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Overcoming Fear: My Horse Doesn’t Respect Me & I’m Scared To Correct Him

Question: Hello, I just found your website and think it’s great. I have a 15-year old gelding – appaloosa/Clydesdale cross, Copper. My problem is that I am not confident enough to follow through with things

Overcoming Fear: Instilling Confidence In Young Riders

Question: I need advice for my daughter and her horse. My daughter is 10 years old and very interested in riding, however she lacks confidence in riding. Her horse has come to figure this out.

Overcoming Fear: How To Be In Control And Feel Safe

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 I was a little girl so

Overcoming Fear: Fear Of Being Thrown

Question: Ms. Goodnight, I recently read your article regarding fear of horses. I have a unique problem: Recently I was involved in tryouts for a Horse Patrol position in my sector. I work on the

Overcoming Fear: Fear Management

Question: Hi Julie, I learned about you from a friend in the barrel racing community. I am a 42-year-old woman, a dyed in the wool horse lover and owner, someone who will never again feel

Overcoming Fear: Coping With The Fear After Accidents

Question: I’ve had a couple horse accidents and now have some fear issues I’ve never had to overcome before. How do you help people through their fear of horses and riding? Answer: Some level of

Overcoming Fear: Coping With Fear Of Horses

Question: Julie, I know you are soooo busy. Just drop me two words of encouragement. I need you! I have a 16.2 hand TB that after having the greatest relationship with for 2 years I

Overcoming Fear: Afraid To Canter

Question: Hi Julie, I have been riding for about 2 years. I’m 53, and although I have been around horses (started my daughter riding @ 4-5 yrs old, own a race horse) have always been

Young Horse Master: Behind The Scenes Of A Horse Master

Question: What’s it like to be on Horse Master? Find out with this story about Lilly Neville’s English to Western story as profiled America’s Horse magazine (on the cover in January 2009). Then sign up

Winter Tips

Question: When is it too cold to wash my horse? Answer: Use a spray on cleaning solution to keep your horse’s coat clean and grease free when it’s too cold to wash him. It’s generally

Winter Horse Care: Snowballs On Feet

Question: Hi Julie, I’m still a novice at horse care and management. Winter has arrived (northern Ohio) and I am trying to figure out the best way to deal with the snow and ice buildup

Why Do We Mount From The Left?

Question: Why do we mount and begin grooming/saddling on the horse’s left side? Answer: There are several answers to your questions…. First, because horses are very one-sided, that is, they only think on one side

When To Geld My Colt

Question: Hi Julie, I am planning on buying a yearling stallion. I do want to geld him at what age is it ok to geld, also is it ok to put a yearling stallion in

What’s A Buck Kneed Horse?

Question: Julie, I have a question. When someone refers to a horse as “Buck Kneed” what does it mean and will it bother it’s performance? PS- my wife just adopted a donkey and now she

Should I Get A Gaited Horse?

Question: Hello Julie, I am looking at buying a Tennessee Walker. With my current horse, I am finding it a challenge to post. I’m 48 years old. I purchased your DVDs and they were helpful,

Rotating Horse Wormers

Question: Could you please give me your opinion on the rotation of wormers to use throughout the year to get the most coverage for my horses? Answer: The purpose of rotating dewormers is to get

Riding The 20+ Year Old Horse

Q: Has Julie written any articles or done any tv shows on riding the 20+ year old horse? I have a mare that is 21 and has been a pasture pet the last couple of

Preparing For A Career With Horses

Question: Dear Julie: I have a 13 year old daughter who has been in 4H since she was eight years old. She has become a great rider and is interested in learning how to become

Horses Low In The Back, Swayback

Question: Hi Julie, I first saw you at the Midwest Horse Fair. I enjoyed your presentation. I have been riding for over 40 years and teaching riding for 30. I take lessons my self periodically

Horses In Confinement

Question: Dear Julie, I just moved to a home on 40 acres (with a live creek) in Missouri. I’ve never owned a horse (of course, always wanted to) and haven’t been around them for a

Horse Has Bad Breath

Question: Dear Julie, My horse has an odor coming from his mouth. There is no evidence of tooth decay or abscess. What could be the problem??? Thanks for taking time to answer my question. Sonia

Horse Buyer’s Guide

Question: Want to know all you should look for when it comes to buying a horse? Click to download the PDF>> buyersguide Copyright ©Julie Goodnight 2000. All Rights Reserved. No part of this website may be

Difference between paint and pinto

Question: There is always controversy about the Pinto…is it a breed or color?…same with the paint. I also always thought the Palomino was a color, but I just recently read it was a breed; can

Bra For Riders

Question: Hi Julie, Do you have any recommendations as to brands, types of sports bras which are most effective for riding (minimizing bounce)? Thanks! AH, Missouri Answer: Hi Althea, Thanks for the question, but I

Are Mules More Difficult Than Horses?

Question: Dear Julie, I was at the Ohio Equine Affaire and was able to sit in on one of your talks. It was the one on ‘herd dynamics.’ Very, very useful information! I have a

Am I Too Heavy For My Horse?

Question: Dear Julie: I bet you have never had this question. Last week we bought a really great black & white 51 inch 4 year old pony. He was gelded 5 weeks ago so we

Advice For Getting Into Training

Question: I’m a high school student who would like to pursue a career in the equine field, particularly riding instruction. What would things could you suggest that would help me be better prepared for that

A Hydrated Horse Is A Healthy Horse

Question: Getting a horse to drink enough water has been a challenge for a long time. So long, in fact, that “you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink” is

Issues From The Saddle: Works Well Outside And Poorly Inside

Question Category: Issues from the Saddle Question: I am an intermediate rider at best who purchased a 10 y/o paint gelding a couple months ago. He is from the south and I honestly think is

Issues From The Saddle: Why One Rein Is Better Than Two

Question Category: Issues from the Saddle Question: My riding instructor and I have a question regarding using one rein while riding. I’ve seen it mentioned in several different articles and books. John Lyons discusses using

Issues From The Saddle: When To Start A Colt Under Saddle

Question Category: Issues from the Saddle Question: My granddaughter and I started our yearling colt this year. He was schooled in halter. We’ve had a saddle pad and surcingle on him. He is used to

Issues From The Saddle: What To Do With A Horse That Bolts, Runs Off With Rider

Question Category: Issues from the Saddle Question: Julie, I enjoyed watching you present at Equine Affaire in MA this past November. I have been riding a good 15-20 years but most intensively the last 5-6….I

Issues From The Saddle: Understanding Pressure

Question Category: Issues from the Saddle Question: How do you know how much pressure a horse needs to respond to your cues and directions? Answer: From observing any given riding session, on any given day,

Issues From The Saddle: Tossing Head And Bucking

Question Category: Issues from the Saddle Question: Dear Julie, We have just begun working on a property that conducts trail rides and have a horse here that we discovered to have the problem of bucking.

Issues From The Saddle: Tongue Over Bit

Question Category: Issues from the Saddle Question: Dear Julie, The question I have is for the Mountain Pleasure horse I bought about six months ago. He is a big sweetie, I love him dearly he

Issues From The Saddle: Teaching Horse to Keep Head Down

Question: I watched a show several weeks ago with Julie helping a rider work with a horse that lifted his head up to get away from the bit. I thought she taught the rider to

Issues From The Saddle: Starting A Horse Under Saddle

Question Category: Issues from the Saddle Question: Julie Goodnight, Thank you for answering my request. My colt is 3 years, he was born in my arms, he is an Arabian. I have been working with

Issues From The Saddle: Spooky Horse

Question Category: Issues from the Saddle Question: Hi Julie! I usually ride some type of warmblooded horse (not exactly sure of the exact type) during riding classes. He’s often very nervous about a certain corner

Issues From The Saddle: Speeding Up A Slow Horse

Question Category: Issues from the Saddle Question: Julie, I was at the Equine Expo in Massachusetts last week and enjoyed your clinics immensely. Quick synopsis of my quarter horse…I got him a year and a

Issues From The Saddle: Slowing Down A Fast Horse

Question: Hello, Just wondering if you could give me some advice. My horse, a six year old mustang had been trained for about ten months. He stops, turns fine, but I cannot get him to

Issues From The Saddle: Refusing To Trot

Question Category: Issues from the Saddle Question: Hi! first of all, I wanted to say that I saw your clinics at last year’s Equine Affaire in Massachusetts, and you’ve stuck with me as one of

Issues From The Saddle: Reconditioning A Horse After Extended Layoff

Question Category: Issues from the Saddle Question: Hello Julie, My horse has been off all summer due to an injury and I would like suggestions as to how I can get him in shape for

Issues From The Saddle: Rearing Horse

Question Category: Issues from the Saddle Question: Dear Julie Goodnight I am writing to you in regards to my horse’s problem with rearing, as someone that is experienced in horse behaviour I can not find

Issues From The Saddle: Pulley Rein

Question Category: Issues from the Saddle Question: Julie, I’m sure you deal with loads of emails, I hope you get this one. I’ve been taking riding lessons every week for a few months (I used

Issues From The Saddle: Parrot-Mouthed Bucker

Question Category: Issues from the Saddle Question: Hello Julie, I have a horse with a few problems. He is a six yr old that was professionally trained at 3 (ya right) then put out to

Issues From The Saddle: Paces Instead Of Fox Trots

Question Category: Issues from the Saddle Question: Dear Julie, I just got back into horses a year and a half ago at age 47; I’ll be 49 this year. I am building my confidence in

Issues From The Saddle: Over-Reactive To Leg Pressure

Question Category: Issues from the Saddle Question: I have a 4-year-old bay breeding stock paint gelding. He is broke for western pleasure and does really well. His only problem is that he completely goes crazy

Issues From The Saddle: Not Wanting To Go Forward

Question Category: Issues from the Saddle Question: Julie, I have seen you several times at the Equine Affaire in Columbus over the past few years and respect your training skills. I have a particular problem

Issues From The Saddle: Nervous To Go On Trail

Question Category: Issues from the Saddle Question: Dear Julie, I have an 8-year-old gelding that is very easy to work with on the ground and in the arena. He tends to become uptight, and nervous

Issues From The Saddle: My Horse Pulls On The Bit As I Ride

Question Category: Issues from the Saddle Question: Hi Julie I have been riding for eight months at a stable and am taking classes once-twice a week as well as clinics. I bought a horse from