Posts by Stacy Westfall
Do you use chiropractic care for your horses?
Do you use chiropractic or other alternative health care with your horses? I do…but I also personally benefit from visiting my human chiropractor. Chiropractic makes a huge difference for me. But I also know that everyone is different, my husband rarely needs to go. My personal success with chiropractic work probably influenced my desire to…
Read MoreEpisode 85: The older & wider rider – a conversation with Suzi Vlietstra
Getting into horses or returning to horses later in life can be a challenge but can also contain many hidden blessings. My guest today, Suzi Vlietstra, shares her experience of returning to horses at age 57. In her words, “So here I am, an older and wider rider hoping to recapture some of the equine…
Read MoreStretching your horses comfort zone with travel
Why is travel stressful for horses and what can be done to make it less so? On the surface it sounds simple; load up & go ride at a friend’s house. But from Presto’s point of view it greatly stretched his comfort zone…and I didn’t even ride him. Much of the stress comes from…
Read MoreEp 84: Clicker training horses- a conversation with Mustang Maddy
Does clicker training work with horses? Won’t they just start looking for treats all the time? In this podcast, I’m talking with Mustang Maddy about clicker training horses. We discuss positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, staying safe, mental barriers to trying new training techniques and more. She outlines the steps she uses to safely introduce the…
Read MoreWatching horses interact with other horse.
I love watching horses interact with other horses. There is so much you can learn about them as you watch them together. How do they approach each other? What body language do they use to communicate? Who is the leader in this group? How do they treat those they lead? Which one tends to kick?…
Read MoreEpisode 83: Getting started in reining-A conversation with Jesse Westfall
Is it possible to get started in reining and fully train your own horse from start to show? Never having a reining trainer ride the horse? Today’s guest says ‘yes’ and he has the track record to prove it. Today, I would introduce you to my husband and my coach, Jesse Westfall. Over the years…
Read MoreDental care for horses, why ‘floating’ teeth is important.
Presto had his yearly dental appointment and I learned a little more about equine dentistry. It always amazes me how sharp the horse’s teeth can wear themselves over time. Take a look at this photo of a couple of the ‘caps’ or baby teeth that the dentist removed. The first side is the chewing surface…and…
Read MoreEpisode 82: Ride with Confidence- a conversation with Barbra Schulte
Today we are talking about Riding with Confidence and my guest is Barbra Schulte. She is a Hall of Fame rider and a performance coach. I looked through my emails and asked her questions about fear of cantering, fear of messing my horse up, fear of making a fool of myself when I ride, and…
Read MorePonying: the art of leading one horse while riding another
One thing I’ve done with Presto more than any other horse is ponying him. I chose to start Presto under saddle much later than many of my other horses. Instead of leaving Presto at home or in the pasture I started ponying him. Ponying is when you leading one horse while riding another. Ponying is…
Read MoreEpisode 81: Leading one horse while riding another, how to teach ponying
Today’s question is about teaching horses to pony or the art of leading one horse while riding another. Ponying can be a great way to exercise two horses at once as well as a way to expose a younger or less experienced horse to more of the world without riding. This podcast lists things to…
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