# Medieval Times & The Art of Horsemanship: Joy, Trust & the Old Masters | Mario Contreras | LFRF 55

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/live-free-ride-free-with-rupert-isaacson-6332309/medieval-times-the-art-of-horsemanship-joy-trust-the-old-masters-mario-contreras-lfrf-55
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/live-free-ride-free-with-rupert-isaacson-6332309/medieval-times-the-art-of-horsemanship-joy-trust-the-old-masters-mario-contreras-lfrf-55.md
Podcast: [Live Free Ride Free with Rupert Isaacson](https://stenobird.com/podcast/live-free-ride-free-with-rupert-isaacson-6332309)
Published: 2026-06-04T08:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://share.transistor.fm/s/bd518671
Audio file: https://media.transistor.fm/bd518671/90a796d2.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/live-free-ride-free-with-rupert-isaacson-6332309/episodes/medieval-times-the-art-of-horsemanship-joy-trust-the-old-masters-mario-contreras-lfrf-55
Duration seconds: 7242

## Resource

✨ "The best teachers and coaches are the horses. It's important for us to learn to listen to them and see them." – Mario Contreras ✨ "There is a big word I always feel is missing from the training scale — and that's joy. Where's the joy? These are movements that horses do when they feel passion." – Rupert Isaacson Mario Contreras is the head trainer at Medieval Times Chicago, the man responsible for the standard of horsemanship that stops knowledgeable riders cold in the middle of a crowd of beer-drinking tourists who have no idea what they're witnessing. Third-generation horse trainer, born in Texcoco and raised in a family rooted in the Alta Escuela and charrería traditions of Jalisco, Mexico, Mario came to the US in 1990 with no English and a lifetime of classical riding in his bones — and built a 35-year career inside one of the most demanding equestrian entertainment operations in North America. In this wide-ranging conversation, Rupert and Mario cover the deep roots of Mexican horse culture that most American dressage riders have never heard of, how Mario trains complete beginners to become knights performing before 1,500 people in under three years, and why cross-training, liberty work, and genuine joy are the true secrets to keeping horses and riders performing at their best. They also dig into the lost art of schoolmaster training, the in-hand and ground work that underpins everything Mario does, and the vision — still unfinished — of building Mexico a national horsemanship school at the level of Jerez or the Spanish Riding School. A rich, warm conversation between two horsemen who share a deep reverence for the old masters and a conviction that horses teach us more than we teach them. FREE Helios Harmony Intro Course: https://longridehome.com/onoutpout What Y…

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## Transcript

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