Live Free Ride Free with Rupert Isaacson

Rupert Isaacson
  • 5.0 (13)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Semiweekly

Welcome to Live Free Ride Free, where we talk to people who have lived self-actualized lives on their own terms, and find out how they got there, what they do, how we can get there, what we can learn from them. How to live our best lives, find our own definition of success, and most importantly, find joy. 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 schools for special needs and neuro-typical children.  You can find details of all our programs and shows on www.RupertIsaacson.com

  1. 4h ago

    You Can't Ride With Lightness If You're Heavy of Heart: Groundwork, Deep Breathing & Classical Mastery | Charlotte Wittbom | LFRF 66

    ✨ "I don't believe it's possible to ride with lightness if you're heavy of heart." – Rupert Isaacson ✨ "It's in the break where you get the effect of the exercise." – Charlotte Wittbom Charlotte Wittbom grew up in Sweden riding ponies through the forests and competing in eventing, then found her way through a UK riding school to Portugal, where she spent years with the Valença family and went on to run Quinta do Brejo, Nuno Oliveira's old yard. She now teaches classical riding and in-hand work in England, working alongside physios and with a growing number of competition riders. Rupert and Charlotte talk about the Valença method as a living system rather than a rigid one, and how groundwork patterns such as quarter turns around the cones build posture, muscle and understanding in the horse. They also cover compensation patterns, stress and sustainability in competition, curiosity and lightness in teaching, and Charlotte's recent work on the horse's diaphragm and deep breathing. A rich, wide-ranging conversation that closes with plans for deeper dives on the diaphragm work and a demo at Tribe Day in July 2027. FREE Helios Harmony Intro Course: https://longridehome.com/onoutpout What You'll Learn in This Episode 00:02:26 – How riding ponies in the Swedish forests without rules shaped Charlotte's feel for balance and freedom with horses. 00:23:23 – Why the Valença method gives you a system that becomes part of your DNA while leaving you free to develop your own path. 00:34:08 – Why groundwork became Charlotte's focus in the UK, and how it helps riders understand feel versus how things look. 00:49:49 – How small movements, such as a quarter turn around the cones, teach the horse the same pattern as a half halt. 00:59:03 – Why a horse's stiffness is there for a reason, and how resistance and release build muscle without force. 01:14:00 – How to ask whether a movement is sustainable for the horse, and not just whether it scores well. 01:31:53 – Why Rupert believes you cannot ride with lightness if you are heavy of heart. 01:54:58 – Why Charlotte says that from the ground you create the horse you want to ride. 01:56:55 – How Charlotte uses groundwork to help horses release the ribcage and diaphragm and take a deep breath. 02:04:30 – Why the effect of an exercise shows up in the break, and not during the exercise itself. Memorable Moments from the Episode 00:02:40 – Charlotte describes riding Shetland ponies as a child with flat saddles and an ice hockey helmet. 00:18:34 – At Quinta do Brejo, Charlotte answers complaints about uncomfortable saddles by pointing out that Nuno Oliveira sat in them. 00:40:04 – Charlotte recalls guests at Morgado Lusitano being disappointed to get her as an instructor instead of the Portuguese instructor they had hoped for. 01:58:11 – Charlotte keeps her deep-breathing method a secret for now, and Rupert asks to make the check payable. 02:05:07 – Rupert recalls Nuno Oliveira's advice to dismount and smoke a cigarette, and Charlotte suggests he try deep breathing instead. Guest Contact & Links Charlotte Wittbom Website: charlottewittbom.com YouTube: Charlotte Wittbom Podcast on Spotify: Charlotte Wittbom Classical Mastery About Charlotte Wittbom Charlotte Wittbom is a Swedish-born classical riding instructor based in England. She started in eventing with ponies, trained and worked in Portugal with the Valença family, and ran Quinta do Brejo, Nuno Oliveira's old yard. Her approach builds on the Valença system and puts groundwork first, working with physios to help horses develop posture, muscle and calm before and alongside ridden work. She teaches across the UK, gives clinics in Sweden, and hosts a podcast of portraits of classical masters in their own words. Find her at charlottewittbom.com. See All of Rupert's Programs and Shows: Website: https://rupertisaacson.com Follow Us: Long Ride HomeWebsite: 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.

    You Can't Ride With Lightness If You're Heavy of Heart: Groundwork, Deep Breathing & Classical Mastery | Charlotte Wittbom | LFRF 66

  2. Oct 22

    The Living Master of Equestrian Art: Love, Joy & Dressing a Horse Like Chopin | Luis & Sofia Valença | LFRF 65

    ✨  “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.

    The Living Master of Equestrian Art: Love, Joy & Dressing a Horse Like Chopin | Luis & Sofia Valença | LFRF 65

  3. Oct 8

    What Five-Star Eventing Taught Me About Backing Off: Joy, Feedback & the Horse's Yes | Sinead Maynard | LFRF 64

    ✨ "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.

  4. Sep 24

    Is Your Horse Holding Its Breath?: Balance, Diagonals & the Physiology of Feel | Patrick King | LFRF 63

    ✨ "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

    Is Your Horse Holding Its Breath?: Balance, Diagonals & the Physiology of Feel | Patrick King | LFRF 63

  5. Sep 10

    What Sea Lions Taught Me About Training Horses with Jenifer Zeligs | Live Free Ride Free

    ✨ "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.

    What Sea Lions Taught Me About Training Horses with Jenifer Zeligs | Live Free Ride Free

  6. Aug 27

    Altered States, Horse Gods & the Energy Behind Every Action: A Conversation with Warwick Schiller | Warwick Schiller | LFRF 61

    ✨ "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.

    Altered States, Horse Gods & the Energy Behind Every Action: A Conversation with Warwick Schiller | Warwick Schiller | LFRF 61

  7. Aug 14

    The Black Horse History They Left Out | Louis Hook | LFRF 60

    ✨ "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.

    The Black Horse History They Left Out | Louis Hook | LFRF 60

  8. Jul 23

    What My Horse's Tongue Taught Me About Healing | Nahshon Cook | LFRF 59

    ✨ "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.

    What My Horse's Tongue Taught Me About Healing | Nahshon Cook | LFRF 59
See All (67)

Trailer

5
out of 5
13 Ratings

About

Welcome to Live Free Ride Free, where we talk to people who have lived self-actualized lives on their own terms, and find out how they got there, what they do, how we can get there, what we can learn from them. How to live our best lives, find our own definition of success, and most importantly, find joy. 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 schools for special needs and neuro-typical children.  You can find details of all our programs and shows on www.RupertIsaacson.com

Information

You Might Also Like