Back to Basics (Part 1)
“It’s time to go back to Square One.” This is a phrase we often throw out when a horse has developed undesirable behaviors, or the handler has lost all authority and control of the horse.
Resources for Articles
December 2018 Letter from Julie
Dear friends, Although I’m sad this year is coming to a close, I’m excited about next year. I’ve got exciting changes in store for 2019, with a few pet projects of mine coming to fruition.
November 2018 Horse Report
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Julie Goodnight (@juliegoodnight) on Nov 14, 2018 at 12:07pm PST Annie is fully recovered from her sprained stifle and is back in training and
November 2018 Letter from Julie
Dear friends, Snow storms, single-digit temperatures, hurricanes and “red tide” provided interesting challenges to my travels last month. From the high mountains of Colorado, to the gulf coast of Florida, Mother Nature made her presence
Reward, Reinforcement and Punishment
Horses are intricate and complicated animals and their views and perceptions of the world around them can be quite different from our own. Being prey animals and flight animals, horses are highly sensitive to all
October 2018 Horse Report
I had a great time with all my horses last month, but we had our ups and downs. Annie has just recovered from a minor performance injury at the end of September—a sprained stifle. She
October 2018 Letter from Julie
Dear Friends, September was a whirlwind for me—starting out in Ireland, then attending six different events, all over the map, ending up at the CHA International Conference at Colorado State University in Fort Collins.
Did You Teach Your Horse to Kick?
The first time I saw and understood this behavioral dynamic, between a horse and its rider, was about twenty years ago at a clinic for people learning to manage their fear of horses. I’ve seen
September 2018 Horse Report
Lucky for me (not really luck; more by design), I have Melissa to keep my horses working in my absence and my son, Hunter, to keep them secure, comfortable and well-fed. My horses live at
Riding in Ireland
After two flights and ten hours in the air, we landed in Dublin, ready for our horseback riding adventure! My husband Rich and eight of our friends made the journey together, meeting up in Galway
August 2018 Horse Report
With all the talk about my new young horse, Pepper, it may seem like I’ve forgotten about my other three horses. Yes, a pretty young face always get the attention, but I have my other
August 2018 Letter From Julie
Dear Friends, It’s been a fabulous summer, here at the ranch. We‘ve avoided the wild fires so far, and the monsoon season is providing some relief from the drought. Hay prices are up because yields
How to Make a Perfect Horse
Before the horsemanship clinic even started, I could see the bad dynamic between the horse and his owner. The big brown gelding was agitated and acting aggressively toward his owner, a middle-aged woman, who was
July 2018 Horse Report
Our newest addition to the herd, Pepperoni (SCR CD Peptoes), is a two-year-old AQHA gelding, bred at the renowned Spur Cross Ranch and donated to the Legends of Ranching program at Colorado State University. I
A Devoted Horse
Horses rise or fall to your level of expectation, no matter how high or low. If you think he’s going to spook at something, he generally will. If you think he is going to throw
July 2018 Letter From Julie
Dear Friends, I’m home for my summer break—seven wonderful weeks at home! No airports, no business travel, until my fall clinic season begins in late August. I’m celebrating by working in my postage-stamp-sized flower garden,
June 2018 Horse Report
I’ve spent lots of time in the saddle this month; sadly, not much of it on my own horses. I always enjoy riding other people’s horses—whether it’s getting on a horse in a clinic to
June 2018 Letter From Julie
Dear Friends, Are you ready to ride? With a few horsemanship clinics behind me and a few more coming this month, it already seems like summer to me! This is my busiest time of year—spring
Think Forward: Ride Yourself Out of Rough Spots
When was the last time you felt a lack of control while riding your horse, even if only for a moment? Was he spooked? Did your horse freak out because the other horses took off?
May 2018 Horse Report
On April 21st, I attended the Legends of Ranching horse sale at Colorado State University. It’s an awesome program that I’ve been a part of since its inception, as a member of the Advisory Board
Help! My Horse Won’t Stay on the Rail
Horses are smarter than we give them credit for and any horse that’s been around an arena more than once, has figured out that it’s a much shorter distance around when they cut corners and
April 2018 Horse Report
Because of a heavy travel schedule, I went three weeks in March without riding my own horses. I hate that! Fortunately, I have Melissa, to manage my horses for me during my frequent absences. Consequently,
April 2018 Letter from Julie
Dear Friends, I crisscrossed the country last month, from Arizona to Pennsylvania to California to Florida—meeting many incredible horses and their people. We recorded the TV show in Tucson with some horses that were rescued
Horses Give More than they Get
When you own horses, and especially if you keep them at home, sometimes it seems like your whole life revolves around doing their bidding—food service, housekeeping, valet service, maintenance. Most people who dream of bringing
March 2018 Horse Report
On the Road Although I’ve gotten plenty of ride time in the past few weeks, very little of it has been on my own horses. Fortunately for me, Melissa and Rich are keeping the ponies
March 2018 Letter From Julie
Dear Friends, After being in Florida and Arizona last month, where the riding season is already in full swing, then coming home to snow, ice and riding indoors, it seemed like a letdown. But I
Begging for Acceptance
Imagine you’re meeting a blind date at a coffee shop, a setup by your friend who just wouldn’t take no for an answer. Even though you’re not really interested in a relationship right now, you
February 2018 Horse Report
Never a dull moment with horses! Dually has had a little set back and is on stall rest for a bit. He’s 18 years old now, 54 in human years, and as some of us
February 2018 Letter from Julie
Dear friends, I’m super excited about the new format for my TV show, Horse Master. Now in our 11th year of production for the series, after 236 episodes, we decided to shake it up and get more
Beyond Clinics: You Get Out What You Put In
Horsemanship clinics are intensive training opportunities, usually with an expert from another area. As a horsemanship clinician, I generally work with riders and horses I’ve never met, and usually on a one-time basis. There are
January 2018 Horse Report
The winter months are creeping by, but still, my winter riding goals are not yet fully formed. With my little mare Annie, my plan was to learn the basic movements of Garrocha—pole dancing with a
January 2018 Letter From Julie
Dear friends, I embrace each new year, happy to be alive and well, and eager to make the most of the year to come, personally, professionally and in my horsemanship. I’m a big believer in
The Magic and Mystique of Horsemanship Clinics
For some, attending a horsemanship clinic with a particular clinician, is a bucket-list item that they work toward for years. For others, attending horsemanship clinics with teachers who are leaders in the field is a
Slower is Faster with Horses
Let’s face it, we’ve become a society of instant gratification. From fast food, to fake nails, we like immediate results. This quest for instant results carries over to horsemanship, too—from flying lead changes, to
December 2017 Horse Report
With more time at home this month, I’m getting back in the saddle more. It’s good to get in a groove with your horse—the kind of groove that only comes when you ride 4-5 days
December 2017 Letter From Julie
Dear friends, I’ve been running so fast the last few months that I am having to adjust to a new routine, now that I am into my winter break from business travel. That means more
November 2017 Horse Report
Be careful what you wish for! I have to say, Dually is feeling fresh as a daisy these days. Although I have not pushed him terribly hard this year, we’ve worked him hard enough that
November 2017 Letter From Julie
Dear friends, Having just returned from one of horse capital of the USA, Lexington KY (for the fabulous CHA International Conference), I am headed to another, Marion County, in central Florida. Much debate has been
Riding in the Moment
One thing horses are really good at is being present in the moment. People, not so much. We tend to carry baggage from the past and stress about the future, but not stay present with
Horse Report: October 2017
After returning from a four-day clinic at C Lazy U, where I was teaching horseback for 5-6 hours a day, I am quite happy with the health and performance of my horses. Dually stayed fresh
October 2017 Letter From Julie
Dear Friends, I’ve just returned from another fabulous clinic at the C Lazy U Ranch. With over 200 head of horses, an incredibly knowledgeable and helpful staff, peak fall colors, gourmet meals three times a
Top Five Concerns for Winterizing Your Horse
I grew up in Florida, where the main riding season is the winter. Our main chore to get ready for winter was body clipping the horses, to get rid of the winter coat they were
Have You Ever Been Kicked?
Have You Ever Been Kicked? Dear Julie: This may be a very odd question, but I was curious how many times have you been kicked or caught in the crossfire in your training career? I’ve
Well Behaved: Sensing His Environment
Well Behaved In this 12-part series, top trainer Julie Goodnight helps you de-code your horse’s natural language: his behavior. You’ll learn how and why your horse acts like he does and how to interact in
Does Your Horse Like You?
Recently at one of my clinics, a rider told me that three different trainers told him flat-out that his horse did not like him. He was hoping that the clinic would help him understand if
Three Common Mistakes that Erode Your Horse’s Trust
Horses know good leadership when they see it because their lives depend upon it. We probably all agree that the ultimate relationship with a horse is one in which the horse looks up to you,