Be Your Best Horsemanship

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...

I’m a big believer that there are always more opportunities to pursue, new heights to reach, and new ideas to consider. When I practice this mindset, I'm always striving to seek growth. I'm training my mind to avoid complacency, and to always be seeking things that make my best even better. On this episode, I'm sharing some of the ways my personal development journey has impacted my horsemanship j...

Horses naturally have 60-70% of their weight distributed on their front end. In performance events, this natural stance becomes problematic. When a horse’s weight is heavily loaded on the front end, it is very difficult for the horse to perform the quick, athletic maneuvers we need. As a result, the horse will push against us and be resistant to the responses we are asking for. On this episode, I’...

Have you ever been in a season of life where you felt like you were waiting? Maybe you’re waiting for a colt to grow old enough to ride, or maybe you’re waiting to heal from an injury. Maybe you’re waiting for your work schedule to become more manageable so you have more time to spend with your horses. Maybe you’re waiting for your finances to become more stable so you can invest more into your ho...

As a professional trainer, it can be challenging to place a value on your time and expertise. Especially in this rapidly-evolving horse market, what is your time truly worth? On this episode, I’m breaking down my formula for managing my workload of customer horses and pricing my services so that I can deliver the best training experience for each horse. Read the full show notes at philhaugenhorsem...

Do you have a horse that gets anxious in the corner of the box or in the alleyway? If so, this episode is for you. On this episode, I’m covering some tips for helping your horse relax and engage the thinking side of its brain in high pressure situations. Read the full show notes at philhaugenhorsemanship.com/podcast.

This episode is a tribute to my dad–a man who taught me many things about life and horses. My dad was one of those people that always challenged others to be their best. If there's one thing I learned from him, it is the importance of a good work ethic. On this episode, I'm sharing some stories of how my dad's perspectives on hard work have impacted my life and career. Read the full show notes at...

Have you ever heard someone say, “my horse just doesn’t get it”? Oftentimes, if a horse just isn’t ‘getting it,’ there’s a good chance that the signals that animal is receiving are not correct. Most trainers know the importance of being consistent; however, I often see trainers consistently sending the wrong signals to their horses. On this episode, I’m sharing a few small changes that can be made...

For whatever reason, whether it be escalating futurity incentives or simply our human desire for immediate gratification, the age factor is one that greatly affects our expectations for where our horses should be in their training journey. The truth is, age is just a number–for both horses and humans. In order to provide your horse with the time and training that it needs, it is essential to let g...

When it comes to training, I live by the philosophy ‘less is more.’ If you take time to watch some of the top trainers in the world, it is very difficult to notice the cues they are sending their horses. That is by design. No matter the discipline, most of the elite trainers have developed such a high level of self-awareness that they are able to get more efficient responses from their horses by m...

A horse’s body is naturally front-end loaded. It is estimated that 65-70% of a horse’s weight is distributed on the front end. But in the performance events, we want our horses to engage their back end. So, how do we bridge this gap? Tune into this episode to learn a few exercises that will help make your horse’s job easier. Read the full show notes at philhaugenhorsemanship.com/podcast .

When you are dealing with a challenging horse, it can be difficult to maintain confidence and consistency. In my experience, most of the challenging horses I have trained have all had one thing in common: a default reactive mindset. On this episode, I'm sharing my perspectives on how to maintain consistency and confidence with challenging horses. Read the full show notes at philhaugenhorsemanship....

In today’s performance horse industry, we have the privilege of owning and riding some of the most physically talented horses in the world. However, when these horses are young and just getting started, this physical skill is often accompanied by anxiety, reactive tendencies, and mental immaturity. Over the years, I’ve learned that a horse can have all of the tools physically, but this toolkit is...

When you live a busy lifestyle, sometimes, it’s hard to take time for yourself. In pursuit of family obligations, career goals, and other ambitions, many of us are hard-pressed to find a few extra minutes in each day. But, if there's one thing I've learned about horsemanship, it's that every improvement with my horses begins with me. Building connections with the horse's mind takes time, and you h...

In the training business, failures are inevitable. There will be seasons of your horsemanship journey that are more challenging than others. Your resiliency during these seasons is what determines whether or not your horse reaches its full potential. In this episode, I’m sharing a few stories about overcoming challenges and staying resilient to reach the next level. Read the full show notes at phi...

Have you ever questioned if you had what it takes to make it as a trainer? Have you ever felt guilty for pursuing your passion? If so, you're not alone. On this episode, I'm sharing a few stories about overcoming limiting beliefs as a trainer, and offering some advice on how to keep your confidence up as you build your training career. Read the full show notes at philhaugenhorsemanship.com/podcast...

For those of us who are in the ranching world, we don't always have the luxury of 'slowing things down' and giving our horses time to find the right answer.  When it's time to get a job done, sometimes, getting the job done is the only thing we can focus on in that moment. So, how can we keep our horse's foundation strong even when we don't have time to slow things down? Tune into this episod...