The Horse Podcast

João is one of those quietly spoken, hard working gentle souls who loves his horses and loves his art. Having represented his country at European Championships and Worlds, the top Portuguese rider finally reached the peak in 2024 where he went to Paris. Unfortunately whilst at the venue, his Olympic dreams were dashed in the most awful circumstances with the illness of his stallion Drosa Fürst Kennedy. But the pair have worked their way back to the top to win 2025 Wiesbaden CDI4* before competing as part of the first ever Portuguese team at CHIO Aachen. João and Kennedy's partnership began when the horse was two and a half and the pair’s star continues to rapidly rise. It’s a real story of overcoming adversity with your best friend. Their bond is obvious. We talk about this horse of a lifetime, the daily work and the secret of his success, wife Marta with whom he runs a successful horse business in Germany…..and what is Kyra Kyrklund’s mantra?

Marieke Van Der Putten is a Dutch Grand Prix rider. The 43 year old represented her country at the World Championships at Herning in 2022 and the World Cup Finals in Omaha in 2023. From her start breaking in wild ponies to working with team Glock as a stable rider, she is now out on her own riding for RS2 and taking the Grand Prix sport by storm

In this interview Marieke talks about the importance of learning to ride all horses and not just learning to ride a test, her journey from breakers to Grand Prix, a normal day, how she likes to warm up at a big show, Titanium with his tricky character and overcoming his illness at the World Cup and her current sensations including the Zonik mare Zantana and the youngster About You.

Although just recently reaching the senior classes, Semmie is no stranger to the top sport having represented Germany in 11 youth European Championships from pony to U25 since 2011 and coming away with numerous medals. With her sister Sanneke also a successful young rider, her father and mother representing Germany and Netherlands and brother Sönke part of the gold medal winning German team in Rio, she is part of a dressage dynasty. In 2019 she won the FEI Rising Star award. I caught up with Semmie at Aachen where she won the 4* Grand Prix Freestyle with Farrington.

We chatted about her current top horses Flannel and Farrington, being part of the Rothenberger family, daily training, finding the way, changing tact with each horse and how every horse has shaped her as a rider, the little steps along the way and growing together with each horse.

We touch on Pilates, social media and more. And why does she get so worried when no one talks while she’s training?

Ingrid Klimke needs no introduction. She has represented Germany in both dressage and eventing, she is a multi-championship medal winner including Olympic team gold. We talk about her journey with Vayron, who has been with her just a year now….the little challenges and his amazing personality. We discuss the importance of her own fitness work and riding as you get older…the wisdom and patience and gratitude that she now has. Her small tour horse Diafys. Training for dressage and eventing, how it differs and how it’s the same. The joy of young horses and how she likes to start the horses and take them to the top, keeping the training fresh and interesting for the horses. How positive she is about the next generation of young, athletic riders. Reality versus perfection and looking to the positive, something she learnt from her father. And speaking of Reiner, what were his words of wisdom for Ingrid?

DInja is a Dutch dressage amazon who has already had great successes from young horse classes to championship Grand Prix. Her greatest success at the top sport was an individual bronze in both the Special and Freestyle at the World Championships in Herning in 2022 on the stallion Hermès and she followed it up with a fourth place at the Paris Olympics in 2024. This year she already won the World Breeding Championships for Young Dressage Horses with the six year old stallion Red Viper and she has also been named with Hermès on the Dutch team for the Europeans.

In our chat with discuss how her journey began. Her grandfather’s influence and commitment. What it takes to ride these amazing horses. The influence of the stallion Capri Sonne Jr and why she decided to ride stallions early on. We talk about what a day is like for Dinja, why fitness work is important to her, her management of the horses, running a stable on her own and what it takes as well as what she learnt from one of her big mentors Leunus van Lieren. Dinja discusses her plans for Hermès and insights into his quirky character and why he’s a championship horse. We chat about her Paris Olympic experience and her individual bronzes at the World Championships in Herning and we meet some of her young up and coming horses such as Mauro Turfhorst and Red Viper. It’s also interesting to hear how her training and priorities in the arena have changed over the years and how she prepares for a test. And why does Dinja have a western trainer?