Episode
Running Toward Purpose: Circus, Special Needs & Radical Possibility | Jason Barrett | Ep 42
- Published
- Dec 11, 2025
- Duration seconds
- 5660
- Processing state
not_requested- Canonical source
- https://share.transistor.fm/s/87e49297
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Summary
✨ "You’re not stuck. You just haven’t talked to the right mentor yet." – Jason Barrett ✨ "If you find a purpose—and the courage to follow it—you’ll surprise yourself every time." – Jason Barrett What happens when a 12‑year‑old kid walks into a summer camp for people with profound disabilities—and never really leaves? Performer, father, and nonprofit co‑founder Jason Barrett joins Rupert Isaacson for a funny, vulnerable, and deeply inspiring conversation about service, special needs, faith, horses, circus arts, and what it really takes to build a life around purpose. From his first summer at Camp Smile at age 12—changing diapers, pushing wheelchairs, and learning forgiveness from the people he was supposed to be "helping"—to running Ali’s School of Equestrian Arts and the touring troupe Equestrian Chaos, Jason has spent his life saying yes to hard things. Along the way he walked through Southern Baptist culture, Jehovah’s Witness ministry, corporate retail, massage therapy school, and a Dolly Parton equestrian dinner show… before hitching his future to a pregnant trick rider, two horses, and $1300 in a Honda Element. In this episode, Jason and Rupert explore how mentorship, community, and rhythm (both equine and human) can change a life; why therapeutic riding often gets the economics and excitement wrong; and how a tiny backyard fundraiser became one of the most badass horse shows in the U.S.—all while centering neurodivergent and disabled riders. ❤️ Support the Podcast on Patreon https://patreon.com/longridehome 🔍 What You’ll Learn in This Episode: What Jason learned about gratitude, privilege, and perspective from disabled adults in diapers and wheelchairs ([00:03:00]) Jason’s journey through Southern Baptist culture and Jehovah’s Witness ministry—and why he ultimate…