From Problem Horse to Professional Practice: What Trauma Teaches Us About Training | Petra Vlasblom of 2Moons.nl, Netherlands | EAW 51

About this episode

Petra Vlasblom shares her journey from graphic designer to horse behavior specialist, exploring the impact of trauma on her training methods.

Petra Vlasblom is a Dutch horse behavior specialist based in the Netherlands, founder of 2Moons, and one of Europe's most sought-after trainers for problem horses — particularly in the high-stakes world of elite sport horses. She came to the profession not through a traditional equestrian route, but as a former graphic designer from the city who fell in love with an "unrideable" horse that nobody else could manage, and whose path to becoming a professional was shaped as much by personal crisis as by equine knowledge. What makes Petra's story and her work unusual is the degree to which her own life has mirrored the horses she works with. Her first horse, Two Moons — still alive today — broke her arm, dislocated her hip, and ultimately catalyzed years of deep personal work. A later riding accident broke her neck and forced a four-month recovery period that fundamentally changed how she listens: not with her head, not with her heart, but with her gut. That shift is now at the core of everything she teaches. In this conversation, Rupert and Petra cover the full arc of her journey — from a childhood with no horses and a career in graphic design, to buying an impossible horse on a whim…

People in this episode

Host: Rupert Isaacson

Guest: Petra Vlasblom

Topics covered

• horse training
• trauma
• personal development
• equine behavior
• elite sport horses
• graphic design
• body language

Keywords

• problem horses
• training methods
• personal crisis
• equine knowledge
• body language
• trailer loading
• neck injury

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: 2Moons

Places: Netherlands, Belgium, France

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