Often, the history of the horse does not follow him throughout his life—maybe you bought a horse at an auction, maybe you rescued an abandoned horse, or were given a horse—but, for whatever reason, you end up with this horse, and zero history on him. So what do you do now? How do you move forward from there? Is he trained or untrained? What's he like to handle? I'll discuss these questions and more in this month's episode. Plus, as always, we have some new questions for What the Hay? Q&A!

Trail riding season is fast approaching, and whether you go out for a few hours or a few days at a time, and whether you're going to take 1 or 2 trail adventures this year or 1 or 2 every week, I want to share some of my tips that I've learned through the years.

Today's topic is about dealing with horses that rip and run. I'll talk about this dangerous behavior, what it looks like, how it develops, and situations where it's likely to happen. We'll look at what this behavior means—why the horse does it, and how he benefits. Fortunately, most horses never learn how to overpower people and get away, but once it's been learned, it can't really be unlearned, and it makes the horse particularly difficult to handle. Whether or not you have a horse with this problem, you're going to want to listen to find out how to mitigate the issue, and prevent it before it becomes a problem. Plus, I've got some brand new questions to answer in the What the Hay? Q&A segment!

Show Notes:

Short Courses & Academy Memberships: https://signin.juliegoodnight.com/goodnight-academy/

FREE Daily Doses of Horsemanship Homework: https://signin.juliegoodnight.com/daily-dose-of-horsemanship-homework/

Episodes About Horses That Rip & Run (watch with your Library or Interactive Membership): 

• Episode 213: The Great Escape http://signin.juliegoodnight.com/videos/horse-master-shows/episode-213-the-great-escape/

Don't have a membership yet? Get yours here: https://juliegoodnight.com/join

This topic is often asked about, and was also inspired by my first few rides out this spring on my young horse, Pepperoni. We're going to take a look at the behavioral aspects of spooking, how to train the horse to face what he's afraid of, and most importantly, how to execute the emergency stop when all else fails.

In this episode, let's talk about cantering with confidence! I'll go over the mechanics of the gait, how to cue, how to ride it, how to set your horse up for the correct lead. We'll even talk about controlling and refining the canter, and I'll address the issue all of you advanced riders want to hear about: the flying lead change. As always, we've got some brand new questions to answer straight from our listeners in the What the Hay Q&A segment!

In this episode, let's talk about collection—what it is, and more importantly, what it's not. I'll share with you how to prepare for this skill, how to cue your horse for collection, and how to feel it when you get it right. Plus, we've got some brand new questions to answer straight from our listeners in the What the Hay Q&A segment!

Episode Resources:

• Refinement & Collection Video: https://shop.juliegoodnight.com/product-tag/refinement-and-collection/

In this episode, let's talk about collection—what it is, and more importantly, what it's not. I'll share with you how to prepare for this skill, how to cue your horse for collection, and how to feel it when you get it right. Plus, we've got some brand new questions to answer straight from our listeners in the What the Hay Q&A segment!

Episode Resources:

• Refinement & Collection Video: https://shop.juliegoodnight.com/product-tag/refinement-and-collection/

In this episode, I'll talk about having reasonable expectations for your horse, considering the horse's point of view in the discipline you are training, and providing the physical and emotional support your horse needs. Plus, how to avoid training burnout and plateaus in your training. In other words, how do I keep my horse moving forward in his training, progressing, and still staying fresh and enjoying his job?

Episode Resources:

Perfect Practice Training Video & Booklet: https://shop.juliegoodnight.com/?s=Perfect+Practice

Balance & Rhythm Training Video: https://shop.juliegoodnight.com/product-tag/balance-rhythm/

Julie's Clinics & Events Schedule: https://juliegoodnight.com/events/

In this episode, I'll talk about having reasonable expectations for your horse, considering the horse's point of view in the discipline you are training, and providing the physical and emotional support your horse needs. Plus, how to avoid training burnout and plateaus in your training. In other words, how do I keep my horse moving forward in his training, progressing, and still staying fresh and enjoying his job?

Episode Resources:

Perfect Practice Training Video & Booklet: https://shop.juliegoodnight.com/?s=Perfect+Practice

Balance & Rhythm Training Video: https://shop.juliegoodnight.com/product-tag/balance-rhythm/

Julie's Clinics & Events Schedule: https://juliegoodnight.com/events/

How to manage your horse's needs in winter, plus some of the secrets I've learned from living in the high mountains of Colorado for the last 30+ years when it comes to staying warm while you ride, when you feed, or while you do your horse chores in winter. Finally, we'll talk about how to stay fit as a rider—even if you can't ride as much over the winter as you usually do. I'll share some of my favorite workout routines, and some exercises you can do in your living room to keep fit for riding all winter long.