Posts by Stacy Westfall

If you’ve ever hesitated mid-ride, wondering how to acknowledge your horse without losing momentum, you’re not alone. In this episode, Stacy Westfall explores the often-overlooked skill of pausing in motion—a subtle shift that turns mechanical movements into a connected dance between horse and rider. Key takeaways: – Long pauses work in early training, but can…

Most riders want a focused horse—but many unknowingly skip the steps required to develop it. In this episode, Stacy Westfall explores four common reasons riders don’t actively teach focus, and how this omission affects connection, performance, and safety. Key takeaways: – Some riders don’t believe focus is teachable—or even possible—and assume it’s just a fixed…

Checking in on your goals mid-year might feel uncomfortable—especially if you’ve lost track of them or suspect you’re not where you hoped to be. But that discomfort holds valuable clues. In this episode, Stacy Westfall shares why she used to resist mid-year reviews, what finally changed her mind, and how looking honestly at where you…

Striving for precision too early in training often backfires—not because correctness is wrong, but because perfection adds pressure. In this episode, Stacy shares how choosing to leave something slightly off, or “almost right,” can actually lead to greater clarity and softer communication. Using a real-time groundwork session with her mare Luna, Stacy illustrates how intentional…

Do you find yourself nodding along to training advice, then heading out to ride only to freeze up with questions like “Am I doing this right?” or “Am I rewarding something I shouldn’t be?” Join Stacy as she explores why learning feels so hard and introduces a framework that normalizes the struggle. In this episode:…

  This episode builds on the previous discussion of horses “falling in” on circles by shifting from the problem to the proposed solution: teaching forward as a direction, not just a speed. Stacy explains why forward is often misunderstood and rarely trained as a purposeful, straight-line intention—and how this gap shows up in real riding…

You nudge them out. They drift back in. You add more leg. They lean harder. When your horse falls in on the circle and ignores your aids, it’s tempting to zero in on the behavior. But what if that moment is part of a larger pattern—one you’re contributing to without realizing it? Key takeaways: –…

Recorded from her truck at a horse show, Stacy Westfall explores the critical but often overlooked concept of energy management between horse and rider. She observes that many riders fail to prepare their horses for the inevitable energy fluctuations they’ll encounter in new environments, whether at shows or on trails. Key takeaways: External energy sources…

Stacy shares insights from her first off-property trail ride with Ember, revealing a critical moment where riders unknowingly teach their horses problematic behaviors. By identifying the exact instant when most riders make a fundamental mistake at water crossings, Stacy demonstrates how arena training directly transfers to trail success. Key takeaways: When a horse hesitates at…