Episode 213: Alienor Le Gouvello, Wild At Heart

Episode 213 of The Adventure Podcast features French-born adventurer, horsewoman, and advocate for Australia’s wild brumbies, Alienor Le Gouvello. A few years ago, Alienor travelled 5,000+ kilometres on a 13-month solo trek along the Bicentennial National Trail, a journey she completed with three wild horses she had tamed herself and her loyal dog, Fox. It starts as a tale of grit and endurance - surviving tropical fever, infection, and crocodile-infested rivers. But it unfolds into a story about connection, resilience, and purpose. Alienor and Matt explore her years working in remote Indigenous communities, her bond with the land and her animals, and how taming wild horses taught her trust, patience, and empathy. They discuss the ethics of animal management, and how the wilderness can reshape our sense of identity and belonging. This is a story of wild places and wilder spirits. Of what it means to find family, freedom, and purpose in the saddle.

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Chapter Breakdown

00:00 – 07:00 | Alienor recounts the brutal closing chapter of her 5,000km trek; battling Ross River fever, a severe staph infection, and crossing crocodile rivers with her leg wrapped in plastic.

07:00 – 10:30 | Why she chose to tame and travel with wild brumbies, and how the journey became an act of advocacy for humane horse management.

10:30 – 16:30 | Growing up in France, travelling to Australia at 20, and discovering a lifelong connection to the desert and Indigenous culture.

16:30 – 21:00 | Working for over a decade in remote Aboriginal communities; learning language, culture, and the healing power of land and open space.

21:00 – 24:00 | Why Alienor feels compelled to defend both Indigenous heritage and wild horses, and how these causes became her life’s purpose.

24:00 – 28:30 | The process of earning the trust of wild brumbies through natural horsemanship. Rejecting the idea of “breaking”, in favour of gentle communication.

28:30 – 33:00 | The year-and-a-half-long process of taming, training, and learning to live alongside her horses before setting out.

33:00 – 38:00 | Gruelling early months through steep mountains, moments of doubt, and learning to work as one herd.

38:00 – 44:00 | How Alienor’s bond with her horses deepened into mutual trust and companionship, and the small, powerful moments that defined that connection.

44:00 – 48:30 | Finishing the expedition broken but transformed, finding herself adrift between adventure and normal life.

48:30 – 52:00 | Writing her book, becoming a mother, and finding her calling in equine-assisted therapy - helping others heal through the wisdom of horses.

52:00 – 56:00 | Alienor reflects on motherhood, hope for the future, and why she believes the next generation, and their connection to nature, will carry the torch forward.

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