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 it many times since, enough to recognize the cause and effect. When a rider fears their horse will kick at another horse while being ridden, it quickly becomes a self-fulfilling … [Read 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 both pros and cons of working with horses and their owners only once. The obvious benefit is that I have no preconceived notions about horse or … [Read more...]
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 way to further their careers and boost their horsemanship. And then there are the “clinic junkies,” who spend a good portion of every riding season trying to bag … [Read more...]
Horses are Survivors
By Julie Goodnight Have you worked with a rescued horse or a horse with abuse in his past? The lessons learned from working with these troubled-but-not-disposable horses are priceless. If you let them, these horses can help us understand horse and human behavior Like humans, horses can carry some heavy emotional and physical pain “baggage’ from their pasts. As horse … [Read more...]
2016 Clinic Schedule
Who wants to ride with me in 2016? Like and share if so! Great chance to hint at a Christmas present-- clinic riding spots are $50 off just in time for the holidays! Early bird discount good through 2-1-2016 when you pay in full for a riding spot. http://juliegoodnight.com/clinics 2016 Clinic Choices: April 9-10, Ridgefield, WA April 16-17, Auburn, IN April 30-May … [Read more...]
C Lazy U, Part 3
Good day! I am enjoying another perfect summer day here at home. Even managed to get caught up on some gardening projects and household chores. I have one more major reorganization project to tackle here in the office, then it’ll be time for a ride. I’d better finish the Memorial Day weekend story or I’ll soon be more than a week behind my life. My last post took us to the … [Read more...]
My Top 3 Lessons From The Julie Goodnight Women’s Riding Clinic
I’m going to be brutally honest here: I was a fan of clinician Julie Goodnight before attending her ”Women’s Riding and Yoga Retreats and Ranch Riding Weekend at C Lazy U Ranch” in Granby, Colorado. But after four days of riding with Julie, that’s changed. Now I’m a … [Read more...]
Learn To Ride At Julie’s Clinic’s
The Questions You Ask Most This Issue: Will I be too afraid to learn at a clinic? I’m afraid of being judged… Ride and Learn Horsemanship clinics are a way of life for me. I’ve taught hundreds of them and I like to take them whenever I can. I enjoy taking clinics and it helps keep my teaching and riding fresh, rejuvenates my spirit and I always learn something about my … [Read more...]
Bratty Behavior In Horses
Recently, I gave a training clinic with this very title at a horse expo. Since I do not travel with my own horses, I am reliant on the expo producers to find appropriate horses for my presentations. For this, I requested trained horses that had become disobedient, out-of-control, and prone to fits. Be careful what you wish for! As usual, I first laid eyes on my … [Read more...]
Conquering The Canter
In every clinic that I teach, there are riders eager to canter; all they want to do is canter-canter-canter and maybe work on lead changes. Then there are those that want to canter but dread it, especially with 15 horses in the pen and everyone watching; and there are those that have no interest in cantering whatsoever—they are happy to just survive the walk and … [Read more...]
Is Saddle Fit More Important to the Horse or the Rider?
I’ve just recently returned from a great clinic. It was a great group of riders and horses and I enjoyed working with all of them. We had green horses, finished horses, novices and experts, a variety of breeds and disciplines and everyone had fun and progressed well with their horse. I learned a long time ago that the more I can help the people, the better off their horses will … [Read more...]
A Smile In The Face Of Adversity
Last week I was a presenter at Equine Affaire in Columbus OH. In case youve never been to this expo, it is huge with hundreds of vendors, every kind of junk food imaginable (and some that are unimaginablelike fried Oreos), marvelous entertainment and an educational program from some of the top trainers in the world. I love this event and always have a good time, even though it … [Read more...]
QuarterFest and Tennessee Tornadoes
Holy cow. What a weekend! It started with a beautiful day on Friday—lots of riders and spectators, many great clinics indoors and out. But Saturday and Sunday where a totally different story with tornados, torrential rains, flooded and closed highways and warnings from the State Police to stay home and off the roads. Saturday started off OK, but by mid afternoon all the … [Read more...]
Home From The Oregon Horse Master Shoot
In the whirlwind of the past three weeks, I have been scrambling from one thing to the next, starting with a clinic in CO, followed by a shoot in OR for Horse Master, then July 4th weekend with my dad and finally home. I spent a few days scrambling to get caught up after 10 days on the road and get ready for our family reunion, which was four days of eating, drinking and … [Read more...]
Judging the Extreme Cowboy Race
On top of my regular presentations, appearances in sponsor’s booths and visiting with people in my booth, I also judged the Extreme Cowboy Race. I was pleasantly surprised that there were overall higher quality entries in this race, compared to the one I judged in CA, but the best horses were not as good as the winner in CA. As always, there were several entries that left me … [Read more...]
First Clinic’s Of The Year!
Greetings! I’ve been running all over the country with a horsemanship clinic in Massachusetts last weekend and a lecture in Denver Monday night. Both events were well-attended and very successful! We had a full house at my first clinic of the year in the Berkshire mountains. It’s a beautiful part of the country, although it’s hard for me to think of them as mountains. … [Read more...]
