Today, I’m answering two questions about fearful horses.  I’ll discuss the dance I see between the natural flight instinct, training, a horse's speed of learning and accidental rewards. Sometimes the idea of flight, fight, or freeze can leave us thinking that horses are limited. What makes some horse more reactive? What role does the riders' response to the situation play in future situations? What is a 1-second spook? Here are some new ways to look at a common problem.

Episode 169: Fearful horses: instinct, training, speed of learning and accidental rewards

Stacy Westfall teaches people how to understand, enjoy and successfully train their own horses. In her podcast, she shares all of her knowledge in her area of expertise: horses. She offers insights into issues that riders face in their own minds as well as the way they are viewing the challenges and goals they have with horses. She shares tips on becoming a better rider as well as a better leader for your horse. 
Discover how you can understand things from your horses point of view so that you can enjoy the learning process with your horse. When you are able to understand what your horse is experiencing mentally and physically the process of learning new things becomes more enjoyable.  
Your goals may be showing, trail riding or simply enjoying life with horses-all of which Stacy enjoys herself. 
She shares her own struggles and successes to allow listeners to understand that everyone experiences ups and downs. 
Through her podcast, website, YouTube channel and social media Stacy answers questions about: Fear, when to sell a horse, goal setting, safety, ground work, trailer loading, lead changes, reining, spins, stops, western dressage, ranch riding, when to get help, lessons, clinics and improving your safety, success and enjoyment of horses.

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When pursuing long-term goals with your horse, it's crucial to intentionally plan for both physical and mental recovery time. While most riders allow physical recovery for their horses after intense events, they often neglect their own need for mental rest and rejuvenation. By taking intentional breaks, postponing further work until a set date, and observing your body's and mind's recovery patterns, you can learn to better support yourself before, during, and after challenging events. Honoring your recovery needs allows you to show up fully for your horse and increases your chances of successfully achieving your goals together. Key Takeaways: • Plan recovery time for both physical and mental rejuvenation • Take intentional breaks by setting a restart date and sticking to it • Observe your recovery patterns to learn your needs • Proper recovery planning leads to showing up better for your horse • Increases likelihood of achieving long-term goals with your horse

Episode 289: Recovery Time: The Missing Piece of Your Training Plan

Episode 288: Dancing with Discomfort: Steps of Faith and Evidence

Episode 287: Distracted: Should I let my horse stop and look, or keep him moving?

In this episode, Stacy dives into the challenge of using words to describe what happens with your horse. She starts with a common experience: reading a student's description, then watching a video to match it with reality. This exercise often reveals discrepancies. For instance, while a student might describe a horse as "reactive" or "stuck," the video might tell a different story. Topics include:  How you describe it vs what I see Childhood game of telephone Emotions impacting your viewing Viewing from calm, neutral Identifying normal stages Below the safety line...’just barely’ above the line Repeat exposure changing the way you view and interpret your horse  She also introduces the Resourceful Rider program, which helps riders connect through shared terminology and mutual understanding, aiming for consistency in describing horse behavior.

Episode 286: When Words Fall Short: How You See It vs. How I See It

In this podcast, Stacy shares five levels of distraction that she see in horses.  This is important to think about, because if you can recognize it in layers, or levels of distraction, then you have a chance to see the progression.  People use the term ‘distracted’ to describe a wide range of behaviors, so I want to show you this in layers. Level 1: Checked Out Level 2: Panic, But With Recovery Level 3: Just Above the Safety Line Level 4: Second Story Window Level 5: Roof Top Listen and identify which level you are at, and learn more about the common challenges with each level

Episode 169: Fearful horses: instinct, training, speed of learning and accidental rewards

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