Training Advice | Julie Goodnight Academy

Resources for Training Advice

Horse Turns Toward Gate And Stops Working

Common Complaints My horse heads for the gate and stops while we’re working. Follow Julie Goodnight’s advice to teach your horse ignore the gate and work steadily. If your horse thinks turning toward the gate

Coping With Fear

Coping with Fear By Julie Goodnight There’s nothing wrong with being afraid of horses. They’re big scary animals capable of spontaneous violent combustion at any moment. In fact, it’s a bit of an intelligence test

Teach Your Horse To Slow Down

Speed Demon: Teach your horse to slow down on command Dear Julie, My 12-year-old Appendix Quarter Horse is always in a hurry—even to get around the arena! I’m always pulling back on her mouth to

My Horse Won’t Stand Still For Mounting

Common Complaints My horse won’t stand still for mounting. Follow Julie Goodnight’s advice to teach your horse to stand still while you mount up. Does your horse begin the ride before you do? When you

Sitting The Trot

Riding Right with Julie Goodnight Please Help me Sit the Trot! Dear Julie, My horse is a Friesian/Warmblood cross. Even though he moves beautifully, he has a big trot and he’s not exactly smooth. I

Fun Games And Exercises

Clear Fun with Julie Goodnight Fun Fundamentals with Julie Goodnight These are fun exercises to do with a friend or with your riding club. We’ll start on the ground then play and work in the

My Horse Is Herd-Bound And Barn Sour

My horse is herd-bound and barn-sour–calling to others constantly Would your horse rather stay with his buddies? Is he letting his voice be known? Follow Julie Goodnight’s behavior and training advice to help your horse

Ride By The Seat Of Your Pants

Dear Julie, I have been riding and taking lessons for two years. I am steadily progressing but sometimes it seems like the further I get, the less I know! I was originally taught to squeeze

Horse Standing Still While Tied And In The Saddle

Common Complaints My horse fusses and fidgets when tied or when I ask him to stand still Julie Goodnight helps you calm your fidgety horse—helping him to be the rock-solid, trustworthy, still-standing horse you deserve.

Emergency Stop: Rein Aids That Keep You Safe

Dear Julie, I’ve been taking riding lessons every week for a few months (I used to ride when I was younger). The school I go to is very good—your horses are very fit and mostly

My Horse Drags Me, Circles Me And Bumps Into Me When Leading

Are you dragged, stepped on and rammed each time you lead your horse? Is your horse anxious and eager to get wherever you’re going? Does he circle you, causing you to constantly pull back to

Riding Right with Julie Goodnight: Know Your Rein Aids

Dear Julie, I’m a bit confused about rein aids—how they differ in English and Western riding. I’ve been hearing terms like direct and direct opposition, indirect and indirect opposition. What do these terms mean and

Catching Your Horse From Pen Or Pasture

Common Complaints Help! I Can’t Catch My Horse! Want to catch your horse easily when retrieving him from pen or pasture? Follow Julie Goodnight’s behavior and training advice to help your horse be respectful and

Safety Concerns: Wounded Warrier Looking For Best Therapy Horse

Question Category: Safety Concerns Question: Dear Miss Julie Goodnight, I am a Wounded Warrior at Ft. Leonard Wood, MO, and have sustained spinal injuries in Iraq. I have had surgeries and now am left using

Safety Concerns: Stirrup Bar Safety Latches

Question Category: Safety Concerns Question: I have heard different opinions on whether or not to leave stirrup bar safety latches open on English saddles? What do you think? Answer: CHA advocates always leaving stirrup bar

Safety Concerns: Should Toddlers Be Riding?

Question Category: Safety Concerns Question: My niece is 4 years old, and small for her age, but loves horses and riding. We would sit her on a horse from the time she was able to

Safety Concerns: Rearing Causes Death Of Rider

Question Category: Safety Concerns Question: Dear Julie My cousin, who hadn’t been around horses much, bought a used 20yr. old Tennessee Walker, supposedly a calm, old gelding. My other cousin, who’s been around horses and

Safety Concerns: Looking For A Horse… Is My Trainer Helping?

Question Category: Safety Concerns Question: Hi, Julie: My trainer (of 6 months) agreed to help me find an Arab or Arab Cross. She is a dressage instructor with no real fondness for the breed. Her

Safety Concerns: Introducing To New Herd, New Feed

Question Category: Safety Concerns Question: Hi Julie, I am going to be moving my quarter horse mare (4 yr old) from a stall barn to a 3 acre pasture with 2 other mares who are

Safety Concerns: Broken Bones, Concussion, Whiplash… Should I Buy This Horse?

Question Category: Safety Concerns Question: Dear Julie, I recently picked up riding after a lifelong LOVE of horses and have been taking lessons twice weekly for about two and a half months with the intention

Safety Concerns: Bicycle Helmets For Riding Horses–Is It OK?

Question Category: Safety Concerns Question: Are bicycle helmets as safe as riding helmets? I saw a news program that said they are safer than riding helmets, is that true? Some parents don’t want to purchase

Safety Concerns: Advice For Parent Looking For Instructor

Question Category: Safety Concerns Question: I am the parent of an 11-year-old girl who is serious about horses. She’s been riding for 5 years in California, and we just moved to Michigan. For two months

Safety Concerns: Administering Vaccines

Question Category: Safety Concerns Question: Is it okay to give our own vaccines? Answer: This is a good question, which brings up some legal and ethical questions. First of all, most vaccines are “over-the counter,”

Safety Concerns: Accident Frequency At Lesson Barns

Question Category: Safety Concerns Question: I work for a large lesson/boarding facility – we have about 50 school horses, 50 boarder horses, and a couple hundred students come through each week. I am concerned because

Riding Skills: Western Rein Hold

Question Category: Riding Skills Question: Which hand should you hold the reins in when riding Western? And what should you do with your free hand? Answer: Traditionally, the left hand is used for the reins,

Riding Skills: Using Your Upper Body Properly

Question Category: Riding Skills Question: How should my upper body be as I ride? Answer: Much focus is given to the rider’s seat and leg position, as it should be, for these are critical areas

Riding Skills: Training Advanced Maneuvers For Cowhorse

Question Category: Riding Skills Question: Hello, I have a 5 year old Paint. I’ve kept everything easy, slow and clear. He has turned out to be a great cow working horse. Now how do I

Riding Skills: Time Length & Help To Open Pelvis

Question Category: Riding Skills Question: Hello Julie, I really enjoy your lectures you are so much easier to listen to than many of the other presenters! I was wondering about the appropriate length of time

Riding Skills: Sitting Trot

Question Category: Riding Skills Question: I ride an Arabian who has a very bouncy trot that I just can’t sit to. I ride in an event saddle that has a somewhat deep seat, but when

Riding Skills: Side Reins And Longeing, Is This Abuse?

Question Category: Riding Skills Question: Hi Julie, I have a question for you. I have a young horse and am working with a professional trainer who has been giving me lessons but I don’t feel

Riding Skills: Setting trot poles

Question Category: Riding Skills Question: When trotting over a series of (say five) ground poles, what is the measured distance the poles should be apart? What about a canter? I have a Thoroughbred mare, 16.2H,

Riding Skills: Riding With Direct Contact

Question Category: Riding Skills Question: Dear Julie, I have ridden western for the last 20 years, and have trained my horses based on the resistance free method or Natural Horsemanship as it is most commonly

Riding Skills: Refine Your Posting Skills

Question Category: Riding Skills Question: Julie, Could you elaborate more on what you mean regarding the difference between posting “from the stirrup” and posting from the thigh? I’ve only started riding English this year (western

Riding Skills: Posting On The Correct Diagonal

Question Category: Riding Skills Question: Try to settle this discussion – please! Is posting on the correct “diagonal” only important in English riding? I always thought it was about the horse’s balance in a bend….some

Riding Skills: One-Rein Stop

Question Category: Riding Skills Question: Julie, first off, I have to say I spend many hours reading through your website. You are a gifted and inspirational woman, and thanks for all you share. I recently

Riding Skills: Lead Changes

Question Category: Riding Skills Question: Julie, Hope all is going well for you. I’m continuing to enjoy teaching kids riding lessons. My question this time: What’s the best way to teach advance kids how to

Riding Skills: Judging Stirrup Length

Question Category: Riding Skills Question: How can I make sure I ride with my stirrups at the correct length? Answer: Appropriate stirrup length is critical for all levels and disciplines of riders. It is important

Riding Skills: Is Contact Required For Collection?

Question Category: Riding Skills Question: Julie, I saw your clinic at the horse Expo in Illinois a couple of years ago and am completely impressed with both the your clinic and the down to earth

Riding Skills: Improving Rider Position Using Gravity

Question Category: Riding Skills Question: What’s the best way to improve my riding position? Answer: We have talked in previous articles about the importance of a balanced position with ear-shoulder-hip-heel alignment and open and relaxed

Riding Skills: How To Learn To Ride Patterns

Question Category: Riding Skills Question: Julie, I have a horse that I’m helping my daughter train for some rodeo queen contests. She is a beginner to horses and riding. On one of the patterns, she

Riding Skills: How Do I Get A Secure Seat To Ride Out Spooks?

Question Category: Riding Skills Question: Dear Julie, Last night I watched your TV show on introducing the horse to the surf. It was very informative but the thing that impressed me the most was how

Riding Skills: How Do I Find My Seat?

Question: Dear Julie, First I wanted to let you know that I truly enjoy your website and reading your training library section. I have picked-up many good points which I have been able to put

Riding Skills: Gears Of The Seat

Question Category: Riding Skills Question: Hi Julie, I got to watch one of your clinics at the Midwest Horse Fair last weekend. (I had a booth there in the exhibit hall and so I only

Riding Skills: Feeling Canter Leads

Question Category: Riding Skills Question: Hi Julie, I have trouble feeling my canter leads, and I know the worst thing I can do is look down. What is the best way to feel the lead?

Riding Skills: Emergency Stopping Rein

Question Category: Riding Skills Question: Dear Julie, My husband and myself went to your clinic on fear of horses at the Horse Expo in Denver and I cant thank you enough!! I thought we would

Riding Skills: Cue For Rein Back; Using A Flank/ Rear Cinch

Question Category: Riding Skills Question: Hi Julie, Would you please explain the correct way to teach a horse to back up in both English and Western? I have seen so many variations of this that

Riding Skills: Creative Images For Using The Aids

Question Category: Riding Skills Question: How can I remember how to use natural aids properly? Do you have images you use to help students remember the correct positions, etc.? Answer: From the very first time

Riding Skills: Connecting And Coordinating The Natural Aids

Question Category: Riding Skills Question: How do you teach riders to use all the natural aids together–leg and rein aids? Answer: The natural aids are the best tools the rider has to communicate with the

Riding Skills: Collection

Question Category: Riding Skills Question: Julie: I’ve been riding horses approximately 40 years and yet find myself doubting my riding abilities. I do, however, still trust my instincts. I currently am riding a wonderful 10yr

Riding Skills: Bending

Question Category: Riding Skills Question: I rode the “easy going, chubby” dun in your clinic at Double K Stables in Somerset PA in August. I came away with so much good information that was so