Quick Tip: How to determine your horse’s blanket size
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Resources for JG-Admin
Looking Back: The Journey of Goodnight Training Stables
It was about 34 years ago that I took the big plunge and started my own business, Goodnight Training Stables. Back then, I simply imagined a fun and active life, training and caring for horses.
Dealing with the Death of a Horse
It’s never easy to witness. There’s something about their power… their free spirit… the image of running like the wind, that makes it especially hard to watch a horse go down. Seeing a happy and
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
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?
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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,
Trust Your Intuition to Avoid Injury
“Try That One More Time.” When it comes to horses, these words are often looked back on with regret. They’re often the words muttered right before something goes terribly wrong. Words matter. Sometimes we need
Getting Ready for the Riding Season—Top 3 Mistakes Riders Make
For many of us, the winter months are not conducive to riding, due to frozen ground, inclement weather and/or mud. And whether we like it or not, sometimes life gets in the way of our
Feeding Transitions in the Spring
My horses claim about 10 of our 15 acres of land, which you’d think would be plenty for half a dozen horses. Our house, barns, arenas, offices, and a warehouse are squeezed into a corner
Avoiding Feed-time Frenzy
If you keep your horses at home, you’ve probably already developed a routine that makes your job efficient and keeps the horses happy. But if you are new to this, or are looking for helpful
A Horse’s Sense of Fairness
“Does my horse have a sense of fairness?” Recently, one of my Interactive Academy members asked me this question—a question that no one has ever asked me during my forty years of teaching people to
Top 3 Saddle-Fit Pains
At each of my clinics, my attention first turns to the horses’ tack to check for fit, adjustment and function. When it comes to saddle fit, my eyes always go to these three parts of
Making Time for Horses
When I was a kid, horses and ballet lessons were the only non-school activities I did. I went to the barn every single day to ride my horse. Life was uncomplicated then and time was
Extended Trot Instead Of Canter Cue
Julie Goodnight Q&A Q: How do I get my horse to move out at the trot without breaking into a lope? He’s a western horse learning dressage and the extended trot is part of the
Cinching Up Just Enough – Julie Goodnight Q & A
Q: How tight should I tighten my horse’s cinch—and what is the right process. I don’t want to hurt my horse and I want to make sure he never becomes cinchy. –Pam Friend, via e-mail
My Horse Consistently Breaks Gait From A Lope To A Jog On The Right Lead. Q & A
Q: My horse consistently breaks gait from a lope to a jog on the right lead. What may be causing this? –Haley White A: This is an interesting question—and I wish I had a few
Feed-Time Aggression Q & A
Question: Why do some horses feel threatened when it comes to their food, and in return behave in an aggressive way at meal times? What can I do to prevent food-time aggression and stay safe
3 Leadership Activities
By: Heidi Melocco with Julie Goodnight Top trainer/clinician Julie Goodnight gives you three fun activities designed to enhance the bond you have with your horse and solidify your role as herd leader. During cold winter
A Safe Handle On The Reins
A Safe Handle on the Reins By Heidi Nyland Melocco with Julie Goodnight Learn how to safely use your reins on the trail with top trainer/clinician Julie Goodnight. She’ll explain how to hold and use both
How To Feed A Severely Neglected Rescue Horse
by Juliet M. Getty Ph.D. | Apr 22, 2015 | When we can offer a safe, caring home to a severely neglected horse, everyone in the horse world cheers. If you have recently adopted a
Guess Who’s Coming To Harrisburg?
by Pennsylvania National Horse Show | Apr 16, 2015 | A few hints…. Emmy Winning Television Star…..Celebrity Stylist….. Author……Fashion Designer… While his previous experience at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show was as a competitor, his
Dr. Getty’s Tip: Too Much Iron Can Be Detrimental To The Insulin Resistant Horse
by Juliet M. Getty Ph.D. | Mar 26, 2015 | Are you adding a supplement to your horse’s diet that contains iron? You may want to consider changing it if your horse is overweight, diagnosed
Equine Author Announces 2015 Book Tour
by Sharon Miner | Mar 24, 2015 | Sharon Miner, the author of the Beloved Horses series, will be traveling from her home in Tampa to the Mid-Atlantic region in early May for her 2015
Obesity. The Real Cause. The Real Fix.
by Juliet M. Getty Ph.D. | Mar 20, 2015 | Obesity is an epidemic problem with domesticated horses. Although we most easily attribute the problem to overfeeding concentrates combined with too little exercise, the underlying
Dr. Getty’s Tip: Calculating With PPM In Two Easy Steps
by Juliet M. Getty Ph.D. | Feb 27, 2015 | The trace mineral content of most feeds and supplements is provided in terms of parts per million (ppm). A ppm is the same as mg/kg
Do You Need To Analyze Your Hay?
by Juliet M. Getty Ph.D. | Feb 24, 2015 | Many horses rely entirely on hay for their forage needs. Is hay nutritious? Not very. Hay is dead grass; it no longer contains many of
Horses Need Horses
Relationship Fix Series By Julie Goodnight with Heidi Melocco Top trainer Julie Goodnight discusses how horses gain a sense of calm and necessary interaction with the herd—and how their time with other horses
Master Each Gait
TTR JULY/AUGUST 2015 ~ FEATURE Master Each Gait What can you do to speed up a slow-walking horse and slow down a horse that’s too fast at the trot? And should you ever canter on
Eddie’s New Saddle – How Saddle Fit Changes Over Time
I bought Eddie in the spring of his 3 year old year; he was a handsome and sensible youngster with a great pedigree. A very ‘typey’ stock horse, he stood 14.2 hands and weighed in
Stupid Human Tricks
Relationship Rescue with Julie Goodnight Stupid Human Tricks: Unsafe Mistakes We Make Around Horses If you get too comfortable around a horse (even one that you have a great relationship with), you may put yourself
Saddle Fit Guide
RIDE RIGHT WITH Julie Goodnight Saddle Up By Heidi Melocco with Julie Goodnight When did you last check your horse’s saddle fit? Many horses change body shape and therefore saddle fit frequently; changes in your
Trail Tips: When To Water, Lead Across Obstacles, Don’t Allow Your Horse To Eat With A Bit
Trail Tips: When to water, lead across obstacles, don’t allow your horse to eat with a bit Take Water Breaks Horses should have access to clean water at least twice a day. Normally, a horse
First Aid For Horses
I’ve been taking care of horses for half a century and during that time I’ve seen hundreds of injured horses, from mild scratches to cuts that need stitches to deep-tissue lacerations, punctures and impalements. As
On The Rail: Teaching Horse Behavior To Youth Q And A
On the Rail: Teaching Horse Behavior to Youth By Julie Goodnight Q: Dear Julie, I am a big believer in natural horsemanship and how effective it is to handle horses with an understanding
Tricks Of The Trade
Lingo – Ventral Edema A horse showing signs of ventral edema may have compromised health. Swelling is typically seen on the ventral midline of the horse’s belly and is characterized by puffiness, bumps or fluid
Fear Management
What do you do if you have ridden successfully in the past but a scary incident or injury replaced fun with fear? I hear from many riders who were once confident and after an accident
Surviving First Canter Lessons
Teaching Techniques Surviving First Canter Lessons By Julie Goodnight Canter: Sometimes, the mere mention of the word is enough to send riding students into panic and cause high blood pressure in the instructor. And it
On The Rail: Q And A
Question: I work as a therapeutic riding instructor at a facility that has about 20+ horses. We have all types of horse behavior issues that creep up before we know it. I’ve seen a gelding
Integrating New Horses Into Lesson Programs: Q And A
Question: The camp where I work mainly serves kids which have never ridden before, and some of our horses will have 15 different riders in a week between campers and horse lessons. Some of our