Nathan Horrocks - super honest, super cheerful ex-jockey turned film director talks abandonment, dyslexia, riding sixty winners, anorexia, social media, and one day not wishing to wake up.
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Description
From riding winners to battling demons, Nathan Horrocks has jumped more fences than most—both literal and metaphorical. The ex-jockey turned award-winning film director opens up about the highs and lows of his life, from abandonment and dyslexia to the relentless pressure of professional racing. He lifts the lid on the brutal reality of the jockey world, his struggle with anorexia, and the dark day he woke up wishing he hadn’t.
But then, one horse changed everything.
Nathan shares his extraordinary journey from Yorkshire to Kenya, from heartbreak to healing, and how he ended up living in California, happily married, making films that tell the stories of the animals that saved him.
Oh, and why Good Will Hunting still hits home every time.
A raw, honest, and unexpectedly uplifting episode about resilience, reinvention, and the power of second chances.
Life Jackets
Lifejackets in this podcast refer to the personal tools and rituals that keep us afloat in the waves of life. Whether it’s a film, tv show, music, a favourite book, a crossword puzzle, or the steady presence of a dog, these are the things that keep us afloat. Everyone needs their own lifejackets—small but essential things that help us stay sane in an insane world.
- Book – Green Lights by Matthew McConaughey ( Dallas Buyers Club, Wolf of Wall Street) Here Is Real Magic: A Magician’s Search for Wonder in the Modern World by Nate Staniforth
- Films – Good Will Hunting and Austin to Boston (documentary)
- TV – This Is Us and Last Chance U
- Music – The one song that would certainly make the grade is Bitter Sweet Symphony. Working Class Hero – John Lennon, Talk Tonight – Oasis, Papua New Guinea – Future Sound Of London
- Coaching – I have had a few life coaches in my 46 years. They have been a big influence on the how I behave and how I see the world, I have always had the desire to do the same for other people. Whether it be giving advice about riding a race, telling someone to follow their dreams or just listening, I now feel as though I am giving back helping someone develop by sharing my experiences and mistakes
- Hobbies/Exercise – Golf and hiking. They both have a different effect on my mental health, you can ask me what the difference is
- Pets/Best Friends – My dog Maggie, there is something joyful in coming home and seeing her so excited to see me. Many Clouds. I also have two best friends and my wife who I can always turn to
Loved this talk. Nathan is a good, kind guy – as are lots of people who have suffered. Inspiring. Thanks so much, Jezza! xxx