It's Thanksgiving Eve and we've dragged Jon Holling away from his turkeys, his Packers jersey and his very detailed holiday schedule. Between Bloody Mary debates, and the yearly "do we have enough food" panic, we get a real glimpse into Jon's world.

We talk horses stepping up, young ones learning the ropes, the long road to making them competitive, and what it actually feels like to build your own string from the ground up.

A Thanksgiving special with all the good bits.

Highlights

• Thanksgiving in the Holling house, from two turkeys to 25 guests
• Why Zelda feels like the horse who changes everything
• Producing horses from scratch and the long game behind it
• The emotional whiplash between "I love this" and "why do I do this"
• Friends, loyalty, and the people who keep you sane in this sport
• What Jon would be doing if he hadn't ended up an eventer

Guests

Jon Holling - rider, coach, host of the John & Rick Show, professional Thanksgiving over-caterer and currently two horses deep into building his next top string.

Stay Connected

For the most up-to-date series calendar and latest standings, visit the official US Equestrian Open Series hub at usequestrianopen.org.

Engage with us on Instagram and Facebook — and use #USEquestrianOpen to join the conversation.