Bob Duncan: On a 3-Inch Ledge with a 1,200-lb. Thoroughbred - The Boundless Podcast

26 inches wide. 98 inches long. A 3-inch ledge to stand on with a 1,200-pound Thoroughbred beside you.For a jockey, few people matter more in those final moments before a race than the gate handler standing alongside you.In this episode of The Boundless Podcast, Ferrin Peterson sits down with Bob Duncan, a legendary starting-gate handler whose career has spanned decades, champion racehorses, and racetracks around the world.Bob takes us inside the starting gate: the risks gate handlers accept every day, the trust they build with each horse, and why a place most people would find intimidating became a haven for him. He shares stories from his childhood at Belmont Park, the mentors who shaped him, and the horses who taught him some of the most important lessons of his life.But this conversation goes far beyond the starting gate. Bob explains how his approach to natural horsemanship evolved, why pressure and release can create trust, how horses communicate through subtle changes in their body language and breathing, and why the best horsemanship often means slowing down, giving a horse a choice, and making your idea their idea.From working with horses like Seattle Slew to learning from Pat Parelli, Monty Roberts, and other masters of horsemanship, Bob’s story is ultimately about curiosity, humility, leadership, and becoming a lifelong student.Because sometimes the greatest lesson a horse can teach you has nothing to do with racing and everything to do with how you approach life.