Laurie Kaplan started riding horses when she was 5. She told her mother she was interested and her mom got to work finding a barn in her hometown of East Lansing, Michigan.
Now, Kaplan lives outside Dunlap, Illinois and the barn is her own. Snow, slush and mud covers the ground at the Kaplan farm, home to chickens, cats, a large friendly dog, sheep and, of course, two horses.
“It’s the connection with the horse, they connect with us energetically,” said Kaplan about her passion for horseback riding. “When we show up in a bad mood, or a grumpy mood, if we don’t change that mood while we’re working with them, they may reflect back on us. They’re mirrors.”
Kaplan said she did a few competitive events in childhood, as well as teaching summer camps. Now, she’s about to take on the biggest challenge of her horseback riding career: the Gaucho Derby.
The website describes the derby as “the greatest test of horsemanship on earth.” Ten days, 500 kilometers and multiple horses following a secret course through the deserts, mountains and forests of the Patagonia region of South America. Contestants ride from 8 in the morning to 6 at night. At each stop, a veterinarian checks the horses to make sure they’re in good condition. If there are any health concerns, the rider receives a time penalty.
Kaplan said a lot of her preparation has been focused on her mental strength and riding other people’s horses, preparing for those daily changes. She’s also been working with a pack of waterproof survivalist tools and taken a few camping trips to prepare.
“It’s really about connecting with them initially and inviting yourself, if you will, into their world,” she said. “You wouldn’t walk up to a stranger and just give them a hug right?”
Kaplan said it’s important to “ask permission” when approaching a new horse. Horseback riding is a relationship, she said, and you need to establish that relationship first.
“Are they a little skittish? Do I need to shift my internal energy and show up in a different way?” she said. “So that's where it starts.”
But where does the path to the Gaucho start?
Kaplan said she had to fill out an application. Riders have to weigh less than 85 kilograms, detail their riding experience and send in videos and pictures of themselves riding horses. After the application, there’s an interview process to narrow down the field to around 40 riders.
This year’s riders come from all around the world — New Zealand, France, Switzerland, Germany and more.
“I was honest, it's not like I've done endurance riding,” Kaplan said, recalling her interview. “And [the interviewer] said, ‘You've got great energy. So I think you're in.’”
For her day job, Kaplan is an epigenetics coach, giving personalized nutrition advice and guiding clients based on their genetic makeup and history.
Between asking others to make changes in their lives as part of her job, and reading the Michael Easter book The Comfort Crisis, Kaplan felt the need to challenge herself and put herself outside of her comfort zone.
“I want to be able to do that even more,” she said. “And encourage them: ‘Yeah, this is hard. This is uncomfortable, but the gold is right there. Keep going.’”
Kaplan also plans to give back as she ventures outside of her comfort zone. She’s currently fundraising, both to help with the derby’s $16,000 entry fee, but also to donate to Heroes and Horses in Montana and the similarly named Horses and Heroes in Kansas.
Both organizations provide horse-based therapy and support for veterans with PTSD.
“We're not helping our veterans enough,” Kaplan said. “And it doesn't have to be complicated.”
Kaplan is already on her way — she flew out to Buenos Aires on Tuesday. Now, she’s right in the middle of navigation and wilderness survival training before the race officially starts on Sunday.
