Be Your Best Horsemanship

In this episode series, I'm joined by the CEO of Equibrand, Ken Bray, as we discuss what it takes to set yourself up to train, compete and win in every arena of life. We'd like to extend our appreciation to Equibrand for being continued supporters of the Be Your Best Horsemanship podcast and the Phil Haugen Horsemanship brand. Be sure to head over to ⁠philhaugenhorsemanship.com/sponsors⁠ t...

The smallest details are often the ones that make the biggest impact. In this episode, I'm sharing some of the details that are important to pay close attention to as you progress a horse through its training. A special thank you goes out to Equibrand for being continued supporters of the Be Your Best Horsemanship podcast and the Phil Haugen Horsemanship brand. Be sure to head over to philhaug...

This episode is all about the concept of "focus on what you do well, and do it even better." In this segment, I'm sharing some ways that I am prioritizing the application of this philosophy to my horsemanship, as well as other areas of my life this year. Episode Resources: To join the Be Your Best Membership with Phil Haugen, visit:  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠philhaugenhorsemanship.com/be-your-...

As we enter into a new year, I wanted to dedicate an episode to the topic of goal setting. But, this isn't your typical episode about goal setting―it's what to focus on instead. Sometimes, achieving more doesn't mean setting higher goals; it means keeping the promises you make to yourself. Tune in to hear more about how I've changed my approach to goal setting over the past 10 year...

In this episode, I'm talking more about the importance of keeping the horse's front end freed up and sharing some experiences of working on this skill with a filly we currently have in training. Tune in as we cover this, as well as some personal development practices for the new year. Episode Resources: To join the Be Your Best Membership with Phil Haugen, visit:  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠philhaugenho...

As trainers, we are always looking for ways to enhance the efficiency of our daily operations so that we can get more accomplished in the limited time we have available. In this episode, I'm diving into the topic of optimizing your facility for success and sharing some easy ways that you can make adjustments to save yourself some steps and add valuable time to your training routine each day. E...

In this episode, I'm sharing some insights on the importance of being able to engage and disengage a horse's hindquarters. Establishing control of this key body part aids in balancing your horse's body weight, which in turn improves their performance and promotes soundness in the front end. Tune into this episode to learn more about the fundamentals of hindquarter control and the benef...

Conditioning, both physically and mentally, is one of the most pivotal things we can do to improve our chances of being successful inside the arena. Success is where preparation and opportunity meet, and conditioning our horses and ourselves is part of this preparation process. If we are missing the conditioning piece, we will not be fully prepared to take advantage of the opportunity when it pres...

Success is when preparation meets opportunity. As trainers, we can't always control the opportunities we are presented with, but we can control our level of preparation. On this episode, I'm sharing a few stories about the mentality needed to be successful and how preparation plays an important role in the longevity of your training career. Episode Resources: To learn more about Mentorship...

While we all want our horses to listen to our cues, sometimes, we can get to a point where our horses are anticipating their next move so much that they begin to lose their speed instinct. In this episode, I'm covering a question submitted by one of our listeners about re-establishing "run" and speed in a horse that has gotten ratey around the barrels. Episode Resources: To learn mor...

In this episode, we're continuing our two-part episode series about taking responsibility for your success. In this segment, I'm breaking down some topics from our recent mentorship week, including: Managing expectations and timelines Developing a process-oriented perspective Expanding on the relationship between goals, motivation, discipline and progress and more. Episode Resources: To le...

Sometimes, the road to success isn't as smooth or as short as we hoped it would be. On this episode, I'm sharing some insights from our recent mentorship week about the power of controlling your self-image, developing habits of discipline, and taking responsibility for your success. Episode Resources: To learn more about Mentorship Programs with Phil Haugen, visit: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠philhaugenhorsemans...

On this episode, I'm finishing out the conversation about the topics I cover during the first morning meeting at my clinics. The purpose of this meeting is to help trainers not only understand how to perform the fundamentals of horsemanship, but also understand why we are doing things the way we are. Join us for the final segment of this multi-part episode series. Episode Resources: To learn m...

On this episode, I'm continuing the conversation about the topics I cover during the first morning meeting at my clinics. The purpose of this meeting is to help trainers not only understand how to perform the fundamentals of horsemanship, but also understand why we are doing things the way we are. Join us for the next segment of this multi-part episode series. Episode Resources: To learn more...

On this episode, I'm continuing the conversation about the topics I cover during the first morning meeting at my clinics. The purpose of this meeting is to help trainers not only understand how to perform the fundamentals of horsemanship, but also understand why we are doing things the way we are. Join us for the next segment of this multi-part episode series. Episode Resources: To learn more...

On this episode, I’m taking you behind the scenes to introduce you to the topics I cover during the first morning meeting at my clinics. The purpose of this meeting is to help trainers not only understand how to perform the fundamentals of horsemanship, but also understand why we are doing things the way we are. Join us for this multi-part episode series. Episode Resources: To learn more about Men...

On this episode, I’m recapping our recent mentorship week and sharing some of the highlights of this experience. These mentorship weeks are not only designed to progress horsemanship fundamentals, but the fundamentals of being your best in every arena of life. Join me as we dive into some of the topics we incorporated into this mentorship experience. Episode Resources: To learn more about Mentorsh...

Horsemanship is a mental game, both for trainers and their horses. If we are not in the right mental state to progress a horse in its training, we cannot expect our horses to reciprocate that trainable mentality. On this episode, I'm sharing some insights on how to win the thinking game and the fundamental mindset shift you must make to achieve consistent progression in your horsemanship. Epis...

The mind is the most powerful tool we possess. When it comes to horsemanship, we are not only dealing with our own mental energy, but we are also working to manage the mental energy of the horse we are training. On this episode, I’m sharing some examples of how influential the mind can be on our horses’ behaviors and talking about how to manage positive and negative mental energy within ourselves...

On this episode, I'm recapping our recent clinics in Corvallis, Montana and Eaton, Colorado, and sharing some foundational principles that we worked on in the timed events. One of the biggest areas of focus during these clinics was fine-tuning our communication and leadership skills to focus on applying the "1% better everyday" rule to our performance and progression. Tune in to hear...

If you made a plan and stuck with it consistently for 2 years, where would you be? I think that’s a question many of us have an easy time thinking about, but a hard time committing to. In the horse training world, 2 years can seem like both an eternity and a very brief window of time in a horse’s training journey. On this episode, I'm talking about the value of keeping your signals consistent...

Every one of us has a limited amount of time in the day. So, when it comes to training, it is important to make that time count. On this episode, I’m sharing some experiences I’ve had with managing my time, schedule and training techniques to give my horses the best opportunity to succeed. Episode Resources: To join the Be Your Best Membership with Phil Haugen, visit:  ⁠philhaugenhorsemanship.com/...

I came across a list this week called, "The 6 Key Things Success Demands," and it was remarkable how applicable this list was to horsemanship. On this episode, I'm breaking down these key components of success and explaining how to implement each of these habits into your daily training routine. Episode Resources: To join the Be Your Best Membership with Phil Haugen, visit:  ⁠philhau...

On this episode, I am joined by a very special guest, Mark Upton of Central Life Sciences. Mark is a long-time friend, an excellent horseman, and an advocate for the western industry. Join us as we chat about our experiences in horsemanship, how the horse industry has evolved, and the tools we use to keep our horses at their best. Episode Resources: To join the Be Your Best Membership with Phil Ha...

As outdoor temperatures rise, our horses begin to require a little extra care and attention to keep them at their peak performance level. On this episode, I'm sharing some maintenance shifts that we make during the summer months to keep our horses well-nourished, well-hydrated, and feeling their best. Episode Resources: To join the Be Your Best Membership with Phil Haugen, visit:  ⁠philhaugenh...