Be Your Best Horsemanship

It is easy to become obsessed with our weaknesses. However, when we constantly work on the areas we struggle with, our strengths begin to diminish as well. On this episode, I am discussing some of the most common things trainers struggle with and how to overcome these challenges through patience and balance. Read the full show notes at philhaugenhorsemanship.com/podcast .

As a competitor, my confidence comes from knowing that I have my horse prepared. When I know that my horse is where it needs to be, I know that I have put myself in a position to use my horse’s strengths to make my job easier.  On this episode, I'm sharing a few tips that will help you recognize ways to optimize your horse's performance for new set ups and continually reinforce a confidence-b...

Horses are wired with a “flight” instinct, which causes them to react in high-pressure situations. In the performance horse industry, we put our horses in high-pressure situations every time we ask them for more speed.  In this episode, I'm covering a few drills that can help you prepare your horse to handle a speed increase smoothly by maintaining a "thinking" state of mind. To learn more ab...

As human beings, we are naturally wired to seek an end point. When we start a project, we want to finish it. The toughest thing to understand about the horse training industry is that there is no real end point. On this episode, I’m talking about how you can push past that “comfortable” spot with your horse so that you can continually develop that animal’s potential. Learn more about the exercises...

I feel like I have grown more in the past 5 years than I have in the rest of my years combined. And this is because over the past 5 years, I have made a commitment to focusing on personal development. In this episode, I am sharing some of the realizations that have come about as a result of my personal growth journey, and how these experiences have shaped my perspective on horsemanship. Read the f...

Over the years, I’ve gotten a lot more patient about putting the first ride on a horse. Before that first ride, I will spend a significant amount of time on groundwork. I do this because I know that horse has to have a certain amount of trust in me before I attempt to get on its back. By helping my horse be prepared for that first ride, I build that horse’s confidence and reduce any insecurity tow...

Horsemanship is not about the mechanical manipulation of our horses. We can use our hands, feet, or bits as tools to communicate with our horses, but we cannot rely solely on these tools when we add speed to the equation. Our horses must have a reasonable understanding of our feel, timing, and balance before we can expect to communicate with them effectively at faster speeds. Improving our level o...

During the winter months, it gets more difficult to devote adequate time to our horsemanship. The days get shorter, the temperatures get colder, and it’s simply not as easy to find favorable conditions for training. Taking a little time off isn’t a bad thing if we are aware of the correct way to approach training after a break. Time off reveals where our horses are weak in their fundamentals which...

As trainers, we have a responsibility to help our horses reach their full potential.  And, this requires us to step into a leadership role. Horsemanship is simply leadership. Horses are not born with the natural instinct to be submissive. It is a learned habit. That’s why, as trainers, we have to take on a leadership role with that animal to help engage the thinking side of its brain and perf...

Horsemanship is a continual learning process. It’s a process that takes a significant amount of time and patience.  Luckily, the level of access we have to information allows us to connect with one another, learn, and grow at a faster rate than ever before. However, the downside of this is that we have gotten into a habit of expecting instant gratification. In horse training, the desire for i...

The western industry is built upon the cowboy mentality -- that commitment, grit and never-give-up attitude that so many of us seem to live by. As you begin setting your goals for the coming year, I challenge you to fully embrace the cowboy mentality.  Approach each of your goals with that same level of commitment, grit and never-give-up attitude. Be fully committed to bettering yourself. Rea...

For many years in my training career, I only focused on training the parts of the horse’s body that I could see. I focused on creating softness in their face, neck, and shoulders, but I never worked on controlling anything behind the saddle horn. Over the years, I have learned that there are five main parts of a horse’s body that are all interconnected: head, neck, shoulders, ribcage, and hindquar...

As trainers, we cannot underestimate the value of a horse’s confidence. Each time I swing my leg over my horse's back, my primary goal is the level of confidence my horse has at the end of that training session. Even if the exercises we do feel boring to me, I have to remind myself that it’s not about me. It’s about my horse. The progression of our training that day isn’t about what I wanted to ge...

In the horse training business, there are ample opportunities throughout the day to get frustrated and throw in the towel. There are times when you’ll be tempted to quit and take an easier path. There are situations where you may stop short of success because you’re afraid of failing. But if you remain faithful in the process, you will never truly fail. On this episode, I’m sharing a few philosoph...

How many good things have you missed out on because you didn’t have the courage to move forward? As human beings, our brains are wired to avoid situations where we feel challenged or uncomfortable. If we allow these tendencies to control our actions, we allow fear to paralyze us from moving forward. If we do this, we will never see the blessings and victories that are on the other side of fear.&nb...

One of the most common mental blocks I run into as a trainer is maintaining realistic expectations when I’m working with multiple horses. After almost 40 years as a professional trainer, I’ve gotten to the point where I feel like I have a solid, established training program that should work the same for every horse. But, that is simply an unrealistic expectation. On this episode, I’m sharing some...

One common perception that causes many trainers to get stuck has to do with a horse’s age. It is easy to get caught up in our own perceptions of what a horse should or shouldn’t be able to do by a certain age. In reality, a horse’s age has nothing to do with its abilities. A horse’s abilities are nothing more than a reflection of our own knowledge as trainers. In this episode, I’m sharing a few ti...

What do horsemanship and entrepreneurship have in common? In both in ventures, hard work pays off. In this episode, Phil is joined by two of his past clinic students, Emma and Gracie Pearson, who have built a name for themselves both as trainers and young business owners. What began as a means to pay entry fees has now turned into a full-time business venture for these 12 and 15 year old sisters....

One of the biggest limiting factors to success is the feeling of needing to prove yourself to others. When you are in the public eye, it is common to feel added pressure to perform well. This extra pressure you put on yourself when you are in the public eye causes self doubt, which often causes you to stray away from your game plan. On this episode, I’m sharing a few philosophies that will help yo...

Our human instinct for instant gratification often causes us to rush our training. When we rush our training, we often neglect the key fundamentals of horsemanship that keep our horses performing consistently. In this episode, I’m sharing a few perspectives that will help you learn to appreciate each part of the horsemanship journey and improve your consistency as a trainer. To access the training...

My dad always used to say, “you can’t see the forest from the trees.” For years, I never understood what he meant by that. As I’ve progressed through my career, it has finally begun to make sense. Sometimes, as human beings, we can’t see the answer because we’re trying too hard. Most of the time, the answer is pretty simple, but if we are too close to the problem, it can be hard to see the obvious...

Horses are naturally programmed with a defense mechanism that kicks in when they sense fear. As trainers, we must constantly work to reprogram our horses’ minds to default to trust and confidence rather than fear. On this episode, I’m covering a few triggers horses commonly react to, and how we can provide comfort for our horses during these stressful situations and activate the "thinking" side of...

Hauling in a trailer can be a very stressful experience for a horse, especially if the horse has encountered a negative experience in the trailer before. Overcoming the fear of loading and/or hauling in a trailer can be a long process, but it is important to consider why the trailer triggers this response in the first place. In this episode, Phil covers the horse’s natural “fight or flight” instin...

Safety has to be your number one priority when training. In this episode, Phil Haugen focuses on safety tips when working with colts and young horses who may have a higher reactive tendency. Learn how the horse’s mind is triggered by reactive responses, how to help your horse develop a “thinking” mindset, and how to be respectful of your horse’s reactions. To learn more about the colt starting fun...

Horsemanship is nothing more than how effective your communication is with the horse you are currently on. We tend to put so much emphasis on the horse and what the horse can and can’t do, when in reality, your horse can do only as much as you help them do.  Just because you have good communication with one horse doesn’t mean you are granted that level of communication with the next one. For...