Posts Tagged ‘show’
Teaching a horse to handle stress. Episode 4: The Trail to the World Show
The world can be a stressful place if you don’t know how to recover from challenges. This is true with humans and it is true with horses. There are two primary ways we can address stressful situations with horses. We can try to avoid stress We can teach the horse how to handle stress Those…
Read MoreHow does feeling nervous or excited impact your riding?
“Stacy, Do you get nervous before you show?” I always have tension in my body before I show…but sometimes this tension is helpful and sometimes it is NOT helpful. I want a feeling of positive tension in my body as I prepare. I want to feel ready to go and excited. There have been times…
Read MoreTeach your horse to stand still: trail and arena. Episode 3: The Trail to the World Show
Question: Do you trail ride your show horses? Answer: Yes!!! In this video, I explain some of the reasons I trail ride. I also share how I ‘build a bridge’ between arena work and trail work. I explain what I consider ’emotional control training’ and show examples in the arena. Maybe the most interesting clips are…
Read More5 steps for teaching the free walk for western dressage.
“Stacy, How can I teach my horse to reach his neck down and out for the free walk?” Free walk, stretchy walk, long and low…no matter what riders call it the idea is the same. The horse should lower and stretch the neck downward and outward. To be more specific, western dressage defines the free…
Read MoreTrail to the Western Dressage World Show with Stacy Westfall
Do you like seeing behind the scenes? I do. The end result is often enjoyable; the fully decorated cake, the perfect wedding…an amazing horse in the show pen. But the story of how it all came about is often far more interesting. This year I’ve decided to invite you in for a behind-the-scenes look at…
Read More9 Reasons Western Dressage is Growing in Popularity
Western dressage is growing quickly…but why? Here are some of the reasons I discovered when I was getting started. Reason #1 You can use the horse and the tack you already own. Most western saddles and many western bridles are allowed. For the most up to date rules, you should always check the rulebook which you…
Read MoreTeam Lia the Haflinger
I joined a team last weekend. A good friend invited me to play. I’ve never agreed to anything like this before and as I told my husband, “It makes me excited and nervous.” My day planner also said I should do something that scares me…so I said yes. Yes, I will show a horse I…
Read MoreInsecure horses and self control
Thankfully the horse show ended better than it began! Willow (the 7-year old I mentioned in a previous post) recovered nicely. Willow is not a naturally confident horse and this was her first horse show. To give an example of how nervous she was, the first night I was riding in the dressage arena we…
Read MoreHow can I help you in 2018?
This is the question I keep asking myself. How can I help you? What do I have to offer that would be of value to you? What have people asked for? Thankfully many of you have been vocal. I get emails, messages and face to face requests. Many subjects are covered but ONE theme runs…
Read MoreConfession: I don’t have it all together.
If you’ve been following me for very long you may have noticed two things: First- I kinda disappeared online. Second- we’ve been building a new home. I think these two phenomenas are tied together. I love analogies. I use them as often as possible. As I was putting food in the crockpot this morning for…
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