✨ “Once people release the trauma, we can start dreaming about possibility.” – Jeff Tomhave✨ “It’s not rocket science. It’s telling a compelling story to a receptive audience.” – Jeff TomhaveJeff Tomhave is a Native American attorney and tribal advocate who has spent more than two decades working at the intersection of federal policy, infrastructure development, healthcare access, and tribal sovereignty.In this episode of Live Free Ride Free, Rupert Isaacson sits down with Jeff for a far‑reaching conversation about what it means to live in “America within America.” From federal land trust systems and underfunded reservations to cancer treatment access and tribal disenrollment, Jeff offers a rare inside look at how Native nations navigate – and challenge – the structures imposed upon them.Jeff shares how his own path to law was less about becoming a courtroom attorney and more about gaining the tools to advocate for tribal communities at the highest levels of government. Together, he and Rupert explore invisibility, historic trauma, cultural survival, gaming revenues, sovereignty, and Jeff’s long‑term dream of training the next generation of tribal advocates.This is not just a conversation about law. It is about survival, adaptation, sovereignty, healing, and what the future of Native America could look like.What You’ll Learn in This Episode:What You’ll Learn in This Episode:Jeff’s tribal background (Hidatsa, Mandan, Arikara, Potawatomi, Ho-Chunk) and how boarding school history shaped modern Native identity [00:06:00]Why he chose to earn a law degree without intending to practice traditional law [00:10:00]How the federal trust system prevents many tribes from owning their own land [00:12:49]Why property taxation limitations impact essential services on reservations [00:16:27]How infrastructure advocacy actually works in Washington, DC [00:25:00]The Navajo Mountain road project and how paving 14 miles changed an entire school system [00:25:46]How HIV/AIDS treatment became accessible in Indian Country after years of advocacy [00:30:23]The 10-year effort to secure reimbursement for the first cancer treatment center on Navajo Nation [00:32:32]Why Native America often feels “invisible” inside the United States [00:45:04]The impact of checkerboard land systems and railroad-era policies on modern reservations [00:47:25]The reality behind gaming revenue and why most tribes remain economically fragile [01:04:33]The controversial practice of tribal disenrollment and blood quantum laws [01:24:33]Jeff’s vision for training a new generation of tribal advocates from within Native communities [01:44:00]What a unified Native future could look like 50 years from now [01:46:39]Memorable Moments from the Episode:The powwow rodeo lariat dance as a symbol of cultural evolution [00:58:50]The “divide and conquer” legacy and why tribal unity remains complex [01:10:53]The idea that genocide can continue through policy and paperwork [01:26:26]The story of French adoption into Plains tribes and cultural adaptation [01:32:00]Rupert recounts how Navajo ceremony transformed his son’s autism journey [01:41:00]Jeff’s quiet but powerful dream of building tribal advocacy capacity from the ground up [01:44:00]Projects and Organizations Mentioned:• Tomhave Group• Native American Humane Society• Navajo Nation• Indian Health Service• Bureau of Indian Affairs• First Nations Development InstituteAbout Jeff Tomhave:Jeff Tomhave is a Native American advocate and Juris Doctor who has dedicated his career to helping tribes secure infrastructure, healthcare access, and federal resources. Through the Tomhave Group, he works directly with tribal governments to develop strategy, secure funding, and navigate federal systems.After more than two decades in Washington, DC, Jeff and his wife Brandy are relocating to North Dakota, where they plan to establish a community-based advocacy and training center aimed at building long-term tribal self-advocacy capacity.To learn more: https://tomhavegroup.comSee All of Rupert’s Programs and Shows: Website: https://rupertisaacson.comFollow Us:Long Ride Home: Website: https://longridehome.com Facebook: https://facebook.com/longridehome.lrh Instagram: https://instagram.com/longridehome_lrh YouTube: https://youtube.com/@longridehomeNew Trails Learning Systems: Website: https://ntls.co Facebook: https://facebook.com/horseboyworld Instagram: https://instagram.com/horseboyworld YouTube: https://youtube.com/newtrailslearningsystemsAffiliate Disclosure: Links to books and products may include affiliate tracking. We may earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the show.

In this deeply personal and wide‑ranging episode of Equine Assisted World, Rupert Isaacson speaks with longtime colleague and friend Karla Brahms of Wellenreiter in the Odenwald, Germany — a region steeped in myth, forest, and living horse culture.What begins as a conversation about equine‑assisted practice unfolds into an intimate exploration of grief, love, resilience, and the sacred role horses play in helping humans navigate life’s darkest passages.Karla shares her evolution from decades of forest‑based therapeutic riding with children into her current work integrating NIG (Neuro‑Imaginative Gestalt) constellation methods with horses. Through spontaneous drawing, embodied awareness, and equine presence, she helps clients access inner wisdom beyond intellectual processing.The conversation then turns to the death of her husband, musician Jan, and the profound grief that followed. Karla speaks openly about ritual, laying out the body at home, identity loss, and how horses — through presence, warmth, and simple being — helped her remain anchored in the present.This episode explores what modern culture has lost around death and ceremony — and how horses may help us reclaim a more honest, embodied relationship with grief.If you want to support the show, you can do so at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/LongRideHome🔍 What You’ll Learn in This EpisodeHow Karla integrates forest‑based horsemanship with therapeutic workWhat NIG (Neuro‑Imaginative Gestalt) is and how drawing with the non‑dominant hand accesses embodied insightHow horses interact during constellation processes and reflect emotional statesWhy standing on symbolic drawings creates somatic awareness and shifts perspectiveThe role of the “meta position” and third‑person dialogue in therapeutic workHow horses respond to grief, exhaustion, and emotional truth in clientsWhy allowing horses to say “no” builds deeper reliability and trustHow herd stability, lifestyle, and environment influence therapeutic safetyWhat grief does to identity — and why losing a partner means losing the “we” as wellWhy ritual, washing and laying out the body, and conscious farewell matterHow animals help regulate grief through presence and daily responsibilityWhy grief is not only about death, but also about identity shifts, diagnosis, relocation, and life transitionsHow creative acts (like knitting, drawing, or movement) can become grief ritualsWhy asking “why” is less helpful than learning to trust the unfolding🎤 Memorable Moments from the Episode[00:00:44] Introducing Karla Brahms and the magical forest setting of the Odenwald[00:05:20] “Follow the child” — why forest‑based work restores nervous systems[00:09:58] Discovering constellation work and integrating horses into NIG practice[00:18:50] A yawning horse reveals hidden exhaustion in a client[00:27:39] “They’re not only carrying our bodies — they’re carrying our souls.”[00:43:00] The importance of solid horsemanship behind therapeutic freedom[00:53:38] When horses leave the herd — and how grief changes equine behavior[01:11:00] Jan’s passing and the sacred act of laying out the body at home[01:16:40] Losing the “we” — identity shifts in widowhood[01:27:00] The taboo of grief in modern culture[01:55:25] Knitting as ritual — creating a seven‑meter “snail shell” through grief[02:04:25] Letting go of “why” and choosing trust instead[02:10:23] Celebrating love and life through the annual forest reggae gathering📚 Contact, Projects, and Resources MentionedKarla Brahms – Wellenreiter (Odenwald, Germany) Search: Karla Brahms Wellenreiter https://wellenreiter.deNew Trails Learning Systems – Horse Boy Method, Movement Method & Takhin Equine Integration https://ntls.coRupert Isaacson / Long Ride Home https://rupertisaacson.comPatreon Support https://www.patreon.com/LongRideHome🌍 Follow UsLong Ride Home https://longridehome.com https://facebook.com/longridehome.lrh https://instagram.com/longridehome_lrh https://youtube.com/@longridehomeNew Trails Learning Systems https://ntls.co https://facebook.com/horseboyworld https://instagram.com/horseboyworld https://youtube.com/newtrailslearningsystems📊 Affiliate DisclosureLinks to books and products may include affiliate tracking. We may earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the show.

✨ “The horse lives in the present. If you want to be a good horse person, you need to become more like the horse.” – Richard Williams✨ “Horsemanship is a physical meditation. The horse is a three-dimensional mirror.” – Richard WilliamsFrom preserving rare classical manuscripts to exploring the emotional and civilizing power of horsemanship, Richard Williams — publisher of Xenophon Press — joins Rupert Isaacson for a deep dive into why the old masters still matter.In this episode of Live Free Ride Free, Rupert and Richard trace the arc of classical equestrian knowledge from Xenophon through the Renaissance academies, La Guérinière, Steinbrecht, Baucher, and Nuno Oliveira — right up to the modern therapeutic and rehabilitative applications of classical riding.Richard shares how he came to acquire Xenophon Press, why publishing these works is an act of stewardship rather than profit, and how editing and translating classical texts became a form of "time travel." The conversation moves from Renaissance schools that trained diplomats through horsemanship, to emotional regulation in the saddle, to the role horses may play in addiction recovery and mental health today.🎥 FREE Helios Harmony Intro Course: https://longridehome.com/onoutpout📚 All Books Mentioned: https://longridehome.com/books🎟️ Xenophon Press Discount Code: 7greatCUSTOMER (7% off) https://xenophonpress.comThis is not simply a conversation about dressage. It is about humility, mastery, emotional regulation, leadership, and the civilizing influence of the horse.🔍 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:Richard’s journey into purchasing Xenophon Press and preserving classical texts ([00:03:00])How publishing classical works became a form of “time travel” across centuries ([00:06:00])Why Renaissance academies trained diplomats through horsemanship, fencing, and mathematics ([00:32:00])How stallions in the academies helped civilize young aristocrats ([00:35:00])The link between classical riding and emotional regulation ([00:49:00])Why breathing and “feel” anchor the rider in the present moment ([00:54:00])The four conditions of horsemanship: ignoring, opposing, yielding, harmonizing ([01:00:00])Why therapeutic riding is embodied practice — not a gimmick ([01:11:00])How classical training benefits the horse physically and mentally ([01:16:00])A recommended reading pathway through the classical canon ([01:18:00])🎤 Memorable Moments from the Episode:Rupert describing Xenophon Press as a modern Library of Alexandria ([00:01:30])Richard’s story of his brother being launched into a manure pile by a pony ([00:37:00])The insight that horses sort for emotional maturity ([00:39:00])Discussion of how leaders historically were judged by how they rode ([00:43:00])The idea that horsemanship teaches recovery from imbalance — not avoidance of it ([01:02:00])Riding as a practice of embodied mindfulness and humility ([00:50:00])Exploring the potential of horses in addiction recovery work ([01:15:00])📚 Projects, Thinkers, and Ideas Mentioned:XenophonGiovanni Battista Tomassini – The Italian Tradition of Equestrian ArtFrançois Robichon de La Guérinière – École de CavalerieGustav Steinbrecht – Gymnasium of the HorseFrançois BaucherNuno OliveiraDom Diogo de Bragança – Dressage in the French TraditionAlois Podhajsky – The Complete Training of Horse and RiderSally Swift – Centered RidingRenaissance Schools of Horsemanship in Naples🌍 See All of Rupert’s Programs and Shows: Website: https://rupertisaacson.com📲 Follow Us:Long Ride Home: Website: https://longridehome.com Facebook: https://facebook.com/longridehome.lrh Instagram: https://instagram.com/longridehome_lrh YouTube: https://youtube.com/@longridehomeNew Trails Learning Systems: Website: https://ntls.co Facebook: https://facebook.com/horseboyworld Instagram: https://instagram.com/horseboyworld YouTube: https://youtube.com/newtrailslearningsystems📊 Affiliate Disclosure: Links to books and products may include affiliate tracking. We may earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the show.

In this grounded and deeply moving episode of Equine Assisted World, Rupert Isaacson speaks with Christine Doran, founder of Triple H Ranch in the Chicago area — a rare ecosystem that combines a full‑scale horse rescue with equine‑assisted work for humans.Christine shares how her path into this work began as a teenager through a moment of spiritual clarity, and how that calling evolved into more than two decades of frontline work with abused, neglected, and discarded horses. Rather than separating rescue from therapy, Christine describes an integrated model where horses are not “fixed and then used,” but supported as whole beings whose own healing journey becomes part of the therapeutic relationship.Together, Rupert and Christine explore what it means to witness suffering without becoming hardened, how faith, humility, and structure play a role in sustainable rescue work, and why some of the deepest lessons in equine‑assisted practice come from horses with the hardest pasts.This episode is an honest look at abuse that still exists in modern America, the quiet heroism of long‑term rescue work, and the possibility of creating true second chances — for horses and for people.If you want to support the show, you can do so at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/LongRideHome🔍 What You’ll Learn in This EpisodeHow Christine’s calling into equine‑assisted work began at age sixteenWhy Triple H Ranch combines horse rescue with therapeutic programmingWhat real horse neglect and abuse still look like in the U.S. todayHow rehabilitating horses and humans can be part of the same ecosystemWhy patience, time, and humility are essential in rescue‑based programsHow faith and purpose sustain long‑term frontline animal welfare workWhat horses with traumatic pasts can teach practitioners about trustThe ethical responsibilities involved in turning rescued horses into partners 🎤 Memorable Moments from the Episode[00:00:44] Rupert introduces Christine and the rescue‑plus‑therapy model of Triple H Ranch[00:02:14] Christine recounts asking for a “large flashing sign” about her life’s purpose[00:03:16] Discovering how horses were used to help heal troubled youth[00:55:00] Faith, calling, and what sustains people in long‑term rescue work[01:03:01] Why true rescue means changing systems — not just saving individual horses[01:11:54] Facing real abuse and neglect without becoming numb or hardened[01:28:14] The cumulative toll of neglect — and why it’s still hidden in plain sight[01:41:44] Burnout, moral injury, and the cost of witnessing suffering over decades[01:59:00] What “second chances” actually require — for horses and for humans📚 Contact, Projects, and Resources MentionedTriple H Ranch (Chicago area): https://www.hhhranchil.org/New Trails Learning Systems – Horse Boy Method, Movement Method & Takhin Equine Integration https://ntls.coRupert Isaacson / Long Ride Home https://rupertisaacson.com🌍 Follow UsLong Ride Home https://longridehome.com https://facebook.com/longridehome.lrh https://instagram.com/longridehome_lrh https://youtube.com/@longridehomeNew Trails Learning Systems https://ntls.co https://facebook.com/horseboyworld https://instagram.com/horseboyworld https://youtube.com/newtrailslearningsystems📊 Affiliate DisclosureLinks to books and products may include affiliate tracking. We may earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the show.

✨ “I’m upset because life should be so beautiful.” – Rejane D’Espirac ✨ “Healing begins with attention.” – Rupert IsaacsonIn this expansive and deeply reflective episode of Live Free Ride Free, Rupert Isaacson is joined by French writer, journalist, filmmaker, and activist Rejane D’Espirac for a wide‑ranging conversation on healing, presence, storytelling, plants, and what it means to live a life in service.Rejane’s work sits at the crossroads of human rights, environmental activism, health, and inner transformation. From documenting the long‑term aftermath of the Bhopal industrial disaster in India, to exploring Ayurveda, yoga, infertility, and the healing power of attention, her life and career have been shaped by one central question: how do we truly care for one another in a damaged world?Together, Rupert and Rejane explore the idea of being “upset by beauty” — not anger, but the kind of heartbreak that comes from seeing how precious life is, and how easily that magic is overlooked or harmed. They discuss relationship as medicine, presence as a healing force, plants as silent allies, and why service — rather than self‑actualization alone — is often the key to meaning.❤️ Support the Podcast on Patreon https://patreon.com/longridehomeThis episode weaves personal story, activism, philosophy, and nature into a conversation about attention, awe, responsibility, and hope.🔍 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:What Rejane means by being “upset” — not with anger, but with love, beauty, and the pain of seeing life disrespected ([00:02:26]–[00:06:00])The long‑term human and environmental impact of the Bhopal industrial disaster, and why its consequences are still unfolding decades later ([00:08:44]–[00:11:00])How the Sambhavna free clinic in Bhopal uses Ayurveda, yoga, plants, and care to support survivors when Western medicine alone no longer works ([00:13:17]–[00:26:23])Why care, listening, and relationship account for a large part of healing — often more than techniques or medication ([00:31:25]–[00:37:21])Rejane’s personal journey through infertility, Ayurveda, and unexpected pregnancy — and what it revealed about quality versus quantity in healing ([00:47:11]–[00:57:06])How attention, presence, and being truly seen can unlock self‑healing processes in body and mind ([01:02:27]–[01:04:53])Why sadness, isolation, and disconnection are central challenges of modern life — and how service and relationship help counter them ([01:24:53]–[01:27:22])The quiet power of flowers, plants, and awe — and why beauty itself can be a political and healing force ([01:29:42]–[01:33:22])🎤 Memorable Moments from the Episode:Rejane explains how witnessing suffering without solutions led her from journalism into activism ([00:07:40]–[00:08:15])A detailed account of how the Sambhavna clinic was founded, and why detoxification, yoga, and plants became central tools ([00:21:02]–[00:25:55])Rupert reflects on care, attention, and yoga nidra as accessible forms of self‑healing ([00:40:31]–[00:42:16])Rejane shares how a simple question — “Why are you so sad?” — opened a profound healing journey ([00:49:49]–[01:03:10])A moving exchange on flowers as symbols of connection, resilience, and life’s quiet intelligence ([01:29:24]–[01:33:30])📚 Books, Projects & Resources Mentioned:Sambhavna Clinic (Bhopal) & documentary “Sambhavna” https://sambhavnabhopal.org/At Last, a Baby – Rejane D’Espirac The Discreet Power of Flowers – Rejane D’Espirac https://www.rejanedespirac.com/The Horse Boy, The Long Ride Home & The Healing Land – Rupert IsaacsonMovement Method – New Trails Learning Systems🌍 See All of Rupert’s Programs and Shows:Website: https://rupertisaacson.com📲 Follow Us:Long Ride Home Website: https://longridehome.com Facebook: https://facebook.com/longridehome.lrh Instagram: https://instagram.com/longridehome_lrh YouTube: https://youtube.com/@longridehomeNew Trails Learning Systems Website: https://ntls.co Facebook: https://facebook.com/horseboyworld Instagram: https://instagram.com/horseboyworld YouTube: https://youtube.com/newtrailslearningsystems📊 Affiliate Disclosure:Links to books and products may include affiliate tracking. We may earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the show.