Be Your Best Horsemanship

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...

Speed is a complex response, acting as both a horse's natural self-defense response and a desired attribute in performance events. The delicate balance between controlling speed and harnessing it can prove to be one of the most challenging parts of horsemanship, especially when you are dealing with a naturally strong, "chargey" horse. On this episode, I'm sharing some techniques...

Seasoning horses is a part of the training process that can be one of the most mentally challenging phases of horsemanship. On this episode, I'm sharing some thoughts on how to approach building a horse's confidence in unfamiliar situations away from home and the psychology behind setting expectations for seasoning a horse. Episode Resources: To join the Be Your Best Membership with Phil H...

I’ve always considered myself to be a very forward-thinking person. I rarely pause to look back at the past–I’m always thinking ahead and planning what I’m going to do next. While I believe that this forward-thinking mentality has served me well in many areas of my life, I also believe that it causes me to forget to slow down and appreciate the little things from time to time. On this episode, I&#...

Have you ever been reading something on your phone and having a conversation with someone at the same time, only to realize minutes later that you have no idea what the other person has been talking about? It's not that you are intentionally ignoring them; it's simply a glitch in how the human mind works. It's a proven fact that the human mind can only give full attention to one though...

On this episode, I am joined by Holly Longest, owner of Jettin Bye Farm in Quinton, VA. Holly owns and operates a full-time, all-inclusive equine rehabilitation facility and trains horses both privately and publicly. Join us as we dive into a day in Holly's life as a multidisciplinary equine business owner and discuss the keys to balancing life, business and horsemanship. Episode Resources: To...

Horsemanship is a skill that can be developed over time. While some individuals may possess natural talents that lend themselves to having great horsemanship, it is important to understand that skills are not solely reliant on innate abilities. On this episode, I’m breaking down the science of skills and explaining how thinking of confidence and self-image as skills can contribute to success insid...

We all know that confidence is one of the biggest determining factors of success, both for ourselves and our horses. However, the path to building confidence is unique to each individual. When it comes to horses, not every horse will respond to our signals in the same way. That's why it is important for us, as trainers, to be aware of these individual tendencies so that we can adapt our commun...

This episode was inspired by a topic request: “Which horse do you ride first each day? Do you like to start with your easiest set of horses first, or your more challenging ones?” Join us as we dive into the topic of time management and how to manage your training schedule effectively. Episode Resources: To join the Be Your Best Membership with Phil Haugen, visit:  ⁠philhaugenhorsemanship.com/be-yo...

On this episode, I'm sharing insights from our recent horsemanship clinic in Giddings, TX where we discussed the importance of mastering the fundamentals, focusing on the plan rather than just the results, creating moments for release, and making small adjustments for big impact. In this episode, you'll learn my philosophies on how prioritizing preparation can lead to massive results in yo...