Equine Assisted World with Rupert Isaacson

By Rupert Isaacson

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 neurop... more

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The podcast currently has 63 episodes available.

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Number 1: 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 EpisodeHow 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.
August 20, 20261h 53min
Number 2: Let Them Work: Temple Grandin on Real Healing for Autism & Anxiety | Ep 34 Equine Assisted World
In this essential episode of Equine Assisted World, Rupert Isaacson sits down with Dr. Temple Grandin, one of the world’s most influential voices on autism, sensory processing, and practical approaches to learning and healing. Together, they explore how therapeutic riding centers can do more than just offer horse time—they can create whole environments of sensory safety, meaningful skill-building, and community resilience. Dr. Grandin shares her personal experiences growing up autistic, her early fears and breakthroughs, and the real-life tools that helped her thrive—tools that every equine program can apply. From using turn-taking games to stimulate speech to setting up repair shops and greeter stations to build confidence and career readiness, this episode is a blueprint for any equine-assisted center aiming to have deeper impact. 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: The Power of Observation & Following the Child (Starts at 01:00)How Rupert adapted Temple's three-step approach to help his nonverbal sonWhy nature and movement are essential for sensory integrationEquine Interaction & Sensory Patterns (Starts at 04:00)The three ways autistic kids respond to animalsWhat PET scans and OTs show about rhythm, balance, and the cerebellumWhy nature and gardens still matter even without horsesEarly Intervention with Church Play & Library Play (Starts at 07:00)Why many children can't afford to be on waitlistsTurn-taking games and imitation as entry pointsHow to tap into local retirees to fill gaps in early interventionTheory of Mind & Naturalistic Learning (Starts at 08:30)Flapping, spinning coins, and making daisy chains as foundational social engagementHow structured tasks lead to intellectual developmentHigh Expectations with Support (Starts at 14:00)Accommodating without overprotecting: ferry horns and dessert rulesWhy selling candy and hosting parties mattered for both Temple and Bill GatesPractical Skills, Tools & Trades (Starts at 20:00)From coat hangers to glue guns: the neuroscience of hands-on learningHow fixing things builds brains and self-worthRebuilding the Workshop Culture (Starts at 28:00)Why shop class should return to therapeutic barnsVisual thinkers vs. math thinkers: all kinds of brains need tactile trainingUsing retired mechanics, carpenters, and engineers as mentorsStructured Responsibility Around the Barn (Starts at 34:00)Real tasks: mucking, grooming, feeding, building stallsHow responsibility leads to confidence and safety awarenessSocial Skills Training through Greeting & Selling (Starts at 43:00)Simulating cookie sales, greeter roles, and party host behaviorControlled exposure to rejection and resilience buildingJob Skills, Routine & Community Integration (Starts at 51:00)Creating modern equivalents of paper routes with local volunteersWhy non-family bosses matter for skill-buildingTap into senior centers to address budget shortfallsThe Cost of Screen Time & the Value of Movement (Starts at 54:00)How too much tech stunts developmentWhat real-world vestibular tasks do for brain growthCognitive, Motor & Emotional Growth Through Challenge (Starts at 59:00)The science behind tool use, play, and heavy workBalancing boards, swings, and walking rails in arenas and homesMedication, Anxiety & Exercise (Starts at 67:00)Temple's 40-year experience with antidepressantsWhy burst exercise helps more than walkingHow low-dose meds plus movement can regulate fear systems🌟 Memorable Moments from the Episode:Temple's method for helping kids tolerate scary noises like vacuum cleaners (01:34:00)How she visualizes responsibility: "Put the lid down and turn the latch." (01:36:22)Why greeting guests at parties was as important as riding horses (01:37:38)Temple's go-to back pain trick: "Look at the ceiling beams." (01:05:00)🤝 Connect with Dr. Temple Grandin: Website: https://www.templegrandin.com Books: Thinking in Pictures, Visual Thinking, The Autistic Brain, and more 🌐 See All of Rupert’s Programs and Shows: Rupert Isaacson: https://rupertisaacson.com Equine-Assisted Programs: https://newtrailslearning.com 📲 Follow Us: Long Ride Home 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: Some links may be affiliate links. If you purchase through them, we may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting the show!
August 07, 20251h 45min
Number 3: From Horse Theft to Horse-Facilitated Healing: Carolina Lockwood's 30-Year Evolution in Patagonia | Carolina Lockwood of Alquimia Equina, Bariloche, Argentina | EAW 53
✨ "It's not that I gave up. I switched." – Carolina Lockwood Carolina Lockwood joins Rupert Isaacson from Bariloche, in the Patagonia region of Argentina, where she has spent more than 30 years building equine-assisted work from the ground up — first blending art therapy with horses, then training directly with Rupert in Texas, then running an intensive Horse Boy–style program, then coaching, and now facilitating horse-based energy healing. What makes Carolina's story distinctive is the environment she's built it in. In the areas around Bariloche, horse theft for meat is a real and recurring danger — over the years Carolina has lost five horses to thieves, including cases where stolen horses were found slaughtered. She talks candidly about tracking horses down with the police, the informal social protections that eventually stabilized her herd's safety, and the anxiety that never fully goes away even after 30 years without an incident. The conversation traces her full arc: building a team of six staff and 30 kids a week at the height of her program, learning to read burnout in both horses and herself, closing that chapter deliberately rather than abandoning the work altogether, and evolving into equine coaching (trained through Kathy Pike and the Linda Kohanov lineage), liberty work (with Jean-François Pignon and Celeste Solzenne), and now a year-plus training in horse-facilitated energy healing with Saskia Marroquin of Caballo Cósmico. Along the way, Rupert and Carolina dig into what "energy work" actually means in practical terms, and why practitioners shouldn't feel locked into one rigid model for life. If you want to support the show, you can do so at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/LongRideHome 🔍 What You'll Learn in This EpisodeHow Carolina moved from art therapy and ceramics work with special-needs kids into equine-assisted work in Bariloche, PatagoniaWhy she traveled to Texas to train directly with Rupert after discovering the Horse Boy filmWhat it's actually like running horses in a region where theft and slaughter for meat is a recurring, organized threat — and how she and her family tracked down stolen horses with the policeWhy gauchos' and polo horses are rarely stolen while therapy and pleasure horses are the ones targetedHow Carolina rebuilt her herd's security by relocating and relying on informal community protection rather than fences or gunsWhat her own "non-structure structure" for horse welfare looks like, built around free roaming, herd life, and trust — and how it differs from the fitness-and-conditioning approach used in Horse Boy MethodHow she learned to read burnout in a horse, including a beloved therapy horse who started biting handlers when he was "done"Why she eventually closed her intensive riding-based program on purpose, and how she thinks about that decision nowHow she transitioned into equine coaching, training with Kathy Pike and the lineage of Linda Kohanov in ColoradoWhat liberty work with Jean-François Pignon and his student Celeste Solzenne taught her about horses reflecting a person's inner stateHow she began training in horse-facilitated energy healing with Saskia Marroquin of Caballo Cósmico, and what that work looks like in practiceThe story of a terminally ill client whose final wish involved Carolina's horses, and what it revealed to her about this kind of healingWhat Carolina's dream is for a future retreat and rescue sanctuary in Patagonia, and why she's decided to say it out loud 🎤 Memorable Moments from the Episode [00:02:02] Carolina's path from art therapy and ceramics to horses, and the natural horsemanship training with Paul Walker that changed her perspective [00:06:27] Discovering the Horse Boy film, writing to Rupert, and going to Texas to train [00:11:56] The reality of horse theft and slaughter for meat in the mountains around Bariloche [00:15:22] Tracking down stolen horses with the police, and the ones she never got back [00:28:36] Carolina's "non-structure structure" for horse welfare, compared with Horse Boy's fitness-based system [00:38:00] A beloved therapy horse starts biting handlers — reading the signs of equine burnout [00:51:00] Carolina's own burnout, and the deliberate decision to close her intensive program [00:59:42] Liberty training with Jean-François Pignon and Celeste Solzenne [01:19:00] The story of a terminally ill client and what happened in her final horse session [01:32:55] Carolina's dream of a future healing retreat and rescue sanctuary in Patagonia 📚 Contact, Projects, and Resources Mentioned Carolina Lockwood – Equine-assisted practitioner, coach & energy healing facilitator Email: [email protected] 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.
September 03, 20261h 50min
Number 4: 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 EpisodeWhy 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.
May 14, 20262h 12min
Number 5: Autistic Voices in Equine Therapy: Dr. Rebecca Evanko on Female Autism & Wilder Wood | Ep 37
From a childhood marked by abandonment in Australia to building a groundbreaking equine-assisted program in New Mexico, Dr. Rebecca Evanko’s story is one of resilience, survival, and transformation. Joined by her husband, physician Dr. Marc Evanko, the two share how their own neurodivergence—autism and ADHD—shaped Wilder Wood Equine Therapy, a program centering female autism and authentic connection with horses. Together they discuss the creation of WRADIANCE©, a new diagnostic tool designed by autistic women for autistic women, and their unique counseling model that blends equine interaction with trauma-informed, neurodivergent-led support. ✨ “For the first time, I said to myself: I’m not a problem. I’m autistic. I think differently.” – Dr. Rebecca Evanko ✨ “There’s nothing wrong with either operating system—Android or Apple. They both work. It’s just different.” – Dr. Marc Evanko 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:Growing up autistic, obsessed with horses, and left alone at 15 in rural Australia ([00:04:00])Surviving homelessness, finding mentors, and building resilience through horses ([00:06:00])Misdiagnosis, masking, and why female autism is so often overlooked ([00:10:00])Meeting Marc, ADHD as both challenge and superpower, and their shared love of horses ([00:21:00])Why true classical dressage informed their horse work at Wilder Wood ([00:27:00])Creating equine therapy and counseling programs rooted in lived autistic experience ([00:48:00])How WRADIANCE© was developed: 900+ narratives from autistic women worldwide ([00:57:00])The limitations of “gold standard” diagnostic tools and why WRADIANCE© is different ([01:00:00])Grief, tribe, and the importance of community for autistic women ([01:17:00])Joy as the opposite of suffering—and the role of horses in bringing it back ([01:53:00])🎙️ Memorable Moments from the Episode:Riding her horse through mist at 2 a.m. as a teen left alone in Queensland ([00:05:00])A kitchen accident leading Rebecca back to horses at age 52 ([00:27:00])Marc’s ADHD metaphor: starting to rake leaves, ending up at Home Depot, forgetting the rake ([00:32:00])Discovering that most autism programs weren’t designed by autistic people ([00:48:00])The “aha” moment: interviews don’t work—written narratives reveal female autism ([00:57:00])Women saying after WRADIANCE©: “I feel so heard. I feel so seen.” ([01:04:00])Why masking makes girls “fly under the radar” until adolescence melts them down ([01:12:00])The concept of learned helplessness vs. finding survival strategies ([01:45:00])Horses as partners in teaching self-reliance, not helplessness ([01:52:00])Rebecca’s memoir Joy—naming what she found on the other side of suffering ([01:53:00])📚 Projects, Thinkers, and Ideas Mentioned:Joy – Memoir by Dr. Rebecca Evanko https://amzn.to/4meH0uPWilder Wood Equine Therapy – https://wilderwoodequinetherapy.orgThe WRADIANCE© Protocol – female autism diagnostic tool in clinical trials https://wilderwoodequinetherapy.org/the-wradiance-instrument-and-protocol/Temple Grandin – Autism advocate, professor, and authorMovement Method & Horse Boy Method – https://ntls.co🌍 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.
September 20, 20251h 57min