he does before every training session — after an audience member tells him he didn't ask the horse permissionGuest Contact & Links A Horse by Nature by Mary Ann Simonds (Trafalgar Square Publishing) https://amzn.to/4glHTCp Mary Ann Simonds website and contact: www.maryAnnsimonds.com About Mary Ann Simonds Mary Ann Simonds is a wildlife biologist, behaviorist, and consciousness researcher who has spent more than four decades studying the relationship between horses, nature, and human awareness. She holds double degrees in range management and wildlife biology from the University of Wyoming and a graduate degree in consciousness studies. Her fieldwork spans wild mustang populations in the American West, dolphin behavior research, ecotourism development, and interspecies communication programs at veterinary universities in Japan. She has served on the National Advisory Board for Wild Horses and Burros, worked as a reclamation specialist for oil and gas companies, and spent years advocating for welfare reform in the sport horse industry near her home in Wellington, Florida. Her new book, A Horse by Nature, is published by Trafalgar Square. 🐎 Want to go deeper? Join the Long Ride Home membership — weekly live sessions, exclusive content, and a community of riders seeking real connection with their horses. 👉 https://longridehome.com — just $24.95/month See All of Rupert's Programs and Shows: Website: https://rupertisaacson.com Follow Us: Long Ride Home Website: https://longridehome.com Facebook: https://facebook.com/longridehome.lrh Instagram: https://instagram.com/longridehome_lrh YouTube: https://youtube.com/@longridehome New Trails Learning Systems Website: https://ntls.co Facebook: https://facebook.com/horseboyworld Instagram: https://instagram.com/horseboyworld YouTube: https://youtube.com/newtrailslearningsystems Affiliate Disclosure: Links 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.

✨ "The best teachers and coaches are the horses. It's important for us to learn to listen to them and see them." – Mario Contreras ✨ "There is a big word I always feel is missing from the training scale — and that's joy. Where's the joy? These are movements that horses do when they feel passion." – Rupert Isaacson Mario Contreras is the head trainer at Medieval Times Chicago, the man responsible for the standard of horsemanship that stops knowledgeable riders cold in the middle of a crowd of beer-drinking tourists who have no idea what they're witnessing. Third-generation horse trainer, born in Texcoco and raised in a family rooted in the Alta Escuela and charrería traditions of Jalisco, Mexico, Mario came to the US in 1990 with no English and a lifetime of classical riding in his bones — and built a 35-year career inside one of the most demanding equestrian entertainment operations in North America. In this wide-ranging conversation, Rupert and Mario cover the deep roots of Mexican horse culture that most American dressage riders have never heard of, how Mario trains complete beginners to become knights performing before 1,500 people in under three years, and why cross-training, liberty work, and genuine joy are the true secrets to keeping horses and riders performing at their best. They also dig into the lost art of schoolmaster training, the in-hand and ground work that underpins everything Mario does, and the vision — still unfinished — of building Mexico a national horsemanship school at the level of Jerez or the Spanish Riding School. A rich, warm conversation between two horsemen who share a deep reverence for the old masters and a conviction that horses teach us more than we teach them. FREE Helios Harmony Intro Course: https://longridehome.com/onoutpout What You'll Learn in This Episode • How the Contreras family built a three-generation tradition of Alta Escuela and charrería in Mexico, and how it led Mario to Medieval Times [00:02:35] What charrería is, why it matters, and how Mario's father blended it with classical Alta Escuela to create something unique [00:08:46] The role of Andalusian horses in promoting Mexican culture — and how the Aztec horse breed came to be [00:03:19] Why Medieval Times hires actors and athletes with no riding background — and how Mario turns them into skilled knights in three years [00:20:37] How Mario's brother Marcial pushed him harder as family than he would have pushed anyone else, and what that taught him about leadership [00:27:46] The value of getting your hands dirty: why Mario still cleans stalls and brushes horses, and why that's inseparable from great horsemanship [00:30:11] The case for in-hand and ground training before ever mounting a horse — and how Mario uses it to teach piaffe, passage, and the Spanish walk [00:32:18] Why schoolmaster horses are the missing ingredient in modern dressage training, and how the old masters always put beginners on the best horses first [00:51:24] Cross-training as the antidote to burnout: how mixing dressage, Alta Escuela, liberty, working equitation, and games keeps horses genuinely joyful [01:34:10] Mario's approach to stallion management, redirecting energy, and why isolation is the worst thing you can do for a difficult horse [01:15:07]Memorable Moments from the Episode Rupert describes watching a rider perform three caprioles in a row at Medieval Times while the crowd sips beer — and no one in the room understands what they're seeing [00:01:32] Mario recounts the moment he first rode for Medieval Times in California and was so hooked he never looked back [00:26:56] Mario describes being deported from the US, spending four years in Mexico without his family or friends, and then getting a call from Medieval Times offering to bring him back legally — via a detour to Cancun as a pirate [01:53:59] Mario was invited to ride Claudio Castilla Ruiz's Olympic Grand Prix horse Jade — in jeans and tennis shoes — during a visit to Spain in 2008 [00:58:19] Rupert and Mario agree that joy is the word missing from the classical training pyramid — and that a horse in the arena performing with passion is the only thing that makes the audience feel they spent their money well [01:32:11]Guest Contact & Links Mario A. Contreras — Facebook and Instagram: Mario A. Contreras MC Horse Training (Chicago area / Maple Park, IL): mchorsetraining.com (currently being rebuilt) Phone: 630-415-9788 About Mario Contreras Mario Contreras is a third-generation horse trainer from a family rooted in the Alta Escuela and charrería traditions of Jalisco, Mexico. His father, Jose Trinidad Contreras, was co-founder of the Escuela de Jinetes Domeq and helped introduce Andalusian horses throughout Mexico. Mario joined Medieval Times in 1990 and has spent 35 years building and running the equestrian program at their flagship Chicago castle — the largest in the company, seating 1,500 people per show. Outside Medieval Times, he teaches at his own facility, MC Horse Training, in Maple Park, Illinois, specializing in Alta Escuela, classical dressage, and in-hand training on schoolmaster horses. 🐎 Want to go deeper? Join the Long Ride Home membership — weekly live sessions, exclusive content, and a community of riders seeking real connection with their horses. 👉 https://longridehome.com — just $24.95/month See All of Rupert's Programs and Shows: Website: https://rupertisaacson.com Follow Us: Long Ride Home Website: https://longridehome.com Facebook: https://facebook.com/longridehome.lrh Instagram: https://instagram.com/longridehome_lrh YouTube: https://youtube.com/@longridehome New Trails Learning Systems Website: https://ntls.co Facebook: https://facebook.com/horseboyworld Instagram: https://instagram.com/horseboyworld YouTube: https://youtube.com/newtrailslearningsystems Affiliate Disclosure: Links 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.

✨ "Somebody asked me, 'Do you teach horses collection?' I said, 'I suppose, but really what I'm trying to do is teach them connection. I want them to know me, and I want to know them.'" – Dr. Glenn Cochran ✨ "The only thing about you that's bigger than that horse is your brain." – Dr. Glenn Cochran Dr. Glenn Cochran is a Texas cattleman, emergency room physician, classical rider, working equitation organizer, and honorary charro who has spent his life refusing the false walls between disciplines. His journey runs from starting colts at 14 under old-school cowboy Buck Kidwell — dallied to a stallion's saddle horn, left leg turning purple — through Peruvian Pasos, Andalusians, and six months of Wednesday afternoon in-hand sessions with Spanish rider Fermin Carrera, to gathering 300 head of cattle through Central Texas brush so thick you can only hear the other cowboys, not see them. The through-line is connection. Glenn practiced Oslerian medicine — sit down, listen, let the patient tell you the diagnosis — for decades in the ER, and found it mapped exactly onto how he trains horses. Rupert and Glenn also go deep on the historical origins of the Baucher flexions, tracing a possible thread from Hittite clay tablets in 1375 BC through Islamic horsemanship texts of the Reconquista to a 1665 German riding book — and asking whether Baucher invented anything at all. Glenn swims in the Black singlefooting tradition, the Mexican charrería, the Portuguese rejoneo, and Baucher-influenced classical work, and sees it as one thing. A rich, warm, wide-ranging conversation. FREE Helios Harmony Intro Course: https://longridehome.com/onoutpout All Books Mentioned: https://longridehome.com/books What You'll Learn in This Episode How Glenn started horses at 14 dallied to Buck Kidwell's stallion — and what that old-school hackamore foundation taught him [00:05:00]The chain from a 1971 Denver bookstore to Nuno Oliveira's students to Spanish rider Fermin Carrera — and six months of Wednesday in-hand sessions [00:17:00]Day-working cattle ranches across Texas, New Mexico, and Colorado — what it is and what you learn [00:26:16]Oslerian medicine: sit with the patient, let them talk, and they'll give you the diagnosis — and how it maps onto horsemanship [00:42:00]How the Masterson Method, Reiki, and skin-to-skin touch in medicine all point back to connection [00:50:17]Glenn on teaching connection, not collection — and what that actually looks like with a young horse [00:53:06]Were Baucher's flexions original? The rabbit hole: a 1665 German riding book, Islamic texts from the Reconquista, and a teenager who went to work with his uncle in Italy [01:20:23]Why the division between western riding, doma vaquera, and classical dressage is a "completely monkey idea" — and what Mongolian livestock work has to do with piaffe [01:29:39]The "song of the brush": gathering 300 head of Corriente cattle on horseback through brush so thick a snake has trouble getting through [01:39:33]The charro, the vaquero, the escaramuza, and eight minutes of floreo rope work before you ever throw — Glenn as honorary charro [01:55:25] Memorable Moments from the Episode Buck Kidwell refusing a chicken catcher while roping a cow's swollen udder: "I don't need no goddamn chicken catcher. I'm a cowboy." [00:09:39]66 horses moving through the foothills of the Rockies toward Estes Park — kids roadside calling "Real cowboys!" — and the horse that kicked out a fancy car's headlight [00:31:25]Rupert pauses mid-conversation to fetch Dressage in the French Tradition by Diogo de Braganza and reads aloud on whether Baucher was a plagiarist of the German old school [01:20:23]Glenn clears an 8-foot oak-plank fence in one leap after pawing back at a horned cow with a calf — who hit the boards right as he cleared them [01:36:00]Glenn's first riding experience: sneaking under the electric fence to the neighboring dairy at age 10 until a little Jersey cow let him sit on her back [01:52:44]About Dr. Glenn Cochran Dr. Glenn Cochran is a Texas cattleman, emergency room physician, classical rider, and working equitation practitioner based on a 500-acre ranch in Central Texas. Raised around horses from childhood, he trained under cowboy Buck Kidwell before following a lifelong thread through Peruvian Pasos, Andalusians, Lusitanos, and the in-hand Baucher tradition — shaped by Diana Christensen (a student of Nuno Oliveira) and Spanish rider Fermin Carrera. He is an honorary charro and an active voice in bridging the western, classical, and Iberian worlds. Find Glenn on  Facebook: Glenn Cochran. 🐎 Want to go deeper? Join the Long Ride Home membership — weekly live sessions, exclusive content, and a community of riders seeking real connection with their horses. 👉 https://longridehome.com — just $24.95/month See All of Rupert's Programs and Shows: Website: https://rupertisaacson.com Follow Us: Long Ride Home Website: https://longridehome.com Facebook: https://facebook.com/longridehome.lrh Instagram: https://instagram.com/longridehome_lrh YouTube: https://youtube.com/@longridehome New Trails Learning Systems Website: https://ntls.co Facebook: https://facebook.com/horseboyworld Instagram: https://instagram.com/horseboyworld YouTube: https://youtube.com/newtrailslearningsystems Affiliate Disclosure: Links 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.

What does it take to get a horse to stay with you — freely, on an open beach with no fence and no force? David Lichman has spent more than 30 years answering that question. From watching Ray Hunt work cold colts at the California State Fair, to becoming a Parelli instructor, to learning positive reinforcement from a sea lion behaviorist, his entire career has been built around one insight: make being with you the best place on earth. The conversation covers liberty training, the treats debate, undemanding time, the history of horsemanship, and why joy is the only metric that matters. There is also a miniature horse named Pepino, America's Got Talent, and Sarah Silverman asking for a mustache ride on live television. ✨ "What's great about having a focus on liberty training is that if it ain't joyful, it ain't gonna happen — 'cause the horse is gonna leave." – David Lichman ✨ "You're either with me or you're not with me. If you're not with me, you're gonna come back here and find out how good it is here." – David Lichman What You'll Learn in This Episode How David's childhood in Marblehead, Massachusetts planted seeds that took decades to bloom [00:07:00]Why watching Ray Hunt start 18 cold colts in 18 days at the California State Fair changed everything [00:20:40]How David went from IBM contractor to World Grand Champion to Parelli instructor [00:22:12]The circus liberty horse epiphany: a hooded figure, six gray Arabians, and a 20-year friendship [00:38:00]What a sea lion facility in Moss Landing taught David about positive reinforcement [00:40:02]The treats debate: why combining food reward with pressure-and-release produces results "way more than twice as good" as either alone [00:57:57]Why joy is the one thing missing from every training scale — and why the joyful brain is the learning brain [01:00:24]Why Parelli said "undemanding time" first, Warwick Schiller didn't hear it for 10 years, and Mongolian horse tribes never had to be taught it [01:03:00]Why David changed the way liberty circles are taught — stop blocking departure, start making arrival irresistible [01:20:29]The beach test: 10 years of relationship, outriders who rode away, and horses that stayed [01:22:42]The America's Got Talent disaster: Pepino, a sick morning, and a performance that never happened [01:32:00]Why horses require humility — and why they'll hand it to you regardless [02:01:24]Memorable Moments from the Episode David's horse kicked in the skull on tour — found grooming the horse that kicked him through the stall door two stops later [00:08:29]Bow-and-arrow balloon shoot for 600 schoolchildren in Tennessee — dismounts by breaking two ribs [00:11:55]Watching Ray Hunt at the State Fair: nobody around him could see the miracle [00:21:04]The outriders ride away down the beach. The liberty horses don't follow [01:23:39]Pepino refuses cookies the morning of his AGT debut. The act falls apart live [01:33:49]Two mustaches shaved for charity. David's is back within three days [01:44:47]Sarah Silverman watches the Spanish walk and asks if David taught his horse to goosestep [01:53:26]Projects and Organizations Mentioned David Lichman Natural Horsemanship https://david-lichman-5-star-parelli-professional.myshopify.com/ New Trails Learning Systems / Horse Boy Method — rupertisaacson.com About David Lichman David Lichman is a natural horsemanship clinician, liberty horse trainer, and former Parelli Instructor with more than 30 years of experience. He is known for developing liberty training that works in open fields and on beaches — no round pen required — and for integrating positive reinforcement with classical and natural horsemanship traditions. He also plays bass guitar and performs jazz with vocalist Gabriela. See All of Rupert's Programs and Shows: Website: https://rupertisaacson.com Long Ride Home Website: https://longridehome.com Facebook: https://facebook.com/longridehome.lrh Instagram: https://instagram.com/longridehome_lrh YouTube: https://youtube.com/@longridehome New Trails Learning Systems Website: https://ntls.co Facebook: https://facebook.com/horseboyworld Instagram: https://instagram.com/horseboyworld YouTube: https://youtube.com/newtrailslearningsystems Affiliate Disclosure: Links 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.

What if the stars in your birth chart could tell you why you're drawn to horses — and what stands between you and the deeper connection you're seeking? Denise Elizabeth Byron has spent decades working at the intersection of astrology, psychic intuition, and soul guidance. She didn't set out to become the horse community's astrologer. She set out, as a seven-year-old girl in California, simply to understand why her grandmother kept showing up in her bedroom after she died — and never really stopped. Denise's path winds through a childhood steeped in Irish and Celtic intuition, a mother casting charts by hand in the seventies, years of study with psychic mentors, and a slow evolution from teacher to life coach to astrologer. What brought her into the horse world wasn't a horse — it was Robin Schiller, who came to a session and then brought Warwick, and the rest followed. What she found when she arrived was something she'd been searching for her whole life: a community of people who already knew how to listen. This is a wide-ranging, deeply warm conversation between two people who share a fascination with the irrational, the ancestral, and the unseen. Rupert and Denise cover past lives and what they're actually for, why horse people are natural intuitives (and often don't know it), what it means to be a fire horse in a fire horse year, and why Mercury Retrograde is not the time to gallop away. They talk about fields of consciousness and what love actually is, from photons emitted by the heart to the physics of ocean waves. And somewhere in the middle, balloons spontaneously appeared on both their Zoom screens. What emerges most clearly is this: horse women are far further along their intuitive journey than they give themselves credit for. And the thing most likely to block their connection with their horse isn't technique — it's perfectionism, and not extending to themselves the same love they so freely give their animals. Denise's message to every horse woman listening is as simple as it is quietly devastating: treat yourself with as much love as you treat your horse. FREE Helios Harmony Intro Course: https://longridehome.com/onoutpout ✨ "Trust what you hear, trust what you feel. Most people who contact me are so much further along in their journey than they give themselves credit for." – Denise Elizabeth Byron ✨ "Treat yourself with as much love as you treat your horse." – Denise Elizabeth Byron What You'll Learn in This Episode How Denise's grandmother appeared in her room the night she died — and kept showing up for decades [00:02:30] The difference between being psychic and being an astrologer — and how Denise combines both [00:17:00] How Denise's astrology practice began with her mother casting charts by hand in the 1970s [00:20:30] How a session with Robin Schiller led to Denise becoming the astrologer for the Journey On community [00:34:00] Why astrology charts are portals for intuition, not just technical prediction tools [00:35:00] Why horse people make natural intuitives, and what deep listening has to do with survival [00:37:30] Why past lives may be less about other humans and more about ancestral healing [00:48:00] What a birth chart can reveal about your intuitive gifts and how to develop them [01:08:30] How the patriarchal lens has shaped astrology — and where the goddess asteroids are changing it [01:14:00] What it means to be a fire horse in a fire horse year, and what the stars say about this particular moment [01:19:00] How Rupert's Aquarius fire horse chart reflects his life's work in healing [01:22:00] What Mercury Retrograde actually is, and why it's a time for integration rather than action [01:28:00] The physics of consciousness: hearts emitting photons, ocean waves, and what love actually is [01:40:00] Why horse people tend toward perfectionism — and how it blocks connection with their horses [01:52:30]Memorable Moments from the Episode Denise describes setting spiritual boundaries — no visitors in the bedroom or bathroom, unless it's an emergency — and how her first mentor taught her this after a particularly awkward moment [00:12:30] Denise and Rupert discover they're roughly the same age and spend a moment pretending to be 27 and 28 respectively [00:22:30] Rupert nearly gets kicked out of university for comparing an Iron Age metal-working culture to the Industrial Revolution — and his professors are not amused [00:27:30] Denise explains how she always ends up as a "camel boy, never a pharaoh" in past life work [00:50:30] Rupert's uncle, an eminent pathologist, stuns him after watching The Horse Boy by praising it for "drawing attention to the irrational side of medicine" — and the placebo effect [01:05:00] Balloons spontaneously appear on both Zoom screens mid-conversation — neither of them made it happen [01:21:30] Denise shares that wherever she goes, a quiet coffee shop fills up within minutes — her partner David calls it a "black hole fact" [01:34:30]Projects and Organizations Mentioned HeartMath Institute — heart field research and coherence work Kansas Carradine / Circus Cowgirl — HeartMath combined with horses: https://circuscowgirl.com About Denise Elizabeth Byron Denise Elizabeth Byron is an astrologer, intuitive, and soul guide who has spent over thirty years helping people understand their charts as maps of the soul rather than predictions of fate. Known in the equestrian world through her work with the Journey On podcast community, she works at the intersection of Western astrology, numerology, psychic intuition, and ancestral healing. Her gift lies not in technical chart reading but in using a birth chart as a portal — a set of symbols that opens access to deeper knowing, ancestral connection, and soul evolution. She can be reached through her website: https://deniseelizabethbyron.com See All of Rupert's Programs and Shows: Website: https://rupertisaacson.com Follow Us: Long Ride Home Website: https://longridehome.com Facebook: https://facebook.com/longridehome.lrh Instagram: https://instagram.com/longridehome_lrh YouTube: https://youtube.com/@longridehome New Trails Learning Systems Website: https://ntls.co Facebook: https://facebook.com/horseboyworld Instagram: https://instagram.com/horseboyworld YouTube: https://youtube.com/newtrailslearningsystems Affiliate Disclosure: Links 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.

✨ "Men don't need less empathy. They often need empathy delivered differently." – Eric Robertson ✨ "Success is a tricky thing. You can get to the point where you start to believe your own b******t — and that has some negative impacts on your relationships." – Eric Robertson Eric Robertson spent 33 years inside some of the most painful moments families ever face — divorce. As one of Austin's most respected family law attorneys, he sat across from men and women at their most raw and most desperate. What he noticed about the men changed the direction of his life. They weren't falling apart in the ways the system was built to recognize. They were shutting down, overworking, picking fights, and quietly disappearing inside themselves — and nobody had a name for what was happening to them. That observation sent Eric back to school for a second master's degree in clinical mental health counseling, and launched an entirely new career focused on men's emotional wellbeing. This conversation matters deeply if you love a man — a son, a partner, a brother, a father. So much of what Eric shares illuminates not just what men are going through, but why they behave the way they do when they're struggling, and what the people around them can actually do to help. If you've ever felt the wall go up, or watched someone you care about go quiet when you knew something was wrong, this episode will give you language, compassion, and insight you didn't have before. Rupert and Eric move through the staggering statistics behind male loneliness and suicide, the question of why successful men are often the ones struggling most, and the double standards men quietly carry. Eric walks through how depression actually shows up in men — irritability, emotional numbness, compulsive overworking, chronic pain — so listeners can recognize what they might previously have dismissed or misread. The conversation takes a genuinely practical turn when Eric demonstrates a live bilateral tapping session with Rupert on-air, offering a simple tool for emotional regulation that anyone can begin using today. Rupert brings his own lens throughout — from his years living with San Bushmen hunter-gatherer communities in southern Africa, to raising his autistic son Rowan, to his own honest reflections on therapy, mentorship, and what men actually need to heal. Whether you're listening for yourself, for someone you love, or simply because you sense the men in your world are carrying more than they're letting on — come with an open heart, and you'll leave with new eyes. What You'll Learn in This Episode Why Eric left a 33-year career as a top divorce attorney to become a men's therapist — and what he kept seeing in his male clients that no one was addressing [00:03:35]The statistics behind male loneliness and suicide: 80% of suicides in 2023 were men, and 15% of young men now report having no close friends — a fivefold increase since 1990 [00:04:34]How depression and emotional distress show up differently in men — and why so many cases go unrecognized [00:10:21]Why successful men are often the ones struggling most, and how chasing external validation can quietly hollow out a life [00:16:38]The role of mentorship in Eric's own story — how one senior attorney modeled a different way to live and why Eric credits him with changing his trajectory [00:25:00] • What divorce coaching is, why it differs from therapy or legal advice, and why well-meaning "shadow advisors" often make things worse [00:37:33]The double standard men silently carry — expected to be emotionally present at home, while still judged as providers if they fall short [00:55:39]How to raise emotionally literate boys, including the powerful practice of "connection before correction" when a child acts out [00:53:03]Why young men need healthy risk — and how the loss of mentored, nature-based challenge is driving the retreat into screens and isolation [01:07:38]The neuroscience of the developing frontal cortex: why young men's brains aren't yet wired for emotional regulation, and what that means for how we respond to them [01:21:00]How bilateral tapping works to regulate emotional overwhelm — demonstrated live in the episode [01:24:15]Eric's closing framework for working with men: normalize emotion without forcing verbal vulnerability, focus on goals, and frame help as skill-building rather than weakness [01:31:49]Memorable Moments Eric describes watching male divorce clients shut down rather than fall apart — the observation that sent him back to school and into an entirely new career [00:03:35] Rupert and Eric do a live bilateral tapping session on-air — Rupert taps along as Eric guides him through the protocol, and notes a genuine shift by the end [01:24:46] Eric admits that at the height of his legal career he started believing his own success story in ways that cost him his closest relationships — and the moment he knew something had to change [00:19:00] Rupert shares the story of a young man who wouldn't leave his room — brought to his farm in winter, where chopping wood to stay warm turned out to be the intervention no therapist had managed [01:17:03] Eric describes a divorce case that flipped the gender script: a stay-at-home husband whose female breadwinner said exactly what men usually say — revealing how much of conflict is human, not gendered [00:56:18] Eric admits he used to do secret tapping exercises before every courtroom trial to manage his own anxiety — and now uses that confession to help male clients get past the "touchy-feely" resistance [01:28:36]Projects and Organizations Mentioned Robertson Counseling and Therapy — Eric Robertson's practice in Austin, Texas: https://robertsonct.comAmerican Academy of Matrimonial LawyersAmerican Institute of Boys and MenEMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)Divorce Discernment CounselingMovement Method / New Trails Learning Systems: https://ntls.coUniversity of Bournemouth equine study on domestic violence re-offendingThe Horse Boy, The Long Ride Home, The Healing Land — books by Rupert IsaacsonAbout Eric Robertson Eric Robertson is a licensed professional counselor associate based in Austin, Texas. After 33 years as a family law attorney — including serving on the board of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers — he returned to his original calling and completed a master's degree in clinical mental health counseling. He now works with men and individuals navigating divorce, offering both therapy and divorce coaching to help people stay emotionally regulated when it matters most. His website is www.robertsonct.com. See All of Rupert's Programs and Shows: https://rupertisaacson.com Follow Us: Long Ride Home Website: https://longridehome.com Facebook: https://facebook.com/longridehome.lrh Instagram: https://instagram.com/longridehome_lrh YouTube: https://youtube.com/@longridehome New Trails Learning Systems Website: https://ntls.co Facebook: https://facebook.com/horseboyworld Instagram: https://instagram.com/horseboyworld YouTube: https://youtube.com/newtrailslearningsystems Affiliate Disclosure: Links 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.