Equine Assisted World with Rupert Isaacson

Rupert Isaacson
  • 5.0 (15)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Updated Semiweekly

Here on Equine Assisted World. We look at the cutting edge and the best practices currently being developed and, established in the equine assisted field. This can be psychological, this can be neuropsych, this can be physical, this can be all of the conditions that human beings have that these lovely equines, these beautiful horses that we work with, help us with. Your Host is New York Times bestselling author Rupert Isaacson. Long time human rights activist, Rupert helped a group of Bushmen in the Kalahari fight for their ancestral lands. He's probably best known for his autism advocacy work following the publication of his bestselling book "The Horse Boy" and "The Long Ride Home" where he tells the story of finding healing for his autistic son. Subsequently he founded New Trails Learning Systems an approach for addressing neuro-psychiatric conditions through horses, movement and nature. The methods are now used around the world in therapeutic riding program, therapy offices and schools for special needs and neuro-typical children.  You can find details of all our programs and shows on www.RupertIsaacson.com.

  1. 3d ago

    100 Children, No Bookings—and Nobody Turned Away | Helen Picha | EAW 60

    ✨ "It's not about the job or the wages. You have to love it with absolute passion." – Helen Picha Helen Picha manages Liskennett Farm, a groundbreaking equine-assisted therapy center for children and adults with autism and intellectual disabilities in Granagh, County Limerick, Ireland, on the border of Limerick and Cork. She took over as manager two years ago after eleven years working alongside founder David Doyle, and now runs the 80-acre center — home to 23 horses across residential, day, and equine programs — that Rupert calls the cutting edge of best practice in equine-assisted therapy. What sets Liskennett apart is scale paired with radical openness. Every Saturday, the farm runs a booking-free, fee-free open day that draws between 80 and 100 children, no appointment required, no family turned away. Its indoor arena, originally built for riding, has been repurposed entirely into a music, movement, and play space, because the horses and children preferred being outdoors. And many of Liskennett's horses are retired Thoroughbred racehorses, some placed at Cheltenham, brought down from the racing circuit through a careful, months-long retraining process before ever carrying a child. In this conversation, Helen and Rupert trace Liskennett's origin story — from a 2012 Horse Boy demo, a young woman's tragic death, and a €3 million donation to a modern therapy campus — and dig into how the farm actually runs day to day: horse selection and retraining, staff burnout prevention, community integration through an inclusive fox hunt and horse show, and Liskennett's expansion into new satellite centers backed by €6 million in Irish government funding. If you want to support the show, you can do so at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/LongRideHome 🔍 What You'll Learn in This Episode How Liskennett Farm evolved from an 80-acre burned-out stud farm into a state-of-the-art residential, day, and equine therapy hub serving hundreds of children and adults with autism and intellectual disabilitiesWhy founder David Doyle built a "step in, step down, step out" model, letting families in crisis access residential support without being permanently separatedWhat Liskennett's booking-free Saturday open days look like, welcoming 80 to 100 children with no appointment, no fee, and no rushHow the farm's Christmas open day scaled to 300 children in a single day, all riding and meeting Santa, with zero bookings and zero meltdownsWhy Liskennett retired the original purpose of its indoor arena entirely, turning it into a music, movement, and play space insteadHow retired racehorses, many connected to the McManus racing family, are systematically retrained over six to twelve months before ever carrying a childWhat the "MMM Room" (Movement Method to Music) is, and how a chance visit from founder David Doyle's daughter Caroline inspired its creationHow Liskennett integrates families into local community life through an inclusive fox hunt, agricultural show classes, and an annual fundraising concertWhy Helen believes horsemanship fundamentals — temperament, soundness, and long, slow conditioning work — are the foundation of safe therapeutic ridingHow the farm is expanding with new satellite hubs in Charleville and Kanturk, backed by €6 million in HSE fundingWhat Helen learned from an early personal loss that quietly shaped her approach to working with families years before she ever set foot in LiskennettHow Helen and her team plan for staff burnout with rotating schedules, an open culture around asking for help, and regular team celebrations🎤 Memorable Moments from the Episode [00:04:50] Rupert traces how Liskennett came to exist: a 2012 Horse Boy demo organized by Shelley Murtagh, who died of a brain tumor three months later — and three years after that, an email from David Doyle leading to €3 million raised for the center [00:09:02] Helen shares that at age 20 she had a daughter, Danielle, born with spina bifida and hydrocephalus, who lived 11 months — an experience that quietly planted the seed for her future work, long before she knew it [00:12:13] Helen describes Liskennett's booking-free Saturday open days: up to 100 children riding between 9:30am and 3:30pm, with no appointment required and no family turned away [00:14:59] Last Christmas, 300 children went horse riding and met Santa in a single day with no booking system, and Helen says not one child had a meltdown [00:25:00] Rupert recalls the moment eight nonverbal autistic boys galloped past him independently on Liskennett's ponies, taking instruction and riding single file at the canter [00:31:43] Helen walks through how retired Thoroughbreds, including horses that placed at Cheltenham, are brought down from the racing circuit over six to twelve months before any child rides them [00:47:16] Helen tells the story behind the "MMM Room" — inspired by watching founder David Doyle's autistic daughter Caroline light up at the sight of mirrors and music in an unrelated training room [01:01:00] Helen reveals the scale of Liskennett's growth: a new satellite center in Kanturk backed by €6 million in HSE funding, with Ireland's Taoiseach turning the sod at the site [01:20:40] Rupert and Helen recall Staker Wallace, a JP McManus racehorse, briefly reverting to old "racing brain" habits while walking into the Limerick Racecourse parade ring before settling back down [01:43:57] Helen is coaxed into singing a verse of a Christy Moore song live on the show 📚 Contact, Projects, and Resources Mentioned Helen Picha – Manager, Liskennett Farm / St. Joseph's Foundation  https://www.sjf.ie/What-We-Do/Facilities/Liskennett-Farm Liskennett Farm – Facebook  https://facebook.com/LiskennettETC Liskennett Farm – Instagram  https://instagram.com/liskennettequinetherapy St. Joseph's Foundation  https://www.sjf.ie 🌍 Follow Us Long Ride Home https://longridehome.com https://facebook.com/longridehome.lrh https://instagram.com/longridehome_lrh https://youtube.com/@longridehome New Trails Learning Systems https://ntls.co https://facebook.com/horseboyworld https://instagram.com/horseboyworld 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.

    100 Children, No Bookings—and Nobody Turned Away | Helen Picha | EAW 60

  2. Aug 6

    From Homelessness to Alternative Education Pioneer | Nicola Hepburn | EAW 60

    ✨ "I think the worst thing that people can do is say no." – Nicola Hepburn Equine Learning is a therapeutic and alternative education provision based at Wootton Park in Warwickshire, UK, founded by Nicola Hepburn in 2008 as one of the UK's earliest equine-facilitated learning organizations. Today it helps neurodivergent young people and adults with learning difficulties build academic, vocational, and life skills through horses — work that has grown from a small community project into a full alternative education provider funded largely through local authority contracts. Equine Learning's post-16 students earn accredited qualifications entirely through hands-on coursework rather than sit-down exams, spend two to three years working at their own pace, and never number more than six students a day — a boutique model built on trust rather than test scores. In this conversation, Nicola and Rupert dig into what it actually takes to fund and sustain a program like this: how to find and win local authority tenders, the property crises that nearly ended Equine Learning more than once, and the hard lessons about charging for services versus giving them away for free. Nicola also opens up about being homeless at 17 — an experience that shaped her mission to build the safe, inclusive space she needed as a teenager — and shares her master's research on educational trauma, plus her plans for a new wellness retreat program addressing menopause, grief, and midlife transitions. If you want to support the show, you can do so at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/LongRideHome 🔍 What You'll Learn in This Episode How Nicola Hepburn's path into equine-facilitated learning began with a 2005 training course, and how she trained under a colleague of US pioneer Barbara RectorHow Equine Learning evolved from a small 2006 community project for adults with learning difficulties into a full alternative education provision for neurodivergent post-16 studentsWhy Equine Learning's qualifications are entirely work-based and assessed through coursework rather than sit-down examsHow local authority tendering works, including where to find tendering portals and how to write a winning bidWhy persistence matters even after a tender rejection, and what Nicola learned from bids that didn't succeedWhy Nicola caps her education program at six students a day, and why students typically stay two to three yearsHow years of property setbacks — from a tiny barn arena to losing a fully-funded site — eventually led Nicola to Wootton ParkWhy she now advises new practitioners to look beyond a traditional "stable yard" when searching for propertyWhat she learned about entitlement and service value after offering free sessions early on, and why she moved to a paid model with limited scholarshipsWhy clear behavior policies and signed participant agreements protect both practitioners and the people they serveHow building trust — including letting a young person leave a session if they truly want to — creates lasting engagementWhat her master's research revealed about educational trauma in neurodivergent studentsHow Nicola's own experience of teenage homelessness shaped her mission to create Equine Learning's safe, inclusive space🎤 Memorable Moments from the Episode [00:00:44] Rupert introduces Nicola Hepburn of Equine Learning as one of the UK's equine-facilitated learning pioneers [00:02:07] Nicola traces her path into the field back to a 2005 training course at the Unicorn Trust in Stow-on-the-Wold [00:10:50] Nicola describes how Equine Learning evolved from adult day-center visits into a full alternative education provision for neurodivergent young people [00:24:43] Nicola walks through exactly how to find and win a local authority tender [00:34:01] Nicola recounts losing a fully-funded property right after raising £50,000 to build an arena, left with 20 horses and nowhere to go [00:47:22] Nicola shares her philosophy on asking for help: "the worst thing that people can do is say no" [00:52:04] Rupert tells the story of "Big Al," the Texas landowner who said no for years before his land became one of their most cherished spots [00:58:24] Nicola and Rupert compare notes on the risks of offering services for free versus charging [01:13:47] Nicola explains why letting a young person leave a session when they want to actually builds trust [01:19:02] Nicola opens up about becoming homeless at 17 [01:21:47] Nicola credits a Blockbuster store manager who believed in her with turning her life around and helping her buy her first horse [01:35:07] Nicola shares her vision for wellness retreats addressing menopause and grief 📚 Contact, Projects, and Resources Mentioned Nicola Hepburn – Founder, Equine Learning https://equinelearning.org.uk Email: hello@equinelearning.org.uk New Trails Learning Systems – Horse Boy Method, Movement Method & Takhin Equine Integration https://ntls.co Rupert Isaacson / Long Ride Home https://rupertisaacson.com Patreon Support https://www.patreon.com/LongRideHome 🌍 Follow Us Long Ride Home https://longridehome.com https://facebook.com/longridehome.lrh https://instagram.com/longridehome_lrh https://youtube.com/@longridehome New Trails Learning Systems https://ntls.co https://facebook.com/horseboyworld https://instagram.com/horseboyworld 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.

    From Homelessness to Alternative Education Pioneer | Nicola Hepburn | EAW 60

  3. Jul 23

    Miniature Horses, Memory Care, and the Neuroscience of Connection | Sanaa Pharayra of Romeo Roadshow | EAW 59

    Sanaa Pharayra runs the Romeo Roadshow, a Southern California-based program that brings miniature horses named Romeo and Ziggy directly into memory care facilities, senior day programs, and hospital rooms for people living with Alzheimer's and dementia. What began as a rescue project for a single abandoned, feral miniature horse has grown into a program now drawing research interest from the University of Southern California and Cal State Channel Islands. Faculty there are studying why repeated visits from Romeo and Ziggy appear to reduce fear and increase engagement in residents, even those who don't consciously remember the horses' earlier visits. Sanaa and Rupert dig into the neuroscience behind why this works, from oxytocin and cortisol to brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and compare notes on what it actually takes to train a horse for genuine emotional engagement rather than quiet compliance. They also discuss Sanaa's own Bedouin and Arab-Israeli ancestry, discovered as an adult, and what it might mean for the program's future. If you want to support the show, you can do so at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/LongRideHome ✨ "I call it the awe factor. That's what I see in these people's faces — they're in awe." – Sanaa Pharayra 🔍 What You'll Learn in This Episode How a rescued, feral miniature horse named Romeo became the foundation of a therapy program that now visits memory care facilities across Southern CaliforniaWhy repeated visits from the horses reduced residents' fear within just three visits, even when they had no memory of the horses' previous visitsWhat staff report when comparing horse therapy visits to the dog therapy programs already in place at the same facilitiesHow Sanaa connected with The Connected Horse program, founded by Nancy Scheer and Paula Hirtel, and their research advisor Dr. Claudia SonderWhy Romeo Roadshow is now partnering with USC and Cal State Channel Islands, working with Professor Ronald Verkowski, to formally study its effectsHow oxytocin, cortisol, and BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) explain the neuroscience behind equine-assisted therapyWhy horses must be trained for genuine emotional engagement, not just quiet compliance, to be effective therapy partnersWhy Sanaa believes people with more advanced cognitive decline may respond even more strongly to the horses once language falls awayHow Sanaa discovered her Bedouin and Arab-Israeli heritage as an adult, including her grandfather's history as a "Faras," an Arab horseman who raced ArabiansWhy Sanaa and Rupert believe the program could eventually support conflict-resolution work in the Middle EastWhat Sanaa's long-term vision is for Romeo Roadshow, including plans for a documentary and a newly filed 501(c)(3) nonprofit statusHow the program is exploring intergenerational partnerships that pair university students with senior residents through the therapy visits🎤 Memorable Moments from the Episode [00:13:00] The Painted Turtle charity holiday party visit that reveals Romeo is a therapy animal [00:20:00] Residents who were once afraid of the horses lose their fear within three visits, despite not remembering earlier ones [00:58:00] Rupert cites a University of Bournemouth study showing a 51% reduction in domestic violence a year after a five-week equine intervention [01:01:00] Rupert describes his horse Clou spontaneously nuzzling and licking a boy believed to be in a vegetative state [01:17:00] Sanaa describes "the awe factor" she sees on residents' faces during visits [01:44:00] Sanaa learns via a message from a cousin that her grandfather was a "Faras," an Arab horseman who raced Arabians [02:08:00] Rupert suggests a documentary title: "Where for Art Thou?" [02:11:00] A nonverbal elderly man musters the words "I grew up on a farm" during a hospital room visit with the horses 📚 Contact, Projects, and Resources Mentioned Sanaa Pharayra – Founder, Romeo Roadshow  https://romeoroadshow.com New Trails Learning Systems – Horse Boy Method, Movement Method & Takhin Equine Integration https://ntls.co Rupert Isaacson / Long Ride Home https://rupertisaacson.com Patreon Support https://www.patreon.com/LongRideHome  🌍 Follow Us Long Ride Home https://longridehome.com https://facebook.com/longridehome.lrh https://instagram.com/longridehome_lrh https://youtube.com/@longridehome New Trails Learning Systems https://ntls.co https://facebook.com/horseboyworld https://instagram.com/horseboyworld 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.

    Miniature Horses, Memory Care, and the Neuroscience of Connection | Sanaa Pharayra of Romeo Roadshow | EAW 59

  4. Jul 9

    The Compton Cowboys: Healing Racial Trauma with Horses | Louis Hook & Kansas Carradine | EAW 58

    ✨ "I believe that in our ancestry we were equestrians, and that's why it's connected so hard with my family." – Louis Hook For 35 years, the Compton Cowboys mission has run a self-development program in Compton, California, that leverages horses to help kids grow into upstanding young men and women — serving roughly 30 kids a year. Founding member Louis Hook and HeartMath practitioner Kansas Carradine, who has worked alongside the organization for years, join Rupert Isaacson to talk about the mission's history and how it works today. What started when Louis's sister Maisha Akbar moved to Compton's Richland Farms neighborhood in 1988 has grown into a four-track program covering horsemanship, equine science, farming, and self-development. Kansas brings the science side of the conversation, explaining how heart rate variability and heart coherence research from the HeartMath Institute is being used to help kids and horses regulate together. The conversation ranges from the history of West African cavalry culture and Mansa Musa to the concept of epigenetic and intergenerational trauma, and what Louis calls "Shadow PTSD" in kids growing up in high-violence neighborhoods. It's a wide-ranging discussion about ancestry, the funding challenges facing Black equestrian nonprofits, and why reconnecting to the history of Black horsemanship matters for healing. If you want to support the show, you can do so at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/LongRideHome 🔍 What You'll Learn in This Episode How the Compton Cowboys mission began 35 years ago when founder Maisha Akbar moved to Compton's Richland Farms neighborhoodWhy Compton developed an equestrian culture at all, and how a protective land deed kept it from being lost to urbanizationHow the Compton Cowboys' "four tracks" model — horsemanship, equine science, farming, and self-development — structures a full day for kidsWhy the program shifted from Western to English riding due to funding and racial barriers within the Western equestrian worldWhat HeartMath research reveals about heart rate variability (HRV) and how horses respond to human nervous system regulationHow epigenetic and intergenerational trauma is passed down, and why reconnecting to ancestry can support healingHow the Compton Cowboys' own research into Mansa Musa and West African cavalry culture reshaped their understanding of Black equestrian historyWhat "Shadow PTSD" means for kids growing up in high-violence neighborhoods, and why the organization believes it needs formal recognitionHow the Compton Cowboys have expanded to serve LA's broader community, not just Black familiesWhy field trips to ranches and farms are a powerful — and fundable — model for connecting urban kids to natureWhat it actually costs to run a nonprofit equestrian program, and how funding and celebrity support really work in practiceHow Compton Cowboys has advocated to keep equestrian centers open across LA CountyHow Rupert's own experience adapting fox hunting into inclusive countryside days connects to the episode's larger theme of nature and healing🎤 Memorable Moments from the Episode [00:01:00] Rupert introduces the Compton Cowboys, with founding member Louis Hook and HeartMath practitioner Kansas Carradine [00:06:00] The Richland Farms land deed that preserved Compton's equestrian culture [00:32:00] The Compton Cowboys' behind-the-scenes role in Beyoncé's Super Bowl halftime show [00:41:00] Inside the Compton Cowboys' four-track daily program for kids [00:49:00] Kansas explains HeartMath's heart rate variability research and how horses respond to human regulation [00:55:00] Discovering Mansa Musa and West African cavalry history after watching The Woman King [01:19:00] Epigenetic trauma and the idea that DNA carries generations of memory [01:41:00] The case for equine-assisted programs to formally recognize "Shadow PTSD" in high-violence neighborhoods [02:00:00] How to support Compton Cowboys, and the real cost of running summer camp 📚 Contact, Projects, and Resources Mentioned Louis Hook & Kansas Carradine – Compton Cowboys https://comptoncowboys.com Compton Junior Equestrians (nonprofit) https://comptonjuniorequestrians.org New Trails Learning Systems – Horse Boy Method, Movement Method & Takhin Equine Integration https://ntls.co Rupert Isaacson / Long Ride Home https://rupertisaacson.com Patreon Support https://www.patreon.com/LongRideHome 🌍 Follow Us Long Ride Home https://longridehome.com https://facebook.com/longridehome.lrh https://instagram.com/longridehome_lrh https://youtube.com/@longridehome New Trails Learning Systems https://ntls.co https://facebook.com/horseboyworld https://instagram.com/horseboyworld 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 Compton Cowboys: Healing Racial Trauma with Horses | Louis Hook & Kansas Carradine | EAW 58

  5. Jun 25

    Art, Prison, and the Path to Freedom | Russell Craig | EAW 57

    Russell Craig is a celebrated visual artist now based between Philadelphia, New York, and Wellington, Florida, who grew up in the foster care system from age five and spent a total of twelve years in the Pennsylvania prison system before building an art career that has taken him from a mural on the African American Museum in Philadelphia to the White House, the Democratic National Convention, and museum collections around the country. What makes Russell's story so striking is how directly his lived experience speaks to the populations equine-assisted practitioners are trying to serve — kids in foster care, people coming out of incarceration, and anyone navigating systems that were never built with their wellbeing in mind. He found his way through art, using it inside prison as both an escape and, eventually, as a plan for life after release. In this conversation, Russell and Rupert dig into what a horse-based program for foster kids and formerly incarcerated people would actually need to work — structure, mentorship, hands-on care, transportation, funding, and a real sense of separation from old environments — as well as the deeper parallels Russell sees between horses and his own experience of captivity and freedom. If you want to support the show, you can do so at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/LongRideHome ✨ "When it's built on good structure, it will stand." – Russell Craig 🔍 What You'll Learn in This Episode Why Russell sees foster care and incarceration as a "funnel" that equine-assisted practitioners need outside mentorship to address responsiblyHow Russell first reconnected with art inside the prison system, and why it became his primary survival strategyWhy structure and a clear long-term plan — not just talent — turned Russell's art into a real career after releaseHow Russell draws parallels between leading a horse and his own experience of incarceration, and what that means for horsemanshipWhy Russell believes any foster-care equine program would need to feel like a true separation from a kid's old environment, not a day visitWhat Russell thinks foster care agencies would need to see before referring kids to an equine programWhy transportation and funding are the two biggest barriers to access for kids who could benefit from equine-assisted programsHow the parole system's rules can make it nearly impossible to stay out of prison, even for someone trying to build a stable lifeWhy Russell believes any program working with formerly incarcerated or at-risk people needs a spiritual or nature-connection componentRupert and Russell's shared idea for a "campus" model that combines equine therapy with green jobs, land restoration, and forestry trainingWhy Russell sought out an arts program from inside prison — and how that became his springboard after releaseRussell's closing advice to practitioners working with foster kids or people coming out of incarceration🎤 Memorable Moments from the Episode [00:03:00] Russell describes being placed in foster care at age five and ending up on the streets by twelve [00:09:00] Russell on reconnecting with art inside prison as a way to escape his surroundings and stay focused [00:21:00] Russell on training himself to look for "the awesome" even inside hard or painful situations [00:35:00] Rupert and Russell draw the parallel between leading a horse and Russell's own experience of incarceration [00:45:00] Rupert outlines NTLS's three certification programs: Horse Boy Method, Movement Method, and Takhin Equine Integration [01:11:00] Russell explains why kids in a foster-care equine program would need real separation from their old environment, not just a day visit [01:13:00] Rupert and Russell brainstorm a "campus" model combining horses with green jobs, land reclamation, and forestry training [01:39:00] Russell details the parole system's rules and how they can make it nearly impossible to stay out of prison [01:53:00] Russell describes seeking out an arts program from inside prison and turning it into his springboard after release [02:03:00] Russell's closing advice: keep pushing, don't do it alone, and connect with others doing the work 📚 Contact, Projects, and Resources Mentioned Russell Craig – Artist Search: Russell Craig artist New Trails Learning Systems – Horse Boy Method, Movement Method & Takhin Equine Integration https://ntls.co Rupert Isaacson / Long Ride Home https://rupertisaacson.com Patreon Support https://www.patreon.com/LongRideHome 🌍 Follow Us Long Ride Home https://longridehome.com https://facebook.com/longridehome.lrh https://instagram.com/longridehome_lrh https://youtube.com/@longridehome  New Trails Learning Systems https://ntls.co https://facebook.com/horseboyworld https://instagram.com/horseboyworld 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.

    Art, Prison, and the Path to Freedom | Russell Craig | EAW 57

  6. Jun 11

    Horses, Dementia, and the Science of Connection | Paula Hertel & Nancy Schier Anzelmo of Connected Horse, with Kansas Carradine | EAW 56

    ✨ "They come in with a cane and feeling disabled, and then they say, 'Here, take the cane, honey. I'm gonna walk this horse.' We've seen this so many times we can't even number it." – Nancy Schier Anzelmo Description Paula Hertel and Nancy Schier Anzelmo are the co-founders of Connected Horse, a California-based program that brings equine-assisted experiences to older adults living with dementia or memory loss — alongside their care partners. Backed by research conducted with Stanford University and UC Davis, Connected Horse is one of the first programs in the country to specifically serve this population in this way. Kansas Carradine, HeartMath-certified trainer and returning EAW guest, joins to explore the science of heart coherence, entrainment, and why horses may be uniquely suited to reach people that other approaches cannot. Connected Horse's work challenges the assumption that equine-assisted services are only for children or younger adults. Their Stanford and UC Davis pilot studies recorded statistically significant reductions in depression, anxiety, and caregiver burden — with 100% participant return rates at a six-month booster session. Participants regularly go from fearful and withdrawn to walking horses, speaking in full sentences, and feeling activated to change their lives. The program is designed to be failure-free: for the person with the diagnosis, for the care partner, and for the horses. In this episode, Rupert, Paula, Nancy, and Kansas explore the physiology behind what happens when a person leans their heart against a horse's neck, why dementia and autism require similar practitioner responses around pacing and unconditional presence, what ritual and ceremony have to do with cortisol regulation, and how social prescribing may bring programs like Connected Horse into mainstream healthcare. If you want to support the show, you can do so at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/LongRideHome If you want to support the show, you can do so at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/LongRideHome 🔍 What You'll Learn in This Episode Why older adults living with dementia have been largely overlooked by the equine-assisted field — and what Connected Horse is doing to change thatHow Stanford University and UC Davis pilot studies measured statistically significant reductions in depression, anxiety, and caregiver burden in just 15 hours of horse-based interventionWhy Connected Horse works with the person living with dementia and their care partner together — and why separating them misses the pointWhat actually happens during a Connected Horse workshop: herd observation, grooming, haltering, leading, and at-liberty gratitude time in the round penWhy people who entered unable to speak, walk confidently, or engage start doing all three by the third sessionHow emotional memory remains intact even as verbal and cognitive function declines — and how horses help bring it forwardWhat heart coherence and entrainment explain about why people lean their heart against a horse's neck and visibly transformWhy Kansas Carradine connects equine-assisted ritual to shamanic ceremony — and how that connection is measurable in biophoton research and HeartMath scienceHow the failure-free environment Paula and Nancy design creates self-agency for care partners who have lost their sense of controlWhat the social prescribing movement is — and why Connected Horse is part of an early Kaiser Permanente pilot bringing grassroots programs into mainstream healthcareWhy dementia and autism require the same practitioner response: slow down, reduce verbal demands, hold unconditional presence, and let the emotional memory do its workHow Connected Horse trains other barns and facilitators internationally, and what a "prescription to come to the barn" might look like🎤 Memorable Moments from the Episode [00:04:30] Paula describes what Connected Horse does — and why explaining it still falls short [00:15:07] Nancy breaks down the Stanford study design: five measures, three out of five with a P value of .001 [00:16:33] The UC Davis booster session: 100% participant return rate six months later, even after strokes or condition changes [00:22:14] What happens in the round pen: how the horse almost always moves toward the person who breathes, opens, and goes still [00:26:44] Kansas explains how the horse's heart field, VLF emissions, and coherent broadcast create the conditions for entrainment [00:32:00] Nancy: aphasic participants begin speaking; people who arrived with canes put them down to walk the horse [01:00:16] Paula on the grounding meditation that opens every session — and why reducing fight-flight-freeze is the foundation of everything [01:06:04] Paula on self-agency: regulating your own body is power, because "that's not someone doing something to me" [01:12:03] Kansas links equine-assisted facilitation to shamanic ritual — and to the science of entrainment and biophotons [01:29:02] Nancy on "activation": how workshop participants start going to the gym, traveling, writing, and living again after diagnosis [01:46:43] Paula on the social prescribing movement and Connected Horse's early pilot with Kaiser Permanente 📚 Contact, Projects, and Resources Mentioned Paula Hertel & Nancy Schier Anzelmo – Co-founders, Connected Horse https://connectedhorse.org paula@connectedhorse.org nancy@connectedhorse.org  New Trails Learning Systems – Horse Boy Method, Movement Method & Takhin Equine Integration https://ntls.co Rupert Isaacson / Long Ride Home https://rupertisaacson.com Patreon Support https://www.patreon.com/LongRideHome 🌍 Follow Us Long Ride Home https://longridehome.com https://facebook.com/longridehome.lrh https://instagram.com/longridehome_lrh https://youtube.com/@longridehome New Trails Learning Systems https://ntls.co https://facebook.com/horseboyworld https://instagram.com/horseboyworld 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.

    Horses, Dementia, and the Science of Connection | Paula Hertel & Nancy Schier Anzelmo of Connected Horse, with Kansas Carradine | EAW 56

  7. May 28

    Your Horse Can Feel Your Heartbeat | Kansas Carradine | EAW 55

    ✨ "What is HeartMath doing? They're measuring your care." – Kansas Carradine Description Kansas Carradine is a HeartMath-certified trainer, acrobatic stunt rider, and equine guided educator based in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California. She spent years performing with the international touring show Cavalia — working alongside 70+ head of horses, many of them stallions — before dedicating her work to heart-based horsemanship and emotional regulation. What makes Kansas's approach distinctive is the bridge she builds between rigorous science and lived horsemanship. HeartMath is not just a breathing technique; it is a research-backed body of work measuring the electromagnetic output of the heart, heart rate variability coherence, and the demonstrable effect of human emotional states on the beings — horse and human alike — around us. For equine-assisted practitioners, that has profound implications. In this conversation, Rupert and Kansas explore how heart coherence can be layered into any equine-assisted modality, why horses are uniquely able to detect incoherent emotional fields, the science behind the toric field and biophoton emission, and how Kansas's own path — from a difficult childhood at a California trick-riding ranch, through Cavalia's global stages, to HeartMath certification — shaped her understanding of regulation, resilience, and the horse as healer. She and Rupert also announce a planned 2027 collaboration. If you want to support the show, you can do so at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/LongRideHome If you want to support the show, you can do so at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/LongRideHome 🔍 What You'll Learn in This Episode How the heart functions as an electromagnetic organ — always broadcasting and receiving — and why this matters in the saddleWhy HeartMath is not a relaxation technique but an adaptogenic one: it balances both over-activated and shutdown nervous systemsWhat heart rate variability (HRV) coherence is, how it is measured, and what a 2025 peer-reviewed study in Global Advances in Integrative Medicine and Health found about its clinical outcomes for anxiety, depression, and traumaHow a 1997 University of Kassel study suggested that heart-centered meditators can emit up to 100,000 photons of light per second — compared with 20 in average individualsWhy horses in fight-or-flight broadcast incoherent fields, and why a calm, coherent horse feels the way it does to be nearHow the toric field — the measurable electromagnetic pulse of the heart — extends roughly arm's-length from the body, carrying a unique energetic fingerprint for each emotional stateWhy a little sympathetic arousal is necessary for engagement and learning, and how HeartMath creates the sweet spot between shutdown and hyperactivationHow trick riding — rooted in Cossack cavalry training — functions as a martial art form requiring zonal focus under high pressure, and what Kansas learned about regulation inside that crucibleHow to use a simple heart-focus breath practice (even mid-session) to set the energetic field before working with horses or clientsWhy HeartMath's research is now extending to plants and trees as the next frontier of measuring human heart-field impactHow Kansas's online courses approach HeartMath from the equestrian's perspective — and how to reach her for one-on-one coaching or in-person clinics🎤 Memorable Moments from the Episode [00:02:20] Kansas defines HeartMath as both a research institute and a practical modality — and walks listeners through a live heart-focus breathing exercise [00:08:18] The toric field explained: the measurable electromagnetic pulse of the heart and what it broadcasts depending on your emotional state[00:17:11] Why HeartMath is not about relaxation — the adaptogenic heart response and why shutdown clients do not need more parasympathetic [00:21:59] Kansas describes running away to Reata Ranch at age 11 and being raised within its highly structured trick-riding world for seven years [00:44:39] Trick riding as martial art: how Cossack acrobatic training shaped Kansas's capacity for high-pressure focus — and the cost of that [01:20:02] Rupert reads aloud the 1997 University of Kassel biophoton study — 100,000 photons per second from heart-centered meditators [01:48:37] Kansas explains how to get started: online courses, one-on-one coaching, and the Inner Balance biofeedback device [01:51:40] Kansas leads a second live heart-coherence practice — breathing gratitude in and out through the heart [02:06:26] Rupert and Kansas announce their planned 2027 collaboration in the Sierra Nevadas and a short-form YouTube series 📚 Contact, Projects, and Resources Mentioned Kansas Carradine – HeartMath-Certified Trainer, Equine Guided Educator https://circuscowgirl.com kansascarradine@gmail.com Facebook: Search Kansas Carradine HeartMath Institute – Research, courses, and Inner Balance biofeedback device https://heartmath.org New Trails Learning Systems – Horse Boy Method, Movement Method & Takhin Equine Integration https://ntls.co Rupert Isaacson / Long Ride Home https://rupertisaacson.com Patreon Support https://www.patreon.com/LongRideHome 🌍 Follow Us Long Ride Home https://longridehome.com https://facebook.com/longridehome.lrh https://instagram.com/longridehome_lrh https://youtube.com/@longridehome  New Trails Learning Systems https://ntls.co https://facebook.com/horseboyworld https://instagram.com/horseboyworld 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 Can Feel Your Heartbeat | Kansas Carradine | EAW 55

  8. May 14

    What Happens After the Horse? Neuroscience Tools for Home & Beyond | Kim Barthel & Leana Tank | EAW 54

    Kim Barthel is an occupational therapist, international educator, and author based in British Columbia, Canada, trained in sensory integration, neurodevelopmental therapy, and holotropic breathwork. Leana Tank is an occupational therapist and consultant working with complex populations including individuals in the criminal justice system, combining equine-assisted practice with deep expertise in movement, trauma, and the nervous system. Together, they bring a rare combination of neurological precision and on-the-ground practicality to one of the most overlooked questions in equine-assisted work: what are you doing with your clients when they are not on — or with — the horse? This conversation digs into the neuroscience of the vestibular system, interoception, bilateral stimulation, and why movement is far more than muscles. Kim and Leana share concrete tools — from saddle stools at home to pickle juice to the long gaze — and explore why the relational environment may ultimately matter even more than the physical one. ✨ "The brain can change until you stop breathing." – Kim Barthel If you want to support the show, you can do so at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/LongRideHome 🔍 What You'll Learn in This Episode Why what happens off the horse — at the barn, at home, in the community — is just as important as the session itselfHow the vestibular system develops in utero and why almost every developmental difference affects itWhat the inner core muscles (diaphragm, pelvic floor, transverse abdominis, multifidus) have to do with regulation, interoception, and feeling safeWhy the horse's three-dimensional movement provides a backdrop the brain cannot easily access in stillnessWhat interoception is, why many autistic individuals experience a blurred boundary between self and world, and how horseback riding supports thisHow to design simple home environments and daily activities that continue the neuroplasticity work between sessionsWhy stimming is not a problem to fix but a movement toward wholeness — and how to support it constructivelyWhat a "sensory diet" is and why individualized approaches work better than generic protocolsHow bilateral stimulation (crossing the midline) integrates the two brain hemispheres and why this matters for both autism and traumaWhy the relational environment — feeling seen and supported — may be the most powerful variable of allWhat the Default Mode Network and Salience Network are, and why nature shifts the brain into restorationPractical at-home tools: the long gaze, saddle-shaped stools, office chair rotation, barefoot movement, pushing/pulling exercises, and foraging tasksHow holotropic breathwork connects shamanic tradition to modern neuroscience through rhythm, movement, and breath🎤 Memorable Moments from the Episode [00:09:44] Kim explains why the horse is "so much more than a horse" — the unappreciated relational variable in equine work [00:16:08] Kim breaks down the inner core system: diaphragm, pelvic floor, and why posture on a horse activates all of it [00:18:43] Kim defines interoception — the internal awareness of "this is me and this is not me" — and how the horse enables it [00:23:02] Leana describes transforming a collapsed young man through intentional off-road nature walks [00:43:00] Kim shares the story of a 13-year-old who hadn't slept more than 20 minutes a night — and how a spinning office chair changed everything [01:00:28] Rupert and Leana discuss what to give overworked care staff when the therapist walks out the door [01:19:00] Leana tells the story of a client who alchemized profound trauma into gratitude — a conversation that happened while walking [01:48:00] Kim's story: sitting silently on the curb beside an unhoused young man, saying "I see you" — and meeting him two years later at Walmart with a job [01:53:47] Kim explains the Default Mode Network vs the Salience Network — why nature restores us [02:00:53] Kim introduces "the long gaze" — how even a screensaver can shift the brain toward restoration 📚 Contact, Projects, and Resources Mentioned Kim Barthel – Occupational Therapist, Educator, Author https://kimbarthel.ca Autism Matters – Kim Barthel's online webinar series https://kimbarthel.ca Leana Tank – OT, Constellations Consulting https://constellationsconsulting.org My Octopus Teacher – Netflix documentary featuring Craig Foster https://www.netflix.com/title/81016226 New Trails Learning Systems – Horse Boy Method, Movement Method & Takhin Equine Integration https://ntls.co  Rupert Isaacson / Long Ride Home https://rupertisaacson.com Patreon Support https://www.patreon.com/LongRideHome 🌍 Follow Us Long Ride Home https://longridehome.com https://facebook.com/longridehome.lrh https://instagram.com/longridehome_lrh https://youtube.com/@longridehome  New Trails Learning Systems https://ntls.co https://facebook.com/horseboyworld https://instagram.com/horseboyworld 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 Happens After the Horse? Neuroscience Tools for Home & Beyond | Kim Barthel & Leana Tank | EAW 54
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5
out of 5
15 Ratings

About

Here on Equine Assisted World. We look at the cutting edge and the best practices currently being developed and, established in the equine assisted field. This can be psychological, this can be neuropsych, this can be physical, this can be all of the conditions that human beings have that these lovely equines, these beautiful horses that we work with, help us with. Your Host is New York Times bestselling author Rupert Isaacson. Long time human rights activist, Rupert helped a group of Bushmen in the Kalahari fight for their ancestral lands. He's probably best known for his autism advocacy work following the publication of his bestselling book "The Horse Boy" and "The Long Ride Home" where he tells the story of finding healing for his autistic son. Subsequently he founded New Trails Learning Systems an approach for addressing neuro-psychiatric conditions through horses, movement and nature. The methods are now used around the world in therapeutic riding program, therapy offices and schools for special needs and neuro-typical children.  You can find details of all our programs and shows on www.RupertIsaacson.com.

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