The Streets Raised Us… and Horses Saved Us, with Kristen de Marco
Release Date: 06/14/2019
Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association Founder, Bob Cacchione
Because of Horses
Today’s guest on Because of Horses is Bob Cacchione — a living legend in the horse world — and one to whom so many owe immense gratitude for founding the Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association (IHSA)!
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An Incredible Story of Healing and Transformation: The Horse Boy, with Rupert Isaacson
Because of Horses
Following one’s passion isn’t always about making our own life better — sometimes, we get a very unique opportunity to fully harness the skills, talent, experience, connections, and interests we possess in the service of someone we love. This is precisely what happened in Rupert Isaacson’s case when his young son, Rowan, was diagnosed with autism. And in Rupert’s very real quest to help his little boy, he discovered a therapeutic approach that could help others who are on the same journey
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Listeners’ Choice Collection: Excerpts From Our Most Popular Guests
Because of Horses
This week Elise is bringing you an especially fun episode because it’s all about you — the listeners! This episode will be featuring the four guests that listeners have chosen as their favorites from the 103 episodes that have aired in Seasons 1 and 2 thus far! Elise will be sharing the best excerpts from these incredible episodes as she counts down the top favorite guests, including Stacy Westfall, Through Rider Gillian Larson, Guy McLean, and King Ranch's James Clement
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Helping Our Horses Dance, with Visconte Simon Cocozza
Because of Horses
Elise’s guest today wondered about the difference between the horse that moves so beautifully it’s like dancing vs. a horse that doesn’t… or possibly can’t. He recognized that it’s all about the horse’s inner strength and balance and that the way to help the horse achieve this difference is through applying yoga principles, designed and intended for humans, to our equine partners!
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What Science and Experience Tell Us About How Horses Learn with Dr. Stephen Peters
Because of Horses
Elise’s guest today, neuroscientist, author, and horseman, Dr. Stephen Peters, was frustrated by the many often opposing views about training and working with his own horses. Dr. Peters decided to apply his knowledge of the human brain to developing science-based horsemanship to understand how a horse’s brain and its behavior are related and how they, in turn, affect learning
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EQUUS Film Festival: Horses in the Arts
Because of Horses
Lisa Diersen is the Founder and Director of the EQUUS Film Festival, recognized as the largest showcase of equestrian film, art and literature in the world. An avid horsewoman and movie lover, Lisa believes in the power of telling stories through film. She founded the EQUUS Film Festival with the mission of showing the world how horses can bring everyone together regardless of race, age, gender, ability or disability
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Shawn Flarida: NRHA $6 Million Reiner
Because of Horses
This week, the Because of Horses Podcast is celebrating its 100th episode with a very special conversation with legendary reiner, Shawn Flarida! Shawn is the winner of five gold medals at the World Equestrian Games, winner of the All-American Quarter Horse Congress nine times, and the first person to break the $6 million mark in Reining, which he did at the 2017 National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Futurity.
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Mark Rashid, Considering the Horse
Because of Horses
Mark Rashid is an internationally acclaimed trainer, clinician, and prolific author, renowned for taking the guesswork out of communicating with our horses. His ability to understand the horse’s point of view and solve difficult problems with communication rather than force is unmatched.
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Desert Flight: A Love Letter to Show Jumping, with Filmmaker Samia Staehle
Because of Horses
"Desert Flight" is an award-winning film documentary that explores the horse-human bond through the world of show jumping. Filmmaker Samia Staehle’s goal was to capture the visceral way horses enrich our lives and our senses. The film provides an honest look at how much the sport of show jumping means to its participants through the perspectives of equestrians from different walks of life.
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The Hampton Classic Collection: Talking with the Greats
Because of Horses
This week is a very special edition of Because of Horses! Your host, Elise Gaston Chand, talks with some of the horse world’s most accomplished equestrians — sharing their riding and training philosophies, their insights into horses, advice for aspiring competitors, and their fondest memories of the Hampton Classic Horse Show! These featured guests are Georgina Bloomberg, Kelli Cruciotti, Peter Wylde, Joe Fargis, and Chief Press Officer Marty Bauman
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Elise Gaston Chand welcomes Kristen DeMarco, an equine specialist and mental health advocate to Because of Horses podcast. Kristen is the executive director of Gateway HorseWorks and has combined a lifetime of equestrian experience with her background in psychology to help humans partner with horses in new and innovative ways. She is passionate about helping individuals, teams, families and corporate groups improve their quality of life through guided interactions with horses.
Kristen studied communication arts and psychology at Villanova University in Philadelphia before working in the fashion industry. In 2011, she became a certified equine specialist through the Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association (EAGALA). Kristen combined her expertise in corporate communication, psychology and equine behavior to create team experiences involving horses to promote positive change within organizations. In 2012, Kristen founded WorkHorse, a company which supports the organizational needs of corporate teams, school districts and other groups, to offer this programming to a wider audience.
In the summer of 2015, she founded Gateway HorseWorks, a Philadelphia based non-profit dedicated to offering equine assisted psychotherapy (EAP) to children, adults and families. Their mission is to offer transformative EAP services to assist in the recovery from mental illness, trauma and grief. The organization seeks to be a leader in the field of education and EAP services and is committed to the wellness of the mind, body and spirit of its clients as well as environmental sustainability.
Gateway HorseWorks values the promotion of self-discovery, growth and learning by establishing an environment based on integrity, trust, teamwork and communication. Under Kristen’s direction, the organization strives to be a leader in the field of EAP and is partnering with West Chester University to conduct cutting-edge research related to its use.Topics of Discussion:
[:25] About today’s episode.
[1:05] Kristen explains how, in her work, horses become metaphors for exploring relationships and what you face outside of the arena.
[2:40] How Kristen found inspiration in a small pony she was rehabbing after her marriage ended in divorce.
[6:16] Kristen speaks about her other organization, WorkHorse, and explains how horses factor into helping corporate teams build their interpersonal, leadership, and disruptive innovation skillsets.
[8:16] Is it a benefit or a detriment for team members who are already familiar with horses to participate in the team-building exercises that WorkHorse provides?
[11:53] Kristen highlights some of the outcomes she has observed in her Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) approach through her nonprofit, Gateway Horseworks.
[16:26] The differences between traditional therapy and EAP.
[22:02] Kristen speaks about their community program, Stable Pathways, a trauma-informed equine-assisted psychotherapy pilot program specifically designed for women in the Chester County Women’s Reentry Assessment & Programming Initiative (WRAP) to address anxiety, depression, and hopelessness.
[32:55] What kinds of horses does Kristen have in her programs? What are their personalities like?
[38:52] The diverse range of jobs horses can fill, far beyond riding.
[42:18] The science of being around horses and how it has a profound impact on humans!
[44:51] About Kristen’s passion for educating the mental health community about EAP with a particular focus on underserved populations, and the kinds of responses she garners with her work.
[47:20] About next week’s episode of Because of Horses.
[49:14] Kristen’s thoughts on keeping the conversation going about EAP and mental health.
[52:57] Where to learn more and follow Kristen online.
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Mentioned in this Episode:
EquestFile (Use coupon code: BOH10 to receive a 10% discount for two months off your subscription)
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