The Equestrian's Inner Life

Thank you for tuning in as always!Resources:Connect with us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rramossportFollow along on the journey: https://www.pernillehogg.com/podcastMusic produced by Melissa Parris

What if the horse is not simply part of our journey, but the gateway into an entirely different way of understanding ourselves, one another and life itself?In this episode of The Equestrian’s Inner Life, Pernille welcomes New York Times bestselling author, journalist, filmmaker, human-rights activist, horseman and internationally recognised autism advocate Rupert Isaacson.Rupert is perhaps best known for The Horse Boy, the remarkable story of the journey he undertook with his wife and their autistic son, Rowan, travelling on horseback across Mongolia in search of connection, understanding and a way to help Rowan engage more comfortably with the world around him.Yet the journey began much earlier, with a mare named Betsy.In her presence, something within Rowan began to settle. On her back, movement, communication and connection became more accessible. Rupert recognised that the horse was reaching a place within his son that words and conventional approaches had been unable to reach, and that discovery became the beginning of a much larger contribution.Through his experiences with Rowan, Rupert went on to develop the Horse Boy Method, Movement Method and Takhin Equine Integration, bringing together horses, movement, nature and relationship to support communication, emotional regulation and learning.What makes Rupert’s perspective so extraordinary is the breadth of his lived experience, blended with an immense depth of knowledge. His understanding has not been formed through theory alone, but through fatherhood, travel, different cultures, human-rights advocacy, horses and a lifelong search for the principles that allow a living being to feel safe enough to connect, learn and express who they truly are.We explore why the horse became the gateway, what Rowan understood about horses that the adults around him had yet to recognise, and what this extraordinary journey has taught Rupert about fatherhood, healing and the lengths we will travel to help someone we love find their own way of being in the world.The conversation also ventures into Rupert’s deep fascination with classical dressage and the teachings of the Old Masters. Could their timeless principles reveal far more than a system for training horses? Might they also hold fundamental truths about balance, movement, self-regulation, relationship and life itself?Rich with knowledge, wisdom and extraordinary lived experience, this is a conversation that travels far beyond horses while continually returning to them as our gateway, our teacher and perhaps, ultimately, our source.Resources:Connect with Rupert on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/popular/rupert-isaacson/ The Horse Boy Foundation: https://horseboyfoundation.org/ Rupert's website: https://rupertisaacson.com/Connect with us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rramossportFollow along on the journey: https://www.pernillehogg.com/podcastMusic produced by Melissa Parris

What does it truly mean to ride in harmony, not only in how it looks, but in how it feels for both horse and rider?In this second conversation with Mary Seefried, Pernille explores harmony as something far deeper than a quality we suddenly create in the saddle. It begins within the rider, in the way we bring together our thoughts, emotions, body, energy and intention before we even place a foot in the stirrup.Together, they consider the relationship between harmony and balance. While balance is often spoken of as the aim of dressage, it is never a fixed or static point. It is alive, continually shifting and asking to be felt and rediscovered from one moment to the next.Could harmony, then, be the path that leads us towards balance, the ongoing process of bringing all the individual elements into relationship with one another? And when those elements begin to harmonise, is this where balance, beauty and grace can emerge?Drawing upon Mary's decades of experience as an FEI 5-star judge, educator, mentor and highly respected international official, the conversation explores what takes a horse-and-rider partnership beyond technical correctness and into that elusive place of true harmony.Mary also shares her reflections after returning from the FEI World Championships in Aachen, where she served on the Dressage Judges' Supervisory Panel. From this unique position, she observed dressage at its very highest level and offers her perspective on how the horses, riders and the sport itself continue to evolve.This conversation invites us to consider whether becoming a better rider for the horse begins not only with improving our technique, but with looking more deeply within ourselves, and whether the harmony we cultivate in the saddle may ultimately flow into every other part of our lives.Resources:Connect with Mary: https://www.gg.gov.au/australian-honours-and-awardsorder-australiarecipient-profiles/mary-seefried-amConnect with Mary on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-seefried-3a011a70/Connect with us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rramossportFollow along on the journey: https://www.pernillehogg.com/podcastMusic produced by Melissa Parris

What becomes possible when both horse and rider are aligned enough for energy to flow freely through their bodies?In this episode of The Equestrian’s Inner Life, Pernille welcomes back internationally recognised horseman, clinician and author Chris Irwin for an in-depth exploration of alignment, throughness and the lifelong pursuit of true connection.Together, they examine how throughness cannot be created through technique alone. For energy to travel without interruption, both horse and rider must find alignment within their own bodies, and with one another. When tension, imbalance or resistance is present in either, the flow is disrupted. Yet when alignment is achieved, movement becomes freer, the body feels better, and horse and rider can begin to experience a profound sense of harmony.The conversation then moves into a fascinating and often sensitive question: can true throughness be fully achieved without a bit? If the horse’s mouth completes the circle through which energy travels, could the sensitive use of the bit be one of the great refinements that distinguishes high-level dressage?Rather than being simply a piece of equipment, the bit can reveal the rider’s level of awareness, the quality of their hands, the alignment of their body, their capacity to listen, and their ability to remain present without blocking the horse. Developing this living connection asks for extraordinary sensitivity and becomes a lifelong pursuit of refining both ourselves and our horses.Resources:Visit Chris’s Website: https://chrisirwin.com/ Connect with Chris on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindyourhorse/?hl=en Visit Mind Your Horse: https://www.mindyourhorse.com/Connect with us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rramossportFollow along on the journey: https://www.pernillehogg.com/podcastMusic produced by Melissa Parris

What if young riders were taught how to use their minds with the same care and attention given to developing their skills in the saddle?In this episode of The Equestrian's Inner Life, Pernille welcomes back equestrian mindset coach, author, and educator Tanja Mitton for a deeper conversation about supporting the next generation of equestrians. Together, they explore how young riders can learn to understand their thoughts, emotions, and beliefs before fear, self-doubt, perfectionism, and unhelpful patterns become deeply established. How can we help young equestrians respond to mistakes without losing confidence? Navigate pressure and competition without tying their worth to results? And develop the self-awareness and emotional resilience needed to remain present, curious, and connected with their horse? This conversation invites us to consider what might become possible if mindset education began early - giving young riders the inner tools to grow alongside their practical skills, rather than having to unlearn and relearn later in life.Because the way we teach a young rider to relate to their mind may shape far more than their riding. It may influence the person - and the equestrian - they are becoming.Resources:Connect with Tanja through coaching: http://www.tanjamittoncoaching.com/Connect with Tanja through email: [email protected] with Tanja: http://www.tanjamitton.com/Connect with us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rramossportFollow along on the journey: https://www.pernillehogg.com/podcastMusic produced by Melissa Parris