Equine Assisted World with Rupert Isaacson

menu close

One Acre Wonders – Outdoor Schooling, Autism Support, and Equine Wisdom with Catherine Ward & Nicole Jones | Ep 30 Equine Assisted World

/ 02:04:51/E30
In this episode of Equine Assisted World, Rupert Isaacson speaks with Catherine Ward and her daughter Nicole Jones of One Acre Farm in Texas. Together, they’ve built a thriving outdoor farm school and equine-assisted program on just a single acre—proving that miracles don’t require massive land, just massive heart.
From backyard chickens to neurodiverse farm school, from ABA burnout to Montessori inspiration, and from homeschooling to creating a whole new educational paradigm, Catherine and Nicole share how they blend horsemanship, autonomy, and science to create a truly inclusive, joy-filled learning environment.
Discover how they overcame lawsuits, personal tragedy, and cultural bias to build something profoundly impactful—and how you can, too.

📚 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
Starting Small: How One Acre Became a Movement (Starts at 01:00)
  • The origin of One Acre Farm and why location doesn’t limit transformation.
  • Why their first class was on raising backyard chickens.
From ABA to Montessori to Movement Method (Starts at 06:00)
  • Nicole’s early experience with ABA and why it didn’t sit right.
  • Discovering Montessori and how it changed her educational path.
Faith, Loss, and Resilience: Catherine’s Personal Journey (Starts at 14:00)
  • How growing up wealthy and then losing everything shaped her.
  • Finding strength through grief and rediscovering purpose in education.
Transition from Public School to Homeschooling (Starts at 24:00)
  • Catherine’s decision to homeschool and build a lifestyle of faith and connection.
  • What autonomy looked like in their homeschool setting.
Neurodiversity, Animals, and Movement Method (Starts at 33:00)
  • Why ABA didn’t work—and how Horse Boy and Movement Method did.
  • The power of swinging, manure, and goat poop for emotional regulation.
The Science of Belonging: From Chickens to Compass Skills (Starts at 44:00)
  • Building trust, confidence, and cognitive growth through nature.
  • Why letting kids lead creates powerful learning moments.
The Curriculum in Action: Real Academics in a Farm School (Starts at 56:00)
  • How they teach long division, reading, and geography through farm chores.
  • Montessori flexibility and real-world applications.
Emotional Intelligence and Social Development (Starts at 1:08:00)
  • How children learn to navigate social dynamics and resolve conflict.
  • Why mixed-age groups foster natural mentorship.
Infrastructure and Burnout Prevention (Starts at 1:22:00)
  • Turning living rooms into classrooms and avoiding mission drift.
  • The challenge of staffing and seasonal demand.
Mentorship, Consulting, and Creating New Campuses (Starts at 1:35:00)
  • Helping others start their own programs with land/educator pairings.
  • The vision for a “thousand One Acre Farms” worldwide.
From Mobile Education to Legacy Building (Starts at 1:47:00)
  • The story of the mobile petting barn and education trailer.
  • What Catherine and Nicole want to leave behind for future educators.
🌟 Memorable Moments from the Episode:
  • Why kids who “failed” at preschool thrived at One Acre Farm (46:00)
  • Catherine's powerful visual for neuroplasticity: getting to Dallas without I-45 (1:27:00)
  • When Nicole knew Rupert was speaking "right to her soul" (1:33:00)
  • "Let kids do dangerous things carefully"—why risk builds resilience (1:47:00)
  • Pumpkin smashing as science, therapy, and fun—all in one (1:50:00)
🤝 Connect with One Acre Farm:
Website: https://oneacrefarmtx.com
Email: Catherine Ward – catherine@oneacrefarmtx.com | Nicole Jones – nicole@oneacrefarmtx.com
Phone & WhatsApp: +1 832-860-4756
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/oneacrefarmtx

See All of Rupert’s Programs and Shows:
🌐 Rupert Isaacson: https://rupertisaacson.com
💻 Equine-Assisted Programs: https://newtrailslearning.com

Follow Us:

New Trails Learning Systems
🌐 Website: https://ntls.co
📘 Facebook: https://facebook.com/horseboyworld
📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/horseboyworld
🎥 YouTube: https://youtube.com/newtrailslearningsystems

🧺 Affiliate Disclosure: Some links may be affiliate links. If you purchase through them, we may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting the show!
One Acre Wonders – Outdoor Schooling, Autism Support, and Equine Wisdom with Catherine Ward & Nicole Jones | Ep 30 Equine Assisted World

headphones Listen Anywhere

More Options »
Broadcast by