Be Your Best Horsemanship

On this week's episode, I'm joined by a very special guest―my daughter, Hannah Macy. Join us as we reflect on her life growing up as a horse trainer's daughter, lessons learned along the way, and how the western industry is still very much a part of her life both personally and professionally. Read the full show notes at philhaugenhorsemanship.com/podcast.

During the holiday season, we often find ourselves filled with gratitude as we are surrounded by family and friends in celebration. It's easy to feel abundantly grateful in these seasons; however, when it comes to our normal everyday routines, these feelings of joy and gratitude can tend to fade. On this episode, I'm talking about the importance of finding joy in the seasons of preparation, not ju...

If you are operating a full-time or part-time training business, it can be easy to feel like your income potential is limited by the amount of hours in a day. On this episode, I'm sharing some recent conversations from our mentorship program about diversifying your training business and ways to optimize your day to day operations to create more opportunity for profit, as well as more balance in yo...

This morning, I was listening to Minute with Maxwell, a daily motivational clip by John Maxwell. The word he was speaking on was “intentional," and he said something that really struck me: "Most people don’t lead their lives, they accept them.” He goes on to explain that the way we grow is by being intentional about our thoughts and actions. On this episode, I'm sharing more about this idea of liv...

When it comes to our competitive mindset, we are often tempted to focus on our negative outcomes. We dwell on our mistakes, overanalyze our bad runs, and remember our shortcomings more than we should. When we think negatively about ourselves, this only reinforces a negative self image. On this episode, I'm sharing some fundamental beliefs about the self image from author Lanny Bassham of With Winn...

When you reach a high level of performance, it can be easy to get stuck in a "good enough" mentality. But in order to stay at that high level, you always need to be looking for ways to make your best even better. On this episode, I'm joined by long-time friend and recent mentorship participant, Haley Nida, to talk about the progression of her barrel horses, balancing her career and horsemanship go...

On this episode, I am joined by barrel horse trainer, Sarai Angelle, of McDade, Texas, as we recap her mentorship experience and talk about all things barrel racing, futurity training, and building and maintaining confidence as a professional trainer. Read the full show notes at philhaugenhorsemanship.com/podcast .

In the horse industry, there will be many opportunities to feel challenged, frustrated or disappointed. However, there will also be many opportunities to feel confident, excited and proud of the work you've put in. On this episode, I'm sharing some stories from our fall mentorship program, why positive self image was such a focus during our mentorships, and how you can use positive affirmations to...

Horses can’t read your mind, but they can read your body. That's why having consistency in body position and the way you ask for certain responses is key to developing your horse's confidence and understanding. In this episode, I'm sharing a few recent applications of this training principle in the performance events. Read the full show notes at philhaugenhorsemanship.com/podcast .

Have you ever had a day where you told yourself, "this just isn't worth it?" In the early years of my training career, I had this conversation with myself almost daily. And if we're being honest, there are still days when that question pops into my head. When you're in the middle of a challenging season, whether that is training horses or just life in general, it can be hard to see past the frustr...

When you are a goal-driven person, it is natural to put your head down and put in the work toward achieving your goals. But sometimes, you can become so laser focused on your goals that you miss the simple things that can take you from one level to the next. On this episode, I’m sharing how having an outside perspective can have a positive influence on your training outcomes. Read the full show no...

In life, there are no guarantees that the opportunities that are in front of you today will stick around forever. So, how are you preparing yourself to take advantage of the opportunities that you have right now? On this episode, I'm sharing how mentorship has been such an influential piece in preparing myself for the opportunities ahead. Read the full show notes at philhaugenhorsemanship.com/podc...

When it comes to training horses, the process of getting from where we are now to where we want to be can feel overwhelming. When you have high expectations for yourself and your horses, it's easy to fall into the trap of thinking that every movement you make has to be perfect. While it's important to be accurate with your cues, the expectation of perfect performance is not always realistic. On th...

Have you ever felt nervous or intimidated about pushing your horse to the next level? For many years, I was afraid to put horses in positions where they may fail because I thought if they fell apart, I had failed them as a trainer. Over the years I’ve learned that the exact opposite is true. On this episode, I’m talking about the importance of training courageously so you can help your horse build...

On this episode, I’m joined by WPRA World Champion roper, Kelsie Domer. Kelsie is one of the people I look up to most in this world, and she is someone who implements the concept of being your best everyday. Tune in as we discuss horsemanship, roping, personal development, and everything in between. Read the full show notes at philhaugenhorsemanship.com/podcast.

Some horses will challenge you. Some will change you. And, some will shift your perspectives on horsemanship for the better. While I have always placed a value on ‘training through understanding,’ it wasn’t until recently that I fully understood the value in helping my horse not only understand the responses I’m asking for, but to also understand why I’m asking for them. In this episode, I’m shari...

At some point in life, everyone has asked themselves: "Am I good enough?" Regardless of what area of life you're talking about, there will always be thoughts that slip into your mind and make you question your abilities, your goals, and whether or not you're going to "make it." On this episode, I'm sharing some insight on these limiting beliefs and how being your best today truly is enough. Read t...

On this episode, I'm joined by the 2022 National High School Finals Rodeo All-Around Cowgirl, Pole Bending National Champion and Barrel Racing Reserve National Champion, Rayne Grant. Join us as we chat about Rayne's record season in rodeo, her preparation for this event, and her future plans for her training career. Read the full show notes at: philhaugenhorsemanship.com/podcast.

When progressing a horse through its training, it is easy for us to feel like we aren't doing enough. In my experience, I've found that some of the best horses I've trained took a little extra time and patience than others. On this episode, I'm sharing a few stories about challenging horses I've had in training and why celebrating the small wins is such an important part of their training journey....

When working with young horses, you will often see their natural defensive, reactive tendencies come out when asking them to respond to pressure. Teaching a colt to respond to pressure instead of react to pressure is a critical step in the training process. On this episode, I'm sharing a few ways you can disengage the defensive nature of colts to enhance their understanding and confidence. Read th...

This week, I had a chance to visit with one of my best and oldest friends. This conversation brought a flood of memories back, and it reminded me that time truly is our most precious commodity. On this episode, I’m sharing some ways that you can maximize the value of your time with your horses, as well as making time for the things that matter most in your personal life. Read the full show notes a...

On this episode, I’m joined by my marketing director, Stacey Smith, to chat about how small, intentional actions have led us to continually pursue growth in business and in life. Read the full show notes at philhaugenhorsemanship.com/podcast .

You always hear people say, "work hard, and success will come to you." While I believe this to be true, I also know that I have run myself into the ground just for the sake of "working hard." Over the years, I've learned that knowing when to take a break can be one of my biggest assets as a trainer. On this episode, I'm sharing my perspectives on how recognizing when I need to rest and recharge ha...

When it comes to routines, we always hear that consistency is key. But the truth is, there are very few things in this life that you will start and finish without some interruption along the way. It can become discouraging when we are interrupted and cannot maintain the routines we have worked so hard to establish. That’s why I believe the most important part of a routine is learning how to adapt...

Do you ever look at your to do list and feel overwhelmed? Do you ever feel like the distance between where you are and where you want to be is an impossible feat? As human beings, it's easy for us to get focused on the 99% that seems impossible instead of the 1% that we need to get started. On this episode, I'm sharing a story about the power of focusing on your 1% and how making a habit of just g...