Today I’m chatting with Dillon Ryan, better known as @dillon_equi on Instagram. Dillon’s an equestrian influencer now, but he only started riding in 2020 — and what a journey it’s been since.
Growing up in a small village in North County Dublin, Dillon always felt drawn to horses trotting by, but it wasn’t until the world shut down during COVID and his work in the airline industry paused that he decided to finally give riding a go.
We talk about:
The nerves of starting lessons as an adult
Knowing instantly he was in the right place
Discovering that horses all have their own personalities
Leasing one horse… then another… until a friend suggested, “Why don’t you just get your own?”
The process of finding his first horse, Duffy, with support from more experienced horsey friends
The emotional moment of bringing Duffy home
The heartbreaking decision to let Duffy go and thinking he might never own a horse again
Meeting Elvis, his current horse — and realising the difference between owning a 14-year-old versus a 5-year-old!
Going back to basics, building trust, and learning together
The importance of setting your ego aside and getting help when you need it
Celebrating the little wins that come with producing a young horse
His plans for the year ahead with Elvis
And some great advice for anyone starting out in the equestrian world
This is a brilliant, down-to-earth chat about coming into the equestrian world as an adult, building confidence, and embracing the ups and downs that come with horse ownership.
Where to find Dillon:
Instagram – @dillon_equi
