In this episode of The Equestrian’s Inner Life, I sit down with Rebekah Burton — an Australian event rider, lawyer, mother, and the quiet force behind one of Australia’s most successful equestrian partnerships.

Rebekah is the wife of Olympic medallist Chris Burton, and together they have lived the full arc of the equestrian dream — moving from Australia to the UK in 2011, building their business and family overseas, raising two children, and pursuing success at the very highest level of the sport.

Now, they have returned home to Australia to begin an entirely new chapter together. But what does it really take to live the Olympic dream as a husband-and-wife team? Behind every Olympic performance lies an unseen world — one of support, sacrifice, resilience, and shared vision. 

In this conversation, Rebekah offers a rare inside perspective on what it means to live alongside an elite equestrian athlete, how to find balance amid constant demands, and how to remain grounded and true to yourself while supporting another’s pursuit of excellence.

This is a conversation about partnership, purpose, and the often-unspoken strength that lives behind the scenes of high-performance sport

Resources:
Connect with Rebekah on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deofutura/ 
Connect with Rebekah on her website: https://deofutura.com/the-burtons/
Connect with us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rramossport
Follow along on the journey: https://www.pernillehogg.com/podcast
Music produced by Melissa Parris

Chris Burton is an Australian Olympic silver medallist whose career in three-day eventing reflects not just elite performance, but a deep commitment to feel, responsibility, and continual learning.

While his riding looks instinctive, Chris is clear: talent is never enough. Growth comes from awareness, discipline, and a willingness to refine. Every rider can improve. Every partnership can evolve.

Chris rides from a place where listening matters as much as action — where precision is shaped by presence, and performance is built on trust rather than force. In this conversation, we move beyond medals to explore the inner world of high performance: how feel is developed, how responsibility strengthens partnership, and how true connection between rider and horse creates excellence.

Resources:
Connect with Chris on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/burtonequestrian/ 
Connect with us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rramossport
Follow along on the journey: https://www.pernillehogg.com/podcast
Music produced by Melissa Parris

Who would have thought that your own breath could be the key to becoming a better equestrian?

In this powerful conversation with world-renowned breathwork master Dan Brulé, we explore how the simple act of conscious breathing can transform not just how you ride, but how you live.

Dan has spent over five decades teaching breath to Olympic athletes, Navy SEALs, and top performers around the world — and today, he shares how riders can harness that same power to unlock presence, balance, and deeper connection with their horses.

This is an episode that takes you from the science of breath to the soul of horsemanship — reminding us that every great ride begins with one conscious breath.

Resources:
Connect with Dan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danbrule/
Connect with Dan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danbruleofficial/
Become a Breathe Master: https://breathmastery.com/  
Connect with us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rramossport
Follow along on the journey: https://www.pernillehogg.com/podcast
Music produced by Melissa Parris

Few people have witnessed the evolution of modern dressage as closely and as thoughtfully as Leif Törnblad. A 5-star international judge, lifelong horseman, and a dressage rider himself, Leif brings to the sport a rare combination of clarity, empathy, and lived experience.

In this conversation, we explore dressage from the inside out — through the eyes of someone who has sat at C for Olympic Games, World Championships, and decades of top-level competition. Leif shares how judging has changed over the years, what true quality looks like in a performance, and why harmony, correctness, and feel remain the timeless pillars of our sport.

We also touch on his life with Anne-Grethe Törnblad — Olympic medalist and rider of the legendary Marzog — and the perspective that comes from a lifetime devoted to the art of riding.

It’s a rare opportunity to hear from a man who has shaped the sport at the highest level, and whose insights remind us that, at its heart, dressage is about the partnership between horse and rider.

Resources:
Connect with us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rramossport
Follow along on the journey: https://www.pernillehogg.com/podcast
Music produced by Melissa Parris

Melissa Galloway has become one of New Zealand’s brightest lights in international dressage — a rider whose determination and love for her horses have taken her from humble beginnings to the world stage.

As New Zealand’s highest-ranked dressage competitor, Melissa’s journey reached a new height at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, where she and her beloved horse Joey (Windermere J’Obei W) set a national Grand Prix record. Yet behind that achievement lies years of unwavering belief, overseas training, and a partnership built on trust and time — since Joey was just two years old.

Now in her early thirties, Melissa stands at a remarkable turning point. To have already represented her country on the Olympic stage is both a milestone and an opening — a doorway to what comes next. The experience has not only affirmed her place among the world’s elite riders but also expanded her vision of what’s possible, both for herself and for New Zealand dressage.

In this episode, we talk about the path that led her there — the highs, the lessons, and the quiet moments in between. We explore what it takes to stay true to yourself when new doors begin to open, and how purpose, presence, and heart continue to guide her forward.

Resources:
Connect with Melissa Galloway: https://www.instagram.com/melissa_gallowaynz
Connect with us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rramossport
Follow along on the journey: https://www.pernillehogg.com/podcast
Music produced by Melissa Parris

For over three decades, Wendy Murdoch has been guiding riders toward a deeper, more embodied understanding of themselves — and their horses. As the creator of Ride Like A Natural, founder of the SURE FOOT® Equine Stability Program, and a Guild Certified Feldenkrais Practitioner, Wendy’s work bridges the worlds of science, somatics, and horsemanship.

In this conversation, Wendy shares how true mastery in riding begins within — by awakening awareness, balance, and the effortless flow that arises when body and mind move as one. Her own journey, sparked by a life-changing riding accident, led her to explore how healing, re-patterning, and conscious movement can transform not just how we ride, but how we feel and connect.

Together, we explore the mysteries of alignment, asymmetry, and the nervous system’s role in creating harmony in motion. Wendy shows us that becoming the best rider we can be isn’t about control — it’s about becoming a willing instrument: sensitive, centred, and alive to every moment with our horse. 

Resources:
Connect with Wendy Murdoch: https://murdochmethod.com/
Connect with us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rramossport
Follow along on the journey: https://www.pernillehogg.com/podcast
Music produced by Melissa Parris

A Reitmeister of rare calibre, Jan Bemelmans bridges the timeless wisdom of classical training with the demands of modern sport. From guiding national teams to Olympic medals to cultivating harmony between horse and rider, Jan’s lifelong devotion to the art of dressage has inspired generations.

In this conversation, we explore the lessons behind his remarkable journey — the meaning of true connection, the evolution of the sport, and what it really takes to bring out the best in both horse and human. 

Resources:
Connect with us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rramossport
Follow along on the journey: https://www.pernillehogg.com/podcast
Music produced by Melissa Parris

Few lives could rival the adventure and artistry of Susie Whitcombe’s. A painter, a rider, a pilot, a race car driver, a wife and mother — and always, an equestrian at heart.Through every chapter of her life, horses have been her constant presence — grounding her, inspiring her, and reflecting the spirit that moves through her art.

In this conversation, we explore how Susie’s love of horses has shaped her way of seeing the world — how the courage, freedom, and sensitivity of the horse mirror her own creative journey. Her paintings are not just depictions, but living expressions of experience, connection, and truth.It’s a story of adventure and artistry, of devotion and daring — and of a woman who has followed the horse as her guiding muse through every landscape of her life. 

Resources:
Connect with Susie Whitcombe: https://www.instagram.com/whitcombesusie 
Connect with us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rramossport
Follow along on the journey: https://www.pernillehogg.com/podcast
Music produced by Melissa Parris

From the green pastures of New Zealand to the great arenas of Europe, Bruce Goodin’s journey is one of quiet strength, enduring passion, and timeless horsemanship. A five-time Olympian now based in Sweden, Bruce has dedicated his life to the art of showjumping guided by countless horses, each one a teacher deepening his understanding of balance, respect, and the lifelong equestrian journey.

Through triumphs and trials, including serious injury, he’s shown what true resilience looks like — returning to the saddle again and again with calm focus and unwavering love for the horse. In this conversation, we explore not only the great moments of sport but the subtler lessons, the ones that live between the fences, in the feel, and in the quiet dialogue that emerges when we learn to listen.

Resources:
Connect with Bruce Goodin: https://www.instagram.com/brucegoodinshowjumper
Connect with us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rramossport
Follow along on the journey: https://www.pernillehogg.com/podcast
Music produced by Melissa Parris

Few voices in the equestrian world carry such warmth and wisdom as Roger Fitzhardinge. Judge, teacher, writer, and storyteller, Roger has devoted his life to the horse and to the riders who seek connection with them.

As he once wrote, “The horse must learn to trust the rider’s aids, to understand the language of balance and lightness, and the rider must learn patience enough to let that language grow.” These words capture the spirit of his work — reminding us that horsemanship is as much about heart as it is about skill.

Resources:
Connect with Roger Fitzhardinge: https://www.facebook.com/roger.fitzhardinge.1/
Connect with us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rramossport
Follow along on the journey: https://www.pernillehogg.com/podcast
Music produced by Melissa Parris