Posts by Stacy Westfall
Episode 172-What to do with feelings like terrified and scared
“I’m terrified to ride her. I’m terrified to be in the pasture with her. I’m terrified to screw her up. I’m scared to get on. I’ve tried to ride my old horse to gain some confidence back. But at this point in time, I’m scared and I want to find the joy I used to…
Read MoreEpisode 171: Positive and negative tension in riders
HELP! “My horse “flinches” at everything. I mean everything – including me sniffing. Somedays are worse than others. My trainer has kindly talked to me about it being me. I try so hard to be relaxed and positive, but I will admit, I am a bit “on guard”. Any tips for this situation!?!?!?!?!” I have…
Read MoreEpisode 170: Can you change the story in your head about a horse or is it time to move on?
A listener asks a question about ‘changing the story in your head about a horse…and knowing when it’s time to move on.’ Often times, the story we have in our head is a mixture of fact and story. Separating out the facts is useful. Pretending the facts don’t exist, so we can pretend to have…
Read MoreEpisode 169: Fearful horses: instinct, training, speed of learning and accidental rewards.
Today, I’m answering two questions about fearful horses. I’ll discuss the dance I see between the natural flight instinct, training, a horse’s speed of learning and accidental rewards. Sometimes the idea of flight, fight, or freeze can leave us thinking that horses are limited. What makes some horse more reactive? What role does the riders’…
Read MoreConnecting the Mind and Body of Horse and Rider: An interview with Stacy Westfall
Calling all podcast listeners (or those interested learning how riders often limit their results with their horses accidentally)… Barbra Schulte had a huge impact on me when I was in college so it makes total sense that an interview with her would also be eye opening. Take a listen, we cover some really useful stuff!…
Read MoreEpisode 168: Q&A: ‘I need help getting my horse to bend’; groundwork & ridden
Why do some horses resist bending in the direction of the circle when being lunged or ridden? Two listeners called in asking versions of this question. The answer includes; defining bend and counter-bend, deciding why we want bend, determining the ‘big picture’ with bend and why some horses seem distracted. I also introduce the concept…
Read MoreEpisode 167-Things to consider when prepping for first big horse show
A listener asks about how to prepare her 4 year old for his first big horse show. Topics discussed when answering include: how to prep depending on the result you’re after (big show or first show), the importance of understanding your horses default (naturally steady, naturally skeptical), knowing the training routine/pattern that helps your horse…
Read MoreEpisode 166-Goal Setting & Overcoming Obstacles Starter Kit
Obstacles can become stepping stones to your dreams! In this podcast I’ll discuss; Why people avoid setting goals or quit, the role of dreams, dealing with the obstacle you know…and the obstacles you don’t. As a bonus, I also share how to make more theoretical the goal’s like ‘gain confidence’ into actionable, measurable steps. If…
Read MoreEpisode 165: Mastery and the Plateau
Does it ever feel like the more you learn-the further you are from arriving? This week I read, Mastery: The Keys to Success and Long Term Fulfillment by George Leonard. In this podcast, I read five passages and explain how I see them show up in the journey with horses. This totally explains why my…
Read MoreEpisode 164- Untangling thoughts with help
I love that I sound like a bit of a mess in this episode. This year I’m setting a goal that is hard to measure and even a bit of a challenge to put into words. I do a lot of journaling but this subject had me a bit stuck which is my…
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