Becoming The Leader
I love when kids are interested in riding. Most of the time the best horses for learning are the lazy and slow ones. Even if they are usually well-behaved, these horses can learn quickly that
Resources for Julie’s Blog
Past Performance is No Guarantee of Future Success
Anyone who has ever invested in the stock market has seen this disclaimer: Past performance is no guarantee of future success. Yet when we invest our resources into a well-trained horse, we expect a guarantee
Trust Is A Two-Way Street
Trust is an elusive thing, both to give and to get. You cannot force or implore someone to trust you, you can only earn it. If you feel as though you have been wronged by
Do You Know What You Don’t Know?
Identify holes in your horsemanship training and continually seek new information An assignment from my first riding instructor—assembling a bridle from scratch—at first seemed like an easy task. But what seemed easy turned out to
5 Pound Challenge Monthly Post
February My husband reminded me that we are going on a beach vacation soon— Yikes! The double whammy! Vacation calories plus skimpy clothing and bathing suits. If that doesn’t motivate me to lose weight,
Sharing Your Passion For Horses With Kids
There is much about life to learn from horses and the lessons learned are too important not to share with as many youngsters as we can—be it your children, grandchildren or the neighborhood kids. If
2016 February Blog – It’s About Time
It’s About Time Most things in life that are important, take an investment of time—an education, a career, a relationship. Mastering a skill or a sport, starting a new business, overcoming setbacks; none of this
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
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
Feed-Time Aggression Fix Q & A
Question: Help! What do I do, my horses are crowding me when I go into their pen to feed them and it’s just scary to have them so close and on top of me. Plus,
Julie’s Training Log: November 2015
As I write my articles for November’s newsletter, Equine Affaire is quickly approaching! Hard to believe, one of my favorite expos is so close. Equine Affaire is November 12-15, 2015 http://www.equineaffaire.com/massachusetts/ and I will be
Note from Julie: October 2015
Dear friends, We’ve just returned from an incredible 4-day ranch-riding clinic at the C Lazy U Ranch and soon I am headed to Spanaway, Washington, for my last 2-day horsemanship clinic of the year, then
For No Apparent Reason: Learning to understand why horses behave the way they do
When folks tell me about problem behaviors, I hear one phrase often. I admit I’ve even said it myself when I was a young trainer. “For no apparent reason, my horse….” You can fill in
Ready For Winter?
Tips for Making Your Horse-Keeping Life Easier This Winter Here in the high mountains of Colorado, where my horses and I live, winter comes early and hard. Our preparations begin before the summer is technically
Confidence From The Core
As we age, our balance, core-strength and posture can be negatively affected and all of these things have an impact on your confidence. If you think of the image of an elderly person tottering down
Strength Leads To Confidence
Strength Leads to Confidence By Julie Goodnight “That which does not kill you makes you stronger.” By and large, these are good words to consider when it comes to horses. Confidence is such a prevalent
Imagine A Career With Horses
Imagine a Career with Horses Not once in my childhood, in high school nor college, did it ever occur to me that I might have a career in the horse industry. Certainly, in my wildest
Dually Recovering from Colitis
It’s been a rough few weeks around our barn, but I am pleased to report a happy ending. My number one horse, Dually, has always been a high-maintenance horse, with digestive issues, performance injuries, tendency
Horses Living Alone
I first started riding horses more than half a century ago. I was a shy and introverted kid, so growing up on a small horse farm was like heaven to me. The horses in the
Helicopters And Horses: Achieving A Subtle Cue To Master Motion
I get very “zen” when I am riding—my mind is clear and my thoughts are carried along with the horse’s movement. Riding is my sanctuary, my restoration and where I come up with my best
Off To A Good Start
Off To A Good Start Are you raising a foal or young horse? Make sure you’re setting up a good relationship with respect from the start. To start your young relationship off on the right
Dale Myler’s Visit to the Ranch; Personal Bit Clinic
I’ve been having too much fun this week taking a private bitting clinic from Dale Myler, of Myler Bits USA. Dale was kind enough to come and give us his undivided attention for a couple
My Footing Fetish: All About Arena Footing
It’s time to dish some dirt—about dirt. I figured out that I stand, walk or ride in more than 50 arenas each year. Over several decades of riding horses and teaching clinics that means I’ve
Work Ethic: How Your Determination (And Your Horse’s Consistent Work) Leads To Dreams Fulfilled
A strong work ethic ensures an individual’s success—for both horses and humans. Whether you are bussing dishes or doing brain surgery, a good work ethic will make a difference in the rewards you reap and
Horse Guilt: Focus On Your Personal Riding Goals And Ditch Any Guilt About Not Riding Enough
My friend Nancy is a life-long rider in her 60s and a pretty good hand with a horse. One day while practicing her reining patterns in the arena, her horse spooked ‘out of the blue’
Horses As Our Teachers
For better or for worse, you can learn something from every horse that you ride—whether it is a skill or a life-lesson. Sometimes you learn something you should always do, or something you should never
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
Riding With Awareness
A group of seven of my horse-loving friends decided to get together and ride each Wednesday evening this summer. Our group consisted of new riders as well as pros, green horses and finished show horses.
Nurturing The Try In Your Horse
I have lived with and worked with horses for more than half a century. And the older I get, the more appreciation I have for horses and their willingness, generosity and ability to forgive. It
Bitless Or Bridle-Less? What Is The Difference?
Bitless or Bridle-less? To me, there’s a big difference. Often when I write about riding my horses bridle-less, people confuse it with the issue of riding bitless. To me, they are totally different subjects. At
To Shoe Or Not To Shoe?
To me, this is not a simple yes-or-no, black-or-white answer. Just as there are many good reasons not to shoe your horse, there are many reasons why you might want to shoe. There are few
Barn Rules, Cleanliness & Respect At Feeding Time
Like most horse trainers, when it comes to my barn, I run a tight ship and I like things very orderly and very systematic. Even though my barn is totally private—no outside horses for training,
Trailer Loading Training Techniques, Finding A Trainer
Question: I am an intermediate rider and have had my very first horse for the last year now. She is 18 years young and a great trail horse. I don’t know much about her past,
Annual Check-Up: Saddle Fit
Each year, about this time, I make it a point to look with fresh eyes at each of my horses to see if any saddle adjustments are necessary. Horses that I have had for years
Setting Training Goals
This time of year, reflection and goal setting comes naturally. I’ve always been a big fan of making New Year’s resolutions and more often than not, I keep them. For me, the secret to keeping
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
Quick Tips To Check Stirrup Length
Appropriate stirrup length is critical for all levels and disciplines of riders. It is important for safety, for rider balance and for the effectiveness of the rider in developing correct riding skills. Time and time
Get Your Horses And Barn Winter-Ready In The Fall
Things change fast up here in the mountains in early fall. The beginning of fall still feels like summer, but by the end all the leaves will have fallen and the mountains will be capped
Gravity: The Draw Of Horses After An Accident
Horses have their own gravity. If you’ve loved them in the past and been pushed away because of an injury or accident, it’s possible you’ll be drawn right back to their beautiful, sleek, powerful sides.
Leadership And Authority
Horses crave it and thrive on it; they worship the ground the herd leader walks on. Horses can recognize leadership traits in both horses and people and they cannot be fooled– either you act like
Keeping Your Horse Healthy Through The Stages Of Life Part 3: The Senior Citizens
In our small town in Central Colorado, the schools are small and organized—with different wings for different ages of students. The elementary, middle and high schools are all separate but nearby. In the past two
Return Of The 5-Pound Challenge
OK everyone. We’re starting our famous 5-Pound Challenge again! This time it’s beefed up with a pledge you can sign. This is your chance to join the Goodnight Team in getting in shape–to improve your
Keeping Your Horse Healthy Through The Stages Of Life Part 2: The Prime Time Horses
Note: In this three-part series, nationally respected horse trainer/clinician Julie Goodnight talks about the three “wings” in her barn (the elementary, middle and high school wings) and discusses what’s important to the age groups and
Keeping Your Horse Healthy Through The Stages Of Life Part 1: The Young Horses
Keeping Your Horse Healthy Through the Stages of Life Part 1: The Young Horses In the small town where I live, we have a large school complex with three different buildings– the elementary, the middle
The Horse Master Episodes I Remember Most
Perhaps it is because I get to work with the horses and riders one-on-one when we are taping the show or perhaps it is because I watch the show again in the editing phase and
Raise Your Foal Right
Recently I was in Hamilton, New Zealand, as a clinician at EquiDays— their national horse expo. I met a lot of great people there, including three talented horsewomen, who were demonstrating their skills in a
Riding a Young Horse; Advancing Training Skills
I’m so proud of my young horse, Eddies Pick, a 3 y/o AQHA gelding from the famed 6666 Ranch, by their World Champion stallion, Sixes Pick. I bought Eddie back in April from the Legends
Reflections On Riding Bikes And Riding Horses
To celebrate our anniversary, my husband and I recently bought new mountain bikes and made a commitment to get in better shape. Living in the land of mecca for mountain bikers as we do, a
Good Horse Gone Bad
If I’ve heard it once, I’ve heard it a thousand times. “My new horse has turned out to be a nightmare. The seller misrepresented him as a well-trained horse. I think he was drugged when
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