E2 | How I got stuck for more than a decade

What exactly were the life lessons my Friesian horse Jelle taught me? What was the unexpected gift that came out of our journey through life together? Find out in this bonus episode how Jelle and I are doing seven years down the line and how my life with Gijs unfolds today. This is the last episode of the first season. Check out the Instagram account goldenfriesian for photos and videos that go with this podcast.Elke Mastwijk in conversation with Rebecca Gwynn-JonesEditing, music and performing artist: Gijs GraafmansLyrics "touch the world": Elke MastwijkSong release: May 25 - 2025 on all mayor platformsPhotography: www.maybelpictures.comElke Mastwijk: www.intouchwithelke.comHorse trainers featured in this podcast:Elsa Sinclair: www.tamingwild.comAnne Boin: www.ahappyhorse.nlSharon and Laura Wilsie: www.horsespeakacademy.com

What happened to Elke, her Friesian horse Jelle and her boyfriend Gijs after the happy ending of the last episode? Find out how their life went from calm to chaos. How they forged a strong bond as they navigated challenging situations together and ultimately took a leap of faith and built a new life. This is a true story of a woman who struggles with the ups- and downs of life and the consequences of her choices. Check out the Instagram account goldenfriesian for photos and videos that go with this podcast.Elke Mastwijk in conversation with Rebecca Gwynn-JonesEditing and music: Gijs GraafmansPhotography: www.maybelpictures.comElke Mastwijk: www.intouchwithelke.comHorse trainers featured in this podcast:Elsa Sinclair: www.tamingwild.comCharmaine van den Berg: www.wholistictouch.nlSharon and Laura Wilsie: www.horsespeakacademy.com

Let's talk about love today. It is no secret that my love life has always been complicated. I dated in almost every decade of my life. My teens, twenties, thirties, forties and fifties. Rebecca and I discuss how I saw dating evolve and how I struggled with it. I decided to try dating again during the pandemic. To my surprise the years spent with my Friesian horse Jelle, completely changed my attitude to the men I dated and this led to a very interesting outcome. This is a true story of a woman who struggles with the ups- and downs of life and the consequences of her choices. Follow the Instagram account goldenfriesian for photos and videos that go with this podcast.Elke Mastwijk in conversation with Rebecca Gwynn-JonesEditing and music: Gijs GraafmansPhotography: www.maybelpictures.comElke Mastwijk: www.intouchwithelke.com

Strangely enough when the world came to a halt during the pandemic I managed to get unstuck. During the first lockdown I made a series of decisions that opened up unexpected and exciting opportunities for myself and my horse. This is a true story of a woman who struggles with the ups- and downs of life and the consequences of her choices. Follow the Instagram account goldenfriesian for photos and videos that go with this podcast.Elke Mastwijk in conversation with Rebecca Gwynn-JonesEditing and music: Gijs GraafmansPhotography: www.maybelpictures.comElke Mastwijk: www.intouchwithelke.comElsa Sinclair: www.tamingwild.comSharon and Laura Wilsie HorseSpeak: www.sharonwilsie.com

At his new beautiful home, close to a nature reserve, my horse Jelle and I settled into routine in which we managed to get quite stuck with each other. I felt we were going around in circles. How did we deal with that and what did we learn? Find out in this episode. This is a true story of a woman who struggles with the ups- and downs of life and the consequences of her choices.Follow the Instagram account "goldenfriesian" for photos and videos that go with this podcast.Elke Mastwijk in conversation with Rebecca Gwynn-JonesEditing and music: Gijs GraafmansPhotography: www.maybelpictures.comElke Mastwijk: www.intouchwithelke.comAnne Boin: www.ahappyhorse.nlYacinta Feringa: www.allin1forhorses.nlSusan Harden: www.liveandbreathehorses.com#stuck #selfdevelopment #horsestory #friesangelding #jelle&elke #personal journal

My friesian gelding Jelle moves to a new home 1,5 hours away from Amsterdam, where he is in the care of my friend Anne who also trains him. When Jelle returns home to me four months later, it feels like a new beginning at a livery stable on beautiful castle grounds. Find out how we settled into our new home in this episode. This is a true story of a woman who struggles with the ups- and downs of life and the consequences of her choices. Follow the Instagram account "goldenfriesian" for photos and videos that go with this podcast.Elke Mastwijk in conversation with Rebecca Gwynn-JonesEditing and music: Gijs GraafmansPhotography: www.maybelpictures.comAnne Boin: www.ahappyhorse.nlYacinta Feringa: www.allin1forhorses.nlElke Mastwijk: www.intouchwithelke.comSusan Harden: www.liveandbreathehorses.com

I moved my Friesian gelding Jelle into a new home, an abandoned farm on the outskirts of Amsterdam. Though we relished in the freedom to be able to do what we wanted, the events that unfolded there were unexpected and pretty soon we had to move again. This is a true story of a woman who struggles with the ups- and downs of life and the consequences of her choices. Elke Mastwijk in conversation with Rebecca Gwynn-JonesFollow the Instagram account "goldenfriesian" for photos and videos that go with this podcast.Editing and music: Gijs GraafmansPhotography: www.maybelpictures.comAnne Boin: www.ahappyhorse.nlElke Mastwijk: www.intouchwithelke.comSusan Harden: www.liveandbreathehorses.com

For a full year I prepared to become a first time horse owner. By the time I found a five year old Friesian gelding called Jelle I was ready to buy. Within six weeks I moved him to a small farm on the outskirts of Amsterdam. My life would never be the same again.This is a true story of a woman who struggles with the ups- and downs of life and the consequences of her choices. Follow the Instagram account "goldenfriesian" for photos and videos that go with this podcast.#alexandertechnique #horsestory #naturalhorsemanship #firstimehorseowner #selfemployed #friesiangelding #jelle&elke #liveandbreathehorsesElke Mastwijk in conversation with Rebecca Gwynn-JonesEditing and music: Gijs GraafmansPhotography: www.maybelpictures.comAnne Boin: www.ahappyhorse.nlElke Mastwijk: www.intouchwithelke.comSusan Harden: www.liveandbreathehorses.com

In this episode I share how my life slowly changed for the better and I introduce some people who supported me along the way. Horses played a mayor role in helping me heal and as I started to create a better life for myself, I began to nurture the dream of owning my own horse. This is a true story of a woman who struggles with the ups- and downs of life and the consequences of her choices. Follow the Instagram account "goldenfriesian" for photos and videos that go with this podcast.#woundedhealer #alexandertechnique #horsestory #firstimehorseowner #depression #parentification #housinginamsterdam #selfemployed #friesiangelding #jelle&elkeElke Mastwijk in conversation with Rebecca Gwynn-JonesEditing and music: Gijs GraafmansPhotography: www.maybelpictures.comElke Mastwijk: www.intouchwithelke.comSusan Harden: www.liveandbreathehorses.com

Between 2002 and 2014 I managed to get stuck in my life on many levels: professionally, financially as well as emotionally. In this episode I reflect on how this came about. This is a true story of a woman who struggles with the ups- and downs of life and the consequences of her choices. Elke Mastwijk in conversation with Rebecca Gwynn-Jones#depression #parentification #housinginamsterdam #selfemployed #friesiangelding #jelle&elkeFollow the Instagram account "goldenfriesian" for photos and videos that go with this podcast.www.intouchwithelke.comEditing and music: Gijs GraafmansPhotography: www.maybelpictures.com