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The mic is clipped to my coffee table, I’m under two blankets, and I’m finally ready to tell you where I’ve been: knee‑deep in mud, hay, and a kind of happiness that also leaves you wrecked. Over the last year I brought an ex‑racehorse into my life, then made the wildly optimistic choice to add a second. The podcast didn’t fade because I ran out of ideas—it paused because caring for 600‑kilo flight animals takes time, muscle, money, and a surprising amount of mental bandwidth.

I walk you through what retraining a thoroughbred actually looks like, including the messy middle: building new cues, rebuilding my own riding muscles after a long gap, and making peace with risk. I share the falls, the shoulder that met a wall, the back that maybe should have been scanned, and the clinical calculus I make as a doctor who also loves a dangerous sport. We talk invisible labour—from farrier schedules and dental checks to feed plans and endless driving—and why I could organise vet visits before I remembered to pack my own lunch.

You’ll hear a full day at the yard: lessons, mucking out, riding two horses, a gale that turned the yard into chaos, and the inevitable crash into the sofa for a Hannah Montana binge. Underneath the stories is a theme that matters beyond horses: burnout isn’t just about work. Passion can drain as well as give, especially when water bottles, snacks, and sleep fall off the list. I’ve started building systems, accepting help, and redefining self‑care as practical fuel, not perfection.

I’m also launching a six‑part mini series on horses and health—nervous system lessons from the saddle, injury risk and reality, caretaker fatigue, movement that doesn’t feel like exercise, and what these animals give back. If you’ve ever loved something that quietly exhausted you, you’ll feel seen. Press play, ride along, and if this episode resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs permission to lower the bar, and leave a quick review to help others find us.

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