Train Your Own Horse with Stacy Westfall

When I hear a rider say, 'I've lost the connection with my horse." I see red flags go up in my mind. Here's why. The vast majority of the time, if I were picking a number, I'd say about 80% of the time, that I hear this AND SEE the horse being ridden…I see CUE SYSTEM CONFUSION.  When you use your reins, or apply your leg, or shift your weight, these are like individual 'words,' that when combined...

I have the beautiful privilege of speaking with many people who love horses.  The majority are women.  Many of them are pursuing their horse dreams in the second half of life. The tipping point where I meet many of these women is…the stage where they are stepping into action to pursue their dream. In this episode, I explain the challenge of pursuing your dreams with your horse and I share, a very...

In this episode, I discuss how quickly horses begin to recognize patterns of behavior, and I answer a listener question about working around feeding time. While these may seem unrelated, I think the contrast highlights how incredibly valuable it is to recognize how you view your horse.  Do you view your horse as a dependent in constant need of care and looking after? 
Or as highly capable? Are you...

Confidence and self-confidence are both important.  But if one skill rules them all, it is the belief that you can trust yourself. Confidence comes from a Latin word which means "to trust"; therefore, having self-confidence is having trust in oneself. Self-confidence is an emotion that you generate without any history to back it up or external evidence. It's based on the belief you have about your...

Today, I'm answering a question that came in about bitless and/or bridleless riding.  In the episode, I explain:
   common mistakes people make when considering bridleless riding the importance of understanding WHY you want to ride bridleless assessing your horse's understanding based on past training the differences between bit-less and bridleless riding when I begin introducing bridleless cues h...

Today I'm answering a question that came in regarding two horses owned by one person. One horse is very responsive to pressure, while the other is more bold and brave…and doesn't respond as much to pressure. The caller shares how this is causing her a challenge. In my response, I explain: the importance of establishing YOUR view of responsive vs reactive MY view on responsive (which includes 'resp...

I asked riders this question, "Is there a feeling you really struggle with that seems to be affecting your riding?" These are a few of the answers: self doubt, battling negative thoughts, imposter syndrome, inadequate, anxious, nervous, anticipating problems, judging myself, sad, frustration (time frame…taking longer than expected), lack of confidence, anxiety, fear, fear, annoyed, ashamed, mental...

This week, I'm answering a listener question about training vs emotional 'deposits' when spending time with a horse. I answer this question from several angles, including: earning' the right to be in their space. seeing the horses side of the conversation your human view of work what Professional trainers must identify what non trainers (horse owners) must identify DISTRACTED horse…getting 'reward...

Today, I'm answering a question that came in about my philosophy of 'earning the right to be in each other's space."
The caller explains that she understands the concept as it applies to a pushy horse having to earn the right to enter her space. She is curious about how this concept applies to timid or fearful horses.  Other concepts discussed include: a horse being distracted or not interested is...

On today's podcast I'm going to share with you a three step way to evaluate your corrections when you're training your horse. I actually don't like the word correction…but I'm using it because it gets to the essesnce of the problem the quickest. In the podcast I will explain why corrections cause more problems and how I choose a different technique. Let's start with the three criteria I use when e...

I received this question, decided to make it a podcast topic because I have recently experienced a significant setback that derailed my plans. I see three types of life issues that can bring you to a halt. 1) Mindset issues: This can show up as fear, limiting beliefs, or EMOTIONS YOU WOULD PREFER TO AVOID. It often feels like resistance. 2) A temporary circumstance that derails your plans.  An exa...

I often get questions like, "How do I keep my horse from getting bored?" or "How do I keep repetitive things from becoming boring?"
or statements like "My horse got bored with that, so I changed it up." One reason this is interesting to me is because…I don't have bored horses. Yet, if you were to watch me day to day…I seem to do a lot of repetitive things that could easily be seen as boring. In th...

In this episode, I am wrapping up the 'horse show' season of the podcast. Showing has hugely impacted my development as a rider, and in this episode I share two lessons I learned directly from showing. One was really challenging. The other is pure goodness. I close by sharing some of the many reasons listed by people when I asked,  "Why do you like going to horse shows?"

In this podcast, I'm discussing three viewpoints THAT ARE happening in other aspects of riding…but are most clear in showing. Understanding these three roles will improve your understanding of your riding challenges. Phrases or thoughts like:  "oops, I messed that up", "that was terrible"  "ooh, that was bad", "I hope they didn't notice that" and "lets try that again" are all clues to the way you...

Learning the skill of establishing a calculated plateau will require you to know yourself, know your horse, and exercise self-control. A calculate plateau happens when a rider chooses to stay at, or return to a known level of skill. This is beneficial for creating consistency and confidence in the horse and rider. It also proves that the rider knows their horse well enough that they can create thi...

Here is how I would describe the ideal rider and horse experience at a horse show: Ideally, the rider is focus on: -what's happening with the horse (the horse's experience) - the task at hand (test, obstacle, etc.) - what the rider needs to adjust or change or continue doing to support the horse and complete the task Ideally, the horse is focused on the rider with a soft awareness of surroundings....

A listener calls in and explains that she has previously enjoyed showing, and would like to show again…but a few thing have changed. She is older, and now lives in an area where she doesn't know as many people. She says, "The fear that is preventing me from showing my horse is the fear of getting hurt or getting someone else hurt." In this episode I outline the importance if understanding that fea...

In this episode, I discuss the benefits of a show environment, and why insecure horses can learn to thrive at shows. Topics include: Three different types of show environments. The challenge of going to a show with many beginners. Overall show routine vs your individual routine that bridges between home and the show Why insecure horses can thrive at shows The difference between fearful and insecur...

In this podcast, I answer a listener's question about riding in different disciplines on the same horse.   Topics discussed include:  how the horse's original training was approached (was it based in reactivity or responsiveness (the ability to think through versus reacting) the horses talent in the discipline. the riders talent in the discipline. where frustration could come from and how to preve...

In this episode, I discuss the difference between the mentality of showing versus training. These are complementary systems when you understand the difference between them. Showing is polishing. Showing is taking a test. Showing is an external evaluation. The judge's job is to evaluate against a standard. Training is communicating. Training is teaching, clarifying, adjusting, and understanding how...

In this episode, I discuss the concept of high value and low-value cycles. I define what they are and share one tool I use to avoid or get out of a low-value cycle. This is work worth doing to create long-term success.

Are you confused about how to make your dream into a goal? If you are, you are not alone. This is especially common with riders who have relationship type goals. _To form the bond I have always dreamed of. _I dream of having a connection with him…. _To do anything on my horse with more confidence, and just have fun_ Relationship isn't WHAT you do…its how you handle the questions or challenge that...

What if achieving your goal was simple? 
Not necessarily easy…as in requiring little effort. But simple, as in, one thing you could do that would ensure progress. Does your goal require that your horse develops a high level of fitness?
Or is it more focused on refining cues and communication?
Or does it include a balance of both?
 Is your main challenge riding regularly? 
Or riding with more focus...

If you're saying to yourself, "That was too much. I need to cut back this year."   This podcast is for you. There are times when adjusting your goals is in your best interest.  But before you decide if you will repeat a goal or change it, remember to factor in what HAS changed…which is you. YOU are not the same person you were a year ago. If you repeat the same goal, you will not be on the same jo...