Posts by Stacy Westfall
Episode 99-HELP: My horse REALLY connects to other horses when trail riding…
A listener calls in with a question about her horse who gets very worked up on trail rides with too many other horses. She describes how the horse seems to connect with another horse, flicks its head up, and walks as fast as possible. This podcast breaks down four different ways to look at the…
Read MoreThree reasons to show at home (virtual horse shows)!
Three reasons to show at home: 1) you’ll prep your riding area 2) you’ll act weird 3) you’ll learn something Have you entered a ‘virtual’ horse show? The Western Dressage World show is my first record-at-home horse show…and it has been quite a learning curve! My initial thought was that I would have two main…
Read MoreEpisode 98- Teaching your horse to be a thinking participant
Sometimes horses are trained to operate more like robots-‘don’t think, just do what I say’. Other times horses are left to make most of the decisions-which can become dangerous in some situations. In this podcast I discuss how to find a middle ground where the horse is an active participant in the ‘conversation’ with the…
Read MorePresto enters the Western Dressage World Show
?Unexpected… Much of 2020 could be explained with that word. Sometimes the word ‘unexpected’ carries a level of negativity. But sometimes ‘unexpected’ can be a pleasant surprises. ?I just entered Presto in the Western Dressage Association of America WDAA World Show. I did NOT expect to do that. When the Western Dressage World Show became…
Read MoreEpisode 97: Separating rider issues from horse issues when trail riding
Question: How can I reduce my horse’s reactivity to noise when trail riding? The answer involves separating the issue into smaller parts and looking at each individually. By separating the issue it becomes easier to see how you can break the cycle and modify the horse’s behavior. Episode 97- Seperating rider issues from horse issues…
Read MorePresto’s ‘world tour’
?Presto is finally home from his ‘world tour’. ? I’m calling it his world tour because even though we really traveled the east coast…Presto is absolutely sure we have been all over the world! I’ll let him think that a bit longer before I show him more of the country on another trip!? There were…
Read MoreEpisode 96: How can I train my horse to ride safely near traffic?
Riding near traffic can be challenging. Your horse must deal with vehicles of varying sizes, traveling at speed, and making loud noises. The road itself often has challenges such as culverts, guard rails, ditches, garbage cans, mailboxes…and dogs. Many drivers don’t know how to respond to horses and assume they will be fine. Others don’t…
Read More?Presto’s road trip continues
…can anyone guess where I’m headed today in Stratford, Vermont? We have been traveling for a little over two weeks now and Presto is settling into new places quicker and quicker at each stop. I normally ‘season’ my horses by going to horse shows…but it can also be done by visiting friends and new places.…
Read MoreEpisode 95: Help, my horse has emotional outbursts on the trail
“Is there a way to teach emotional control to a horse? He is super quiet when ridden alone. When ridden in groups I can feel his nerves bundle up and then he broncs.” In this episode, I discuss the concepts: why naturally quiet horses can be prone to ‘outburst’, four places where this issue can…
Read MoreHorses: how to create a seasoned traveler
One week ago, Presto was beginning the longest haul he has done yet. Here are my answers to some of the questions you asked. ❓?How often do you stop to let the horses rest? Offer water, etc? Do you unload, if so when and how often?-Shirley How often I stop depends somewhat on the horse…
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