In this episode, Stacy guides listeners through creating a year-end review from their horse's perspective. Building on her popular approach of sharing stories from the horse's viewpoint, she offers:

• Two ways to participate: follow along with the podcast or download a free interactive PDF workbook (click here to go to the page with the pdf)
• Examples from Enzo and Ember that demonstrate how to capture your horse's personality
• Creative prompts to help identify memorable moments from your horse's perspective
• A chance to practice seeing daily experiences through your horse's eyes

This unique exercise combines storytelling with practical insights to help riders better understand their horses and deepen their partnerships.

In this episode Stacy explores the nuanced concept of play in horses, identifying three distinct types of playful behavior: possessed play, repressed play, and reactive play. She challenges listeners to consider playfulness on a spectrum, both in themselves and their horses.

Stacy highlights the importance of understanding and managing a horse's playful energy. She argues against two extremes: constant, unfocused play and complete obedience without any playfulness. The key is finding a balance where horses can experience play or ‘blow off steam’ while still being responsive to their handler's commands.

Through personal examples, she demonstrates how recognizing and appropriately channeling a horse's desire to play can improve training and relationship. Stacy emphasizes that play isn't just about wild energy, but about emotional and physical communication between horse and rider, and the ability to transition smoothly between play and work.

In this episode, Stacy Westfall shares a personal tip on the value of re-listening to podcasts, courses, and books to deepen learning and retention, especially when paired with implementing lessons in between. She introduces the replay of a special Thanksgiving-themed episode that features listener-submitted reflections on why they are thankful for horses.

Originally aired two years ago, this heartfelt episode highlights messages from around the world about how horses bring joy, connection, and personal growth to their lives. Listeners share powerful insights, describing horses as sources of peace, strength, and purpose, as well as companions in triumphs and challenges.

Stacy emphasizes the importance of gratitude and the transformative power of the horse-human relationship. This episode invites listeners to reflect on their own connections with horses while celebrating the inspiration these animals provide.

Happy Thanksgiving—and enjoy the replay!

Stacy Westfall explores a common misconception in horse training: that professionals don't experience uncertainty or caution when facing new situations. Through parallel stories of her hesitation at a coffee shop and a horse encountering a trailer ramp, she reveals that professionals absolutely feel cautious, careful, and mindful – they just accept these feelings as a natural part of the process.  What sets professionals apart isn't an absence of uncertainty, but rather their approach: they do everything possible to prepare, then rely on "educated guesses" to bridge the remaining gap.  Stacy illustrates how everyone – even experts – faces resistance to new situations. The key difference is that professionals understand that "new is always new" and embrace the inherent uncertainty rather than fighting it. They prepare thoroughly, then lean into their experience to make informed decisions in unfamiliar moments. She encourages listeners to observe their own responses to new situations in daily life, as these patterns often mirror how they interact with horses.

In this episode, Stacy Westfall opens with an update on her current horses, and then introduces the main topic of how to train for something ‘before you need it.’ Stacy discusses her approach to training Ember, a highly athletic and sensitive young horse she describes as "a lot of horse." Using the analogy of a sports car versus a luxury car, she explains how different horses require different handling while still aiming for a balanced "middle" response. Stacy emphasizes the importance of not denying a horse's natural characteristics but rather working with them constructively. She focuses particularly on the challenge of transitioning from loose rein to contact, especially during spook situations. To prevent secondary spooking (when a horse reacts to the rider's response to the initial spook), Stacy practices hundreds of take-hold-and-release exercises during each ride. The episode concludes with encouragement for riders who discover training gaps after problems arise, comparing preparation to fire drills - ideally practiced before needed, but still valuable to learn from past experiences.

In this episode, Stacy explores the concept of recognizing and embracing contradictions in horse training, sharing insights from a recent experience with her horse, Luna. Luna has started anticipating spins during trot circles, which could be viewed as a problem, but Stacy sees it as a potential training advantage. She explains how anticipation can create a draw toward certain movements, making them feel more like the horse’s choice rather than a command. Stacy considers two solutions: changing the pre-spin routine or separating trot circles from the spin entirely. However, she chooses a third approach—embracing Luna’s anticipation as a sign of her eagerness to engage. By doing so, Stacy encourages a cooperative training environment where the horse’s motivation becomes a powerful tool. She also highlights how understanding and embracing contradictions is key in guiding horses through the learning process, especially in early stages of training.

In this episode, Stacy Westfall explores three key challenges in reading horse body language and how misinterpretation can affect horse-human relationships. Unlike human communication, which combines words and body language, horses rely solely on physical expression, making accurate interpretation crucial. The first challenge involves understanding that horses naturally fall into two categories: stoic (calm, less expressive) and animated (energetic, expressive). The second challenge occurs when horses become well-trained, often appearing less animated but not necessarily less engaged or emotional. Westfall uses her horse Newt as an example, showing how a horse can maintain its personality while developing focus. The third challenge involves the tendency to cluster behaviors and emotions, like associating playfulness with happiness or stoicism with boredom. Westfall cautions against these assumptions and recommends verbalizing what you think you're seeing in your horse to become more aware of your interpretations. This episode provides valuable insights for horse owners seeking to better understand their equine partners' communication styles.

Horse owners often encounter situations where our horses seem to "disagree" with our choices or training methods. This can trigger feelings of conflict and uncertainty within us, leaving us unsure of how to move forward. However, Stacy Westfall suggests that rather than seeing these disagreements as problems, we should view them as opportunities to develop greater empathy and understanding.

Stacy shares her own experiences of receiving "negative feedback" from her horse, Enzo, and how she responds with a sense of amusement and compassion, much like a parent understanding the frustrations of a young child. She encourages listeners to recognize that horses, like young children, are simply trying to communicate their needs and desires, even if they don't align with our own perspectives. 

By embracing these conflicting viewpoints with an open mind and a willingness to see both sides, Stacy believes we can navigate the challenges of horse training with greater success, fostering a collaborative partnership built on mutual respect and understanding.

In this episode, Stacy shares a unique perspective on foundational skills in horsemanship. She explains how this viewpoint can reveal subtle imbalances and growth opportunities. By stripping away advanced techniques to reassess basics, Stacy demonstrates how simple exercises provide insights into the animal's mind and emotions. The episode centers on the dual focus required in effective horsemanship: the rider's internal awareness (intuition, observations, curiosity) and external observation of the horse (focus, body language, responses). Stacy emphasizes that mastering this approach isn't just about physical techniques, but about cultivating a mindset of constant observation and adjustment. This episode offers valuable insights for equestrians and anyone interested in human-animal communication.

Here's a cleaned-up version:

This episode explores the challenge of maintaining momentum when faced with interruptions in your horse training plans. Whether you're a planner or a go-with-the-flow rider, you'll find valuable insights for keeping your equestrian dreams on track.

Using personal experiences and insights from students, Stacy covers: • The impact of interruptions at different stages of goal pursuit • Emotional responses to setbacks and the urge to change plans • Strategies for handling interruptions and maintaining focus • The importance of clearly defining goals for better adaptability • Transferring momentum to alternative actions when original plans change

Delve into the psychology behind the desire to quit when facing obstacles, especially near the end of a goal's timeline. By understanding these impulses, you can better navigate setbacks and maintain your resolve. Stacy emphasizes the value of flexibility in goal-setting and execution, encouraging you to find creative solutions when interruptions occur.