Today I’m chatting with Dillon Ryan, better known as @dillon_equi on Instagram. Dillon’s an equestrian influencer now, but he only started riding in 2020 — and what a journey it’s been since.

Growing up in a small village in North County Dublin, Dillon always felt drawn to horses trotting by, but it wasn’t until the world shut down during COVID and his work in the airline industry paused that he decided to finally give riding a go.

We talk about:

• The nerves of starting lessons as an adult

• Knowing instantly he was in the right place

• Discovering that horses all have their own personalities

• Leasing one horse… then another… until a friend suggested, “Why don’t you just get your own?”

• The process of finding his first horse, Duffy, with support from more experienced horsey friends

• The emotional moment of bringing Duffy home

• The heartbreaking decision to let Duffy go and thinking he might never own a horse again

• Meeting Elvis, his current horse — and realising the difference between owning a 14-year-old versus a 5-year-old!

• Going back to basics, building trust, and learning together

• The importance of setting your ego aside and getting help when you need it

• Celebrating the little wins that come with producing a young horse

• His plans for the year ahead with Elvis

• And some great advice for anyone starting out in the equestrian world

This is a brilliant, down-to-earth chat about coming into the equestrian world as an adult, building confidence, and embracing the ups and downs that come with horse ownership.

Where to find Dillon:
Instagram – @dillon_equi