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Writing Her Way Back: Emma Hudelson on Sky Watch and Returning to the Saddle

April 21

46 mins

Episode Description

In this episode of The Long Ride Home, Alex Husner sits down with Emma Hudelson, author of Sky Watch, for a conversation about horses, writing, and the lasting pull of the American Saddlebred.

Emma shares how her fascination with Sky Watch deepened after seeing footage of the legendary horse at the American Saddlebred Museum, and how that moment led her into years of research, interviews, and writing. What began as a search to better understand one of the breed’s most iconic horses became something more personal: a reflection on her own return to riding and the memories, questions, and emotions that came with it.

Together, Alex and Emma talk about the story behind Sky Watch, the generosity of horsemen like Mitch Clark and Don Harris, and the challenge of writing about a figure whose legacy still looms large in the Saddlebred world. They also explore Emma’s journey back into the saddle as an adult, from lesson programs and first horses to motherhood, loss, and finding her place in the sport again.

This episode is both a look at Saddlebred history and a conversation about what it means to come back to something that shaped you. It’s about the horses who stay with us, the stories that ask to be written, and the long road back to the saddle.

In this episode, Alex and Emma discuss:

03:35 - How Sky Watch came to life

07:04 - Why Sky Watch remains such a powerful figure in Saddlebred history

15:52 - Emma’s return to riding as an adult

21:39 - The emotional reality of horse ownership, rehoming, and loss

26:57 - Relearning how to ride and what the body remembers

29:49 - Balancing riding, writing, and motherhood

34:16 - Finding her next horse and stepping into a new chapter

38:12 - Thoughts on the future and visibility of the Saddlebred industry

Connect with Emma:

Website: https://www.emmahudelson.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/efhudelson/