Posts by Stacy Westfall
Episode 278: Rushing Forward: Overcoming the Temptation to Rush
In this episode, Stacy shares a challenging moment she very much wants to rush through. Drawing parallels between human behavior and equine tendencies, Stacy emphasizes that rushing is not merely a physical action but a way of thinking that can impact emotions. Using her expertise in horse training, she provides insights into how rushing manifests…
Read MoreEpisode 277: Two ways you may be disconnecting from your horse
In this podcast, Stacy explains two unintentional releases riders often overlook and the challenges they cause for the horse. These are also things that can happen in your everyday life. Topics include: • freezing, shrinking, and withdrawing • rider’s lack of awareness of the horse’s experience • how to solve for freezing • the challenge…
Read MoreEpisode 276: Resolving Resistance: Believe your horse’s feedback
In this episode, Stacy explains how to know if your horse is ready to move to a more advanced technique, or combination of cues, or when you should return to the basics. If you find yourself wondering, “Is my horse ready to move on?” or if you have moved on, but your horse shows signs…
Read MoreEpisode 275: The biggest relationship mistake I see riders make with their horses.
In this podcast, I’m going to share an audio clip from a recent free class that I thought about relationship mistakes I see riders make. You’ll learn: Two keywords that define relationship My ‘declaration of my beliefs’, which is the foundation for my definition How I define a good relationship with my horses – my…
Read More🥰Love can be soft, hard, strong, fierce and bold.
Your horse has priorities. These are like rungs on a ladder, and when you skip one, things don’t work well. Many empathetic riders accidentally skip the second rung. They want their horse to feel safe and secure, but they make the mistake of trying to create safety with ‘soft’ love. Love is amazing, but it…
Read MoreEpisode 274: From Doubt to Discovery: See your horse more clearly to bring back the wonder and joy
Anger, frustration, fear… to wonder and joy. In this episode, three students share their challenges and growth with their horses inside the Resourceful Rider Program. What stands out to me is how the riders are describing that they can see themselves and their horses more clearly. If I say it backward, before they experienced the…
Read MoreEpisode 273: “From ‘I Don’t See It’ to ‘I See It!’: Breaking Down the Barrier Between Seeing and Understanding”
Stacy shares valuable insights into how riders unintentionally slow their learning. She explains why many less experienced riders skip what she calls ‘step two’ and try to go straight for step three. She also contrasts this by explaining how pros do the opposite. With a blend of humor, expertise, and relatable anecdotes, this episode encourages…
Read MoreEpisode 272: Stuck at the Start: the 5 steps riders use to improve and why many get stuck on step one
In this episode, Stacy explains the five essential steps riders undertake to enhance their horseback riding skills and their training techniques. She emphasizes how each cycle of this process contributes to the continual improvement of a rider’s abilities. The focus is on the pivotal first step, where many riders often encounter obstacles. Stacy explains how…
Read MoreEpisode 271: The Unseen Connection: Counting Strides vs. Navigating Emotional States
In this episode, you’ll hear a conversation that perfectly illustrates the connection between what is going on in our mind, and how it is often reflected in our experience with our horse. In this conversation, Kristen is struggling with riding transitions, specifically, ‘letting the horse go’ or riding bigger, and then transitioning back to collection.…
Read MoreEpisode 270: The Art of Being: Embracing a Way of Being Approach
In this episode, we will explore how to pursue a feeling state as a goal. Listen in as Stacy coaches Lauren on how to pursue her theme of ‘having fun builds confidence.’ A way of being goal is an exploration of your experience of life. The direct goal becomes the exploration of your experience,…
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