Ride On with Julie Goodnight

This episode's topic came straight from one of our listeners! Horses are truly individuals—each with their own tendencies, quirks and idiosyncrasies (just like people). Still, there are certain characteristics that some horses share, there are types of horses which is important to understand, and there are behavioral tendencies that can be genetic or learned. Want your question answered in What th...

I’m excited to have a special guest in this episode—Dr. Barbara Page, founder of the International Foundation for Equine Podiatry Research. We’re going to talk about hoof health and disease prevention, and her research on feral horses and how we can apply the lessons she learned to domestic horses. This is a fascinating and important topic, and one we all stand to learn a lot from!    Click here t...

Every now and then, we get such a backlog of really great questions from our listeners that we devote an entire episode to answering as many questions as we can. This month, you get a full hour of What the Hay? Q&A, with topics ranging from how to handle displays of aggression, to motivating lazy horses to respond, and controlling the speed of faster horses. Want your question answered in What the...

Today’s podcast episode is about “reading the horse,” as it’s commonly referred to by horse folks. It’s about observing and interpreting the horse’s emotional and communicative behaviors so that you have greater insight into its motivations and intentions.   Plus, I’ve got some brand-new questions to answer, straight from our listeners, in my "What the Hay?" Q&A segment.   Resources from This Epis...

Today’s topic is about how to deal with training setbacks with your horse.   We've all been there at some point or another in our journey with horses where things don’t go according to plan. The horse that normally walks right into a trailer suddenly refuses to load. Or your horse has one bad experience at a horse show, and that turns into an ongoing problem. Or maybe you had a frightening experie...

Today's podcast topic is about spoiled horses. I'll talk about what that looks like, what causes well-behaved horses to act poorly, and how sometimes the owners are blissfully unaware that other people think their horse is spoiled. Most importantly, I'll talk about how to improve your handling techniques, and turn your little monster into a perfect angel.

This episode is all about the horse that rears. Whether you're on the ground or in the saddle, it's one of the scariest and most dangerous behaviors of horses. We'll talk about: What Causes Rearing How to Avoid It What to Do if it Happens How to Stay Safe Around a Rearing Horse  Plus, I've got some brand new questions to answer straight from listeners like you in my What the Hay Q&A segment at the...

Has your horse had an emotional meltdown at a show, on a new trail, when he's away from his herd, or other new situations? It's important to understand that horses, as both prey and herd animals, tend to adopt the emotions of the animals around them. Horses have the same basic emotions that humans do, and they reflect the emotions you are feeling when you are with them—nervousness, anxiousness, fe...

This episode is about repurposing, retraining or restarting a horse under saddle. We'll talk about what that looks like, and why it might be needed. Then we'll look at it from two different angles: From the Horse's Point of View: Why that horse might need a new career, and how we go about repurposing or rehoming a horse. From the Rider's Point of View: What about changing disciplines? What about m...

This month's episode is about connecting with your horse: how to establish or reestablish a bonded and productive relationship with your horse—one in which the horse:   Accepts Your Authority Respects Your Boundaries Is Calm & Focused Seeks Your Acceptance   We'll take a look at what the objectives are, and I'll give you some specific step-by-step actions that you can take right now to improve you...

Today I want to talk to you about the trot—with tips both English and Western riders need to know. I'll talk about ways to improve your posting technique. Whether you're just learning this handy skill for the first time, or you're an old pro, there's a lot more to posting the trot than simply going up and down. I'll also cover trotting diagonals—what the heck they are, why you need to know them, a...

Today's podcast is about New Year's resolutions for horse lovers! Recently, I did an interview with Christy Landwehr, the CEO of Certified Horsemanship Association , and the sponsor of "Training Tuesdays" on the popular radio show, Horses in the Morning. We talked about my philosophy on New Year's resolutions (how to make them and keep them), plus I shared some of my personal resolutions. We also...

I'll discuss the top 10 challenges riders have at the canter and how to conquer them. Whether you're just starting out and learning to canter for the first time, you've lost your confidence to canter, or you're an experienced rider training a green horse—whatever the case, this podcast is for you. We'll talk about the most common problems that riders have at the canter, and I'll give you some quic...

Have you ever been frustrated with your riding because you think you should be better by now? Have you succumbed to the temptation to compare yourself with another rider, and wondered why you can't ride like that? What do they have that I don't? Or maybe you had a trainer get on your horse when he was acting like a monster, only to see the horse immediately transform into putty in their hands. It'...

Last time, we talked about the genetic profile of Doc Gunner (who we now call "Doc") regarding his unusual coloration, his deafness, his health conditions, and his behavioral traits. It's fascinating information, and it's invaluable for us in terms of managing his health. In this episode, we're going to discuss Doc's ancestry report—how we can find out more about his real pedigree, find some close...

Today's episode is about the genetic profile test report for my 4-year-old foster horse, Doc Gunner. We have no history on this horse prior to December of his 3-year-old year. Given that we know nothing about this horse's breeding or history, it was important to me to get as much data as I could so I can more effectively give him the rehab and training he needs to be successful for the rest of his...

In this episode, I'll talk about the counter canter. I'll discuss what it is, when it's the right time to incorporate counter cantering into your training regimen, why you need it, how you and your horse benefit, and most importantly, how to do it. Plus, I've got some brand new questions to answer straight from our listeners in What the Hay? Q&A. Want your question answered in the What the Hay? Q&...

Today's topic is about how to stay safe with horses. I'll give you some practical guidance and some sage advice. We'll talk about danger zones around horses, how to prevent accidents and we're going to talk about your personal safety habits. Being safety conscious around horses will help you will help build your confidence and help you enjoy the ride even more. Plus, I've got some brand new questi...

Often, the history of the horse does not follow him throughout his life—maybe you bought a horse at an auction, maybe you rescued an abandoned horse, or were given a horse—but, for whatever reason, you end up with this horse, and zero history on him. So what do you do now? How do you move forward from there? Is he trained or untrained? What's he like to handle? I'll discuss these questions and mor...

Trail riding season is fast approaching, and whether you go out for a few hours or a few days at a time, and whether you're going to take 1 or 2 trail adventures this year or 1 or 2 every week, I want to share some of my tips that I've learned through the years.   Want your question answered in the What the Hay? Q&A segment? Email it to podcast@juliegoodnight.com

Today's topic is about dealing with horses that rip and run. I'll talk about this dangerous behavior, what it looks like, how it develops, and situations where it's likely to happen. We'll look at what this behavior means—why the horse does it, and how he benefits. Fortunately, most horses never learn how to overpower people and get away, but once it's been learned, it can't really be unlearned, a...

This topic is often asked about, and was also inspired by my first few rides out this spring on my young horse, Pepperoni. We're going to take a look at the behavioral aspects of spooking, how to train the horse to face what he's afraid of, and most importantly, how to execute the emergency stop when all else fails. Want your question answered in the What the Hay? Q&A segment? Email it to podcast@...

In this episode, let's talk about cantering with confidence! I'll go over the mechanics of the gait, how to cue, how to ride it, how to set your horse up for the correct lead. We'll even talk about controlling and refining the canter, and I'll address the issue all of you advanced riders want to hear about: the flying lead change. As always, we've got some brand new questions to answer straight fr...

In this episode, let's talk about collection—what it is, and more importantly, what it's not. I'll share with you how to prepare for this skill, how to cue your horse for collection, and how to feel it when you get it right. Plus, we've got some brand new questions to answer straight from our listeners in the What the Hay Q&A segment!   Episode Resources: Refinement & Collection Video:  https://sh...

In this episode, I'll talk about having reasonable expectations for your horse, considering the horse's point of view in the discipline you are training, and providing the physical and emotional support your horse needs. Plus, how to avoid training burnout and plateaus in your training. In other words, how do I keep my horse moving forward in his training, progressing, and still staying fresh and...