Who is Matt Harnacke?

Matt Harnacke’s career started on the runway for the big, international fashion brand Emporio Armani when he was 17 years old. Today, Matt is, in addition to being a successful model, also one of the most prominent riding influencers in the world, and a professional rider. With hundreds of thousands of followers on social media and YouTube, Matt has become a great role model for equestrians all over the world. 

But how did Matt’s modeling career really begin? Why did he move from Australia? What is important to think about when being a huge equestrian influencer? And how does he deal with receiving hate and being misunderstood on the internet? We recently had a chat with Matt and took the opportunity to ask him all these questions. Keep reading to get to know Matt!

About Matt Harnacke

• Age: 27 years old

• Lives in: The Netherlands 🇳🇱

• Occupation: Rider, model and leading equestrian influencer

• Instagram: @matt_harnacke
  
  

The Riding Career

How and when did you begin your riding journey?

– I think I was always someone who was quite into animals to begin with. My parents had family friends that owned a riding hall, so me and my brother grew up going to their place. It’s also where I had my first riding lesson, when I was eight years old. I realized then that horses were my big passion. But at the beginning I was also a bit terrified – I was quite fearful as a kid. But my passion was bigger than my fear, so after a while I asked my parents to let me take more lessons and me and my brother started having weekly lessons shortly after. My brother and I took riding lessons together for about two years actually, before he realized that it wasn’t his thing and stopped. So, he grew out of it, and my interest accelerated really.

Today you are a dressage rider and you have done a lot of shows during your career. Why did dressage catch your interest? 

– I’ve always liked showjumping, but the horses I’ve owned have never really been good at it. They’ve never had a natural talent for jumping, so it was kind of by default I found myself doing dressage. I definitely have an interest in showjumping, but my heart is more into dressage.

Looking at your videos, you seem to have such a genuine relationship with your horses. How do you build these relationships? What do you think is important to think about?

– Firstly, I think it’s because I don’t have that many and it’s much easier to have closer relationships with your horses if you don’t have a lot of them. And I don’t have anyone behind me that’s pushing me to do anything I don’t want to do. I don’t have to do well for any clients, and I don’t have to feel the responsibility of somebody else and their goals. My riding is structured around what I feel like doing and I’ve built my own kind of regime around that. It allows me to spend a lot of time really fun and different kinds of things. Of course I train a lot in the arena, but I’m also out and about doing other things like trail rides – and I think that’s really something that helps in terms of getting to know a horse. My horses are an extension of my family, and I’m happy that I have been able to maintain control of my riding despite my career and having moved countries.

How many horses do you own today?

– I have four of my own right now:

• Sureno: PRE Stallion

• Chase: Warmblood Gelding

• Emporio: PRE Stallion

• Bear: American Miniature Horse

– Maybe I shouldn’t put this out in the universe, but I am thinking about maybe getting one more.  I’ve seen some really beautiful Friesians lately that were presented to me, and it would be amazing to have one of my own. I’ve always been interested in breeding them, because they barely have Friesian horses in Australia, so they really fascinated me when I moved to the Netherlands. But I also saw this stunning KWPN that I really liked, and then obviously I love PREs haha – so I don’t know yet. I don’t want to force anything but if a really nice horse finds its way to me, I’ll absolutely consider it.

Being a Professional Model

Besides riding, you also work as a model. Is it true that you got discovered by scouts during a horseshow? Can you tell us a little bit more about that day?

– Yes, that’s correct! Which is the most random place that could have happened, haha. When I was 17, I was teaching at a riding school and one day I had a day off to go to a horse show and watch some friends that were jumping. So, I was watching my friend’s ride and then afterwards we went to one of these little pop-up restaurants to get something to eat and then suddenly this woman came up to us. I thought that she came to talk to one of my friends, so I was very surprised when she looked at me and said “I actually came to talk to you” and then she presented herself, and the modeling agency she worked for and asked for a meeting with me to sign me as one of their models. And that’s basically how it started.

How did it feel for you to get that question? Was it an immediate yes for you?

– Actually, I had already been asked by another agency when I was 16 and said no. I’ve had a lot of issues with the way I’ve looked, and I have always prefered staying in the background if I could. I grew up as a really thin kid and I guess I found it hard to not be the “conventional” type.

"I was the sort of person that, if there was a group photo that had to be taken, I would go away. It was basically the one thing I didn’t want to do. So, it was not an obvious decision to accept her offer, but after consultation with my parents, I decided to give modeling a go.”

– Matt Harnacke

What happened after that? How long did it take from signing the papers until you started doing all these extraordinary shows and shoots? 

– I did my first job one week later. It was for a magazine called Dolly – which is kind of like a “Teen Vogue” thing in Australia – and I was horrified, but I did it. And I realized that even though it was so scary in the beginning, it got easier and easier. Nobody can teach you how to feel comfortable in front of the camera, it takes time. Once you have a certain amount of hours of shooting behind you, you start to get better. At first, I did a lot of jobs in Australia and after six months I went to do my first shows in Europe. When I got back, I had done some really, really big shows in London, Paris and Milan with brands like Dolce & Gabbana, Emporio Armani and Georgio Armani. And once I had that in my resume, things started happening very quickly. I was able to book big campaigns, do more “show circles” and work more internationally. United States, United Kingdom, Asia… I worked all over the world and started living out of my suitcase.

What have you learned from modeling?

– I’ve learned that there’s a place for everybody. I think that a lot of people think of modelling as something that would have a negative impact on your self-confidence and kind of tear you down. But for me, it’s been the other way around. I was really able to gain a new self-acceptance for the way I looked. In the modelling world when you do shoots and campaigns – they always tend to pick the “worst” photo of you. Because they are looking at the clothing, lighting and all these other things that you don’t think of. When I realized that, well I’ll put it this way: I started to not give a shit anymore. I accepted the fact that I’m going to do all these jobs, they are gonna take photos of me in the worst possible angles and then they are gonna post the worst one and it’s gonna be on billboards and on buses and that’s okay with me. I’m just here to do my job, and what I look like is very subjective and not important.

Being a Big Social Media Profile

Today you have around 700 000 followers on Instagram and almost 400 000 subscribers on YouTube. Why do you think your social media grew so big? 

– I think my story is a bit different, and I also think I’ve been able to share that in a way that’s been interesting. I’m lucky to have had opportunities in my life that have allowed me to share all different parts of the equestrian world, the modeling world, and all that kind of stuff. I also think it’s important to think of the content as entertainment. I always look at the videos I make before posting them, and sometimes when I look at them, I realize that they are boring and not entertaining – and then I won’t publish them.

What’s the best thing about your job?

– I get to live such a blessed life. Firstly, I’m my own boss and I really love that. But apart from that, all the experiences and opportunities I get to have, the people I get to meet, the networking I get to do and how I sometimes find myself in the craziest places.

“Every day is different and so exciting, that’s something I really enjoy.”

– Matt Harnacke

Being a big profile on social media can be challenging. Do you ever feel misunderstood? Have you noticed that people have preconceived notions about you?

– I think that a lot of people tend to think that I am arrogant before they meet me. And I think people have that mindset because it’s a common stereotype about people with my profession. But I’m not like that at all. Half the time, I don’t even look at myself in the mirror, I just put a hat on and go. I think the modeling world has that effect on you, because after 10 hours of shooting, the last person you want to see is yourself. I would not say that I’m haughty, and I hope I’m not, and have also heard that I’m not that kind of person. At the forefront of everything, I hold so much respect for everybody and that’s something that was instilled in me at a very young age by my parents. I think that’s the reason I don’t get that much hate online. I also try to work proactively and create educational opportunities instead. 

– For example, a couple of YouTube-videos ago, I was going on a hack and my horse was wearing a double bridle. I knew that I was going to get a lot of comments about it and followers questioning it. So, I started the video by carefully explaining the choice of bridle, and the comments remained calm. Sometimes, you can turn that moment of hate into a moment of education, and we can all grow a little bit from it as well.

Besides your Instagram and YouTube, you have also created an online equestrian network called “Horseworld TV” with Jesse Drent. Can you tell us more about the platform? 

– I’ve always felt like there was a gap between the equestrian world and the media. Back in the day, when you were watching equestrian sport on TV, everything felt old and outdated. Not at all interesting or entertaining. Me and Jesse also felt like there was a huge disconnect between everyday-riders and top-riders. So, the theory behind Horseworld TV was, and is, to connect the everyday-rider to the top-rider in an entertaining way and through different kinds of media. And I guess that’s what we’ve been doing since last November.

You and Jesse seem to have such incredible chemistry together. When living, working and travelling together, how would you say you complement each other?

– Me and Jesse balance each other well. I think firstly we have very different views of the world, which is nice because if we were too much alike, it wouldn’t work. We both like to laugh a lot as well. We always like to make light of things, and we don’t take each other too seriously. We’re always in it just to have a good time. None of us worry much about what other people will think. Of course we’re respectful, but we just wanna have fun and enjoy it. We always feel so blessed to have been given this opportunity, so we are just kind of living life to the fullest.

The Big Move From Australia

You’ve stayed in the Netherlands for a couple of years now. What made you move to the Netherlands in particular?

– That’s a good question. I didn’t really know where I wanted to go at first, but I knew that I wanted to live in a prominent horse nation and that I didn’t want to move to another island. I wanted to feel like I could get in my car and drive to another country without difficulty, which didn’t leave too many alternatives. I knew some people here in the Netherlands, it’s a big horse country, everyone speaks English, it’s super central in Europe and only a 45-minute plane-ride to the UK. It’s also a beautiful country. So, in the end a lot of things brought me here.

Moving to a completely new country is extremely brave! It’s also really brave to jump into a new industry and start modeling. You seem to do a lot of brave things! Have you always been a person who says yes to opportunities and adventure?

– I feel like a lot of it is being naïve actually, and I think that’s such a blessing because a lot of the time, I don’t really consider the full extent of what I’m signing up for. I don’t run though all the worst-case scenarios, I’m just like “That sounds exciting, let’s do it!”. Kind of like the mentality of a five-year-old, right? And it’s good, because if you think too much about the potential issues stops you from doing a lot of things.

“I have found that, most of the time, when I just say yes to opportunities, it pays off.”

– Matt Harnacke

Maya Delorez x Matt Harnacke

What was it about Maya Delorez that caught your interest? 

– First of all, I’ve known your Brand Ambassador Carl Hedin for a while and when he launched his collection together with you, I wanted to support him. So, I got the products, tried them on and was like “Wow! I actually really, really like them!”. I usually try products for about two weeks before I recommend anything, and during that time I found myself reaching for the products when I opened my closet. It was clothes that I really wanted to wear and something I genuinely wanted to share – and when I did, I also got great feedback from my followers.

Do you have any fav products?

– The product I tend to grab the most is the black breeches with the green lines on the pockets called Felix Sport Breeches. I wear them all the time, I really love those breeches. And then I love the Tech Polos! I have all three of them; Ville, Freddie and Rodger. I love the fit, the material and the quality. They are my top picks right now. And the socks of course! Haha, they are also very good!

You have, in just a few years, accomplished so much with your company, horses, social media and everything. Looking ahead, where do you envision everything going? 

– That’s a good question. I’m really glad I don’t have the answer to that because even when I grew up, if I had known where I wanted to go, I wouldn’t be where I am today. So, I’m excited that I don’t have a well-thought-out plan or strategy for the future, and I hope I will continue not to know. I’m really looking forward to seeing what the future has in store!

Five Quick Questions

Runway or dressage competition? 
– That’s so difficult! Nothing can ever compare to the feeling of walking down a runway – but then horses are my passion! If I had to put it down to the one moment, then it’s the runway. Because you have done all these castings and shows, it’s all these people waiting on the other end, and there’s media and celebrities everywhere. It’s only about 45 seconds of walking, but there’s so much energy! And the feeling you get when you’re walking is insane. So, my answer would be runway, based on the feeling you get whilst doing it. 

Fav social media platform?
– Instagram.

Gelding, stallion or mare?
– Stallion – for sure!

Favorite emoji?
– Oh, I have a few... I like the strong arm (💪) and I like the face that’s like smiling, but there’s a tear (🥲).

Australia or Europe?
– Europe.

What’s your signature dish?
– That I cook?! Then nothing… I HATE cooking! Every morning though, I make myself fried eggs on toast with a layer of truffle-mayonnaise underneath. It sounds weird, but it’s really good I promise!