{"podcast":{"title":"Equine Assisted World with Rupert Isaacson","slug":"equine-assisted-world-with-rupert-isaacson-6332132","podcast_index_feed_id":6332132,"rss_url":"https://feeds.transistor.fm/equine-assisted-world-with-rupert-isaacson","website_url":"https://equineassistedworld.com","image_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/_3wgW0H88mtbRsbTGv40-ceOW9DjJhMFj2VZuHRIYec/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:1400/h:1400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9zaG93/LzQwMDI3LzE2ODI0/MjQ0MTQtYXJ0d29y/ay5qcGc.jpg","author":"Horse Boy LLC","episode_count":60,"summary":"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 neuropsych, this can be physical, this can be all of the conditions that human beings have that these lovely equines, these beautiful horses that we work with, help us with. Your Host is New York Times bestselling author Rupert Isaacson. Long time human rights activist, Rupert helped a group of Bushmen in the Kalahari fight for their ancestral lands. He's probably best known for his autism advocacy work following the publication of his bestselling book \"The Horse Boy\" and \"The Long Ride Home\" where he tells the story of finding healing for his autistic son. Subsequently he founded New Trails Learning Systems an approach for addressing neuro-psychiatric conditions through horses, movement and nature. The methods are now used around the world in therapeutic riding program, therapy offices and schools for special needs and neuro-typical children. You can find details of all our programs and shows on www.RupertIsaacson.com.","last_synced_at":"2026-07-23T16:18:12.468495+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/equine-assisted-world-with-rupert-isaacson-6332132"},"episode":{"title":"Why Learning Stops When Curiosity Is Lost | Katja Mehlhorn | EAW 45","slug":"why-learning-stops-when-curiosity-is-lost-katja-mehlhorn-eaw-45","published_at":"2026-01-01T07:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/equine-assisted-world-with-rupert-isaacson-6332132/why-learning-stops-when-curiosity-is-lost-katja-mehlhorn-eaw-45","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/equine-assisted-world-with-rupert-isaacson-6332132","url":"https://share.transistor.fm/s/bd500b3a","audio_url":"https://media.transistor.fm/bd500b3a/fb026884.mp3","summary":"In this episode of Equine Assisted World, Rupert Isaacson speaks with Katja Mehlhorn — psychologist, academic, and founder of Horse Kids Groningen in the Netherlands. Katja bridges two worlds that rarely meet: university‑level research and deeply embodied, nature‑based equine‑assisted practice. From her early work in PATH programs in the United States to building a highly individualized, child‑led practice on a Dutch farm, Katja shares how curiosity, movement, imagination, and horse welfare shape everything she does. Together, Rupert and Katja explore how neuroplasticity, safety, and play support learning in children who struggle with anxiety, school refusal, autism, and social‑emotional challenges. This conversation ranges widely — from teaching maths through Formula One role‑play on horseback, to helping traumatized clients rebuild self‑worth by caring for horses, to using landscapes, wildlife, foraging, and even horse poo as gateways to regulation and learning. Along the way, Katja reflects on leaving a secure university career to grow her farm‑based work, and on what the equine‑assisted field must do to stay ethical, relevant, and humane. 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 How curiosity and play create safety and open the brain for learning Why following the child matters more than following a protocol How movement and balance activate neuroplasticity through the vestibular system Ways to introduce maths, numbers, and academics without fear or pressure How horses provide emotional feedback when children cannot verbalize Why horse welfare, fitness, and variety of work are essential in equine‑assisted programs How in‑hand and classical groundwork benefit both horses and h…","meta_description":"In this episode of Equine Assisted World, Rupert Isaacson speaks with Katja Mehlhorn — psychologist, academic, and founder of Horse Kids Groningen in the…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":7123,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/equine-assisted-world-with-rupert-isaacson-6332132/episodes/why-learning-stops-when-curiosity-is-lost-katja-mehlhorn-eaw-45/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/equine-assisted-world-with-rupert-isaacson-6332132/why-learning-stops-when-curiosity-is-lost-katja-mehlhorn-eaw-45.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}