Training
Horses Training: understanding the end goal improves the process
I love starting colts. They tend to be open minded like small children who are eager to learn and they don’t have preconceived ideas about what is wanted from them. To make things even more exciting the progress is easy to measure; one day they have never been saddled, the next day they have…never been…
Read MoreHorse went from docile, friendly and loving to angry, afraid and dangerous.
“Stacy, I know this is a long shot. I train horses in Canada. I have a clients horse who went to a different trainer initially. When the horse left the owners possession it was docile, friendly and loving. He has returned home angry, afraid and dangerous. He was simple to catch and came when called…
Read MoreBecoming a balanced rider…and training a balanced horse.
When I ride a younger or greener horse it is common for me to exaggerate my body or hand position at times to make my point more clear to the horse. If you think about it, most of us do similar exaggerations when talking to young children. Have you ever notice that when you talk…
Read MoreHey Stacy, I was wondering, is 21 too old to teach some of the stuff in your videos?
“Hey Stacy, I was wondering, is 21 too old to teach some of the stuff in your videos? As I have a 21 year-old I’d love to do more work with. Thanks.” -Lydia S. I was asked this question years ago by a young girl around the age of 13. She owned a 20+ year…
Read MoreStacy Westfall's first time riding bridleless on Newt
Yippy! Newt is giving bridleless riding a try! This is a video of the first time I took the bridle off Newt and rode him around. Newt is six years old in this video and I started his under saddle training as a two year old. I had been practicing the cue system during his…
Read MoreDid my horse step on my foot on purpose?
“Yesterday my horse stepped on my foot! No LOL; it hurt. Afterward, I decided maybe my horse was being disrespectful??? She knows where she’s putting her feet. If she had a foal, would she step on it? She was squirmy when I put the saddle on, (I can’t remember her stepping on me before this.)…
Read More3 Things to Remember with Horses that 'drop their shoulders'
In yesterday’s blog I explained that the term ‘dropped shoulder’ is often used to describe several things, the most common being 1) the horse wanting to turn to early 2) a lack of elevation/collection combined with the desire to turn (for my full explanation read yesterdays blog) Why does it happen? To answer that we…
Read MoreWhat is a 'dropped shoulder' in a horse and how can I fix it?
Yesterdays blog discussed ‘Confusing terms people use around horses‘ and the following comment showed up on the Facebook post. “I’ve been yelled at – and still don’t know what a dropped shoulder is.”-Karen S. This is a great example of a confusing term. I agree that people over use this term AND I believe it…
Read MoreFree Download: Stacy Westfall and Barbra Schulte discuss Overcoming Fear
Fear is an emotion. We imagine harm in the future. That thought triggers physical changes: fast heartbeat, headache, irritability, rapid breathing, sweating, trembling, muscle tension and more. Most of us know these symptoms from personal experience…but did you know that you can train your emotions? Last night Barbra and I spent almost two hours discussing…
Read MoreThe Back Up: Giving a horse the idea is like planting a seed.
When I am introducing a new idea to a horse it is usually done in a very subtle way. I ask for a tiny amount of response and immediately release. Even though the horse may not get the response completely correct, I reward for movement in the correct direction. Lets look at an example. If…
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