Issues From The Ground: Why Won’t My Horse Listen To Me?
Question Category: Issues from the Ground Question: Hi Julie, Training concern: Horse won’t stand still to be groomed. I have a 16 hand QH gelding that I have had since October. I am a new
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Issues From The Ground: Teaching The Whoa Cue
Question Category: Issues from the Ground Question: Dear Julie: I enjoy your presentations….and I have a question that I hope you can help me with my horse, Rocky. During ground work he does not respond
Issues From The Ground: Pulls Back When Tied
Question Category: Issues from the Ground Question: Hello Julie, Your Incident article has prompted me to write. Thank you for stressing the dangers of pullers, and the comment of kissing a horse on the muzzle
Issues From The Ground: My Horse Charges Me In The Round Pen
Question Category: Issues from the Ground Question: Dear Julie, I saw your DVD Round Pen Reasoning this summer. This was the first time I had seen anything on round penning, but I decided to try
Issues From The Ground: Leading Through Gates
Question Category: Issues from the Ground Question: Julie, I’m waiting until May 20th when I expect to find out if a job transfer is talking place before I commit to the young horse training on
Issues From The Ground: Leading A Bridled Horse
Question Category: Issues from the Ground Question: Do you think it is safer to have the reins over the horse’s head and behind the saddle horn (western) or should the reins be completely off the
Issues from the Ground: Lead line leadership
Question Category: Issues from the Ground Question: I know I need to teach my horse to respect me while I’m leading him at halter. He’s pushy and pulls me. How do I get started? How
Issues From The Ground: Hard To Catch Horse
Question Category: Issues from the Ground I would love some tips on the hard to catch horse. Spring fever has sprung and he is avoiding me. He figures if I can’t catch him I won’t
Issues From The Ground: Ground Manners For The Veterinary Visit
Question Category: Issues from the Ground Question: How do I train my horse to be a perfect citizen for the vet so that he gets gentle handling and is well-liked (and well-treated) by my vet?
Issues From The Ground: Desensitizing To Touch In Sensitive Areas
Question Category: Issues from the Ground Question: Hello Julie, I recently purchased a 13 yr QH mare about six months ago. I had been riding her for about eight months with an additional two-month lease.
Horse Behavior: Quiz: Is Natural Horsemanship Right For Your Horse?
Question Category: Horse Behavior Question: Understanding Natural Horsemanship Part I of a three part series on Natural Horsemanship By Julie Goodnight READER’S QUIZ Will Natural Horsemanship Help My Horse and Me? Take this quiz to
Horse Behavior: Aggressive Kicking In The Pasture
Question Category: Horse Behavior Question: Hi Julie- My husband and I have both benefited so much from your training DVDs, halters and lead ropes, as well as your wonderful television show. We look forward to
Cantering Help: Training Young Horses To Lope
Question: Dear Julie, I have started riding my 2-year-old paint gelding. I’ve had him since he was 3 months old. He’s super gentle-almost too gentle. I have taken him out trail riding with other horses,
Cantering Help: Resistant To Canter Cue
Question: I have a 4 yr old Arab gelding, has a wonderful jog and walk, but when ask to canter or anything faster than the jog, he displays a bad attitude, pinned ears and curled
Cantering Help: Bucking Fits At Canter
Question: Dear Julie, I have a bit of an issue with bucking (sometimes so unexpectedly…) when asking my mare to lope (slow canter). If I let her go off at her own pace (at a
Building A Better Relationship: New Horse Has Become Herd Bound
Question Category: Building a Better Relationship Question: I got my first horse last October and things started out great but through the winter he started to become very buddy sour and now it is starting
Building A Better Relationship: My horse Takes Advantage Of Me
Question Category: Building a Better Relationship Question: I was hoping you could give me some advice on a training problem I am having. I have a 3-year-old Quarter Horse gelding that I just want to
Building A Better Relationship: Horse Testing Rider
Question Category: Building a Better Relationship Question: Hi Julie, I am a beginning rider, and have been taking lessons twice a week for about three months now. I have wanted to learn to ride since
Building A Better Relationship: Ground Work Techniques
Question Category: Building a Better Relationship Question: Hi Julie, I caught just a minute of your Ground Manners clinic yesterday at Equine Affaire. I have seen this method of twirling the lead (don’t know what
Talk About Tack: Which Bit For Neck Reining On A Finished Horse?
Question Category: Talk about Tack Question: Julie, How do I know what bits to try on a horse that is new to me? And can I ride western (neck rein) in a bit without leverage?
Talk About Tack: Using A Tom Thumb Bit
Question Category: Talk about Tack Question: I have a horse that constantly tosses her head and fools with the bit. I use a tom thumb with her. Please give me a short education on bits.
Talk About Tack: Understanding Bits– Tom Thumb
Question Category: Talk about Tack Question: Ms Goodnight: We always come and see your seminars at Equine affair in Ohio. Last year I really enjoyed your discussion about balance and position I took good notes
Talk About Tack: Understanding Bits– Myler
Question Category: Talk about Tack Question: Dear Julie, My question to you is what is your opinion of Myler bits? I came across a book recently that talked about the Myler comfort snaffle. I was
Talk About Tack: Saddle Rigging Explained/ Julie’s Saddle Line With Flex Tree Saddles
Question: I am switching from English to Western and am hoping to get one of your Peak Performance saddles. I am looking at the Monarch Arena/Trail saddle or the Wind River Trail saddle. I really
Talk About Tack: Saddle Fit
Question: Dear Julie, Six months ago I bought a 7 y/o QH gelding and he has turned out to be an awesome trail riding horse and a promising versatility ranch horse prospect. He is dark
Talk About Tack: Rope Halter — Do’s And Dont’s
Question: Dear Julie: I have a silly question…My mare is 15yo and I have NEVER used a rope halter. Do you have a basic do’s and don’ts for me….things I need to know to help
Talk About Tack: My horse Tosses Her Head, What Bit Should I Use?
Question: We purchased a 6 yr old mare approx. 6 mos ago. She was previously bridled with a D Ring Snaffle. We have tried transitioning her with other Snaffles and a Touch Plus. She seems
Talk About Tack: Is A Snaffle Really Comfortable?
Question: Hi Julie, I came across a book recently that talked about the comfort snaffle. I was surprised to learn that snaffles are not exactly what they are supposed to be and some bits that
Talk About Tack: How High Does The Bit Go In The Horse’s Mouth?
Question Category: Talk about Tack Question: Dear Julie, How do you know when a bit is properly sitting in the horse’s mouth? We have always heard that you look at the “wrinkles”. However, this can
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
Building A Better Relationship: Does My Horse Respect Me?
Question Category: Building a Better Relationship Question: Dear Julie, I have a 5 year old Tennessee Walker that I have had for almost a year. I am not sure if some of the things that
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
Horse Behavior: Understanding Horse Behavior
Before we can ever hope to understand, let alone control the movement of a horse, it is important to know the various behaviors that motivate a horse to move in the first place. Being a
Horse Behavior: The meaning behind audible expressions
Question Category: Horse Behavior Question: Dear Julie Goodnight, Several times this spring my mare has made a sound that sounds like a Donkey; she did it on the 28th of May when I put her
Horse Behavior: Seasoning A Horse For Shows
Question Category: Horse Behavior Question: I am writing from Pretoria South Africa. My daughter recently attended her first show-jumping event. Her horse boxed (trailered) without major problems and also traveled well. At the event this
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
Horse Behavior: Horse’s Instincts
Question Category: Horse Behavior Question: Hi Julie, Can you tell what specifically are the horse’s instincts and how can we use these to our advantage in training? Yours gratefully, Emma Answer: Emma, The horse’s instincts
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.
Horse Behavior: Aggression At Feeding Time
Question: Hi Julie, First a “thank you” for all the help you have been to me in working on becoming a “natural Horseman”. My question is one regarding aggression at the feed bucket. I have
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