Canter Hacks | Part 1 of 2
Five Canter Hacks for Green Horses and Green Riders The natural gaits of the horse are walk, trot and gallop. The canter is a slow, collected gallop, developed over time, through training. Rarely do you
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December 2020 Horse Report
Here in the Colorado mountains, we love snow! The more, the better. And it looks like a white Christmas is in the forecast. Our valley is the headwaters of the Arkansas River; our snowmelt sends
December 2020 Letter from Julie
Dear friends, I admit I’m happy this year is coming to a close. It’s been a tough one for most of us, and for some of us, it’s been downright devastating. But it’s heartening to
The Making of a Trail Horse, Part 4 (and Other Duties, as Assigned)
I remember my father’s last and best trail horse, Scout. He was a big, bold, grade quarter horse, afraid of nothing, with a motor like a freight train. Aboard Scout, my father climbed all over
November 2020 Horse Report
It was a fitting end to my travel-year, when my last remaining clinic was cancelled, not due to the pandemic, but because of raging wild fires in northern Colorado. This has certainly been a year
November 2020 Letter from Julie
Dear friends, As this bizarre year comes ever so slowly to a close, there is so much to reflect on. It’s easy to get caught up in the negatives and dwell in the gloom and
The Making of a Trail Horse, Part 3
Foundational Training Under-Saddle With solid ground-handling skills in place, half the battle of under-saddle training is behind you. As the young horse’s training progresses from ground manners to riding skills, there are certain philosophies that
October 2020 Horse Report
After five months with no horse expos, no clinics and no traveling, in the last four weeks I’ve traveled to three clinics. It’s good to be back, and we had fantastic events in Jackson Hole
The Making of a Trail Horse, Part 2
Manners and Skills There are many ingredients that go into the making of an exceptional trail horse and just like in the kitchen, quality ingredients can make the difference in an average dish or an
October 2020 Letter From Julie
Dear Friends, At my ranch, here in the “Heart of the Rockies,” fall came fast and furious with 14” of snow on the ground just two days after record heat on Labor Day. It was
September 2020 Horse Report
Summer came to a screeching halt around our ranch, just two days after record heat on Labor Day, when we were hammered with well over a foot of snow and temps in the low 20s
The Making of a Trail Horse
My youngest horse, Pepperoni, just successfully completed his first high mountain ride in the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness Area, a steep mountain range in southern Colorado. It was an arduous test of his skills and
September 2020 Letter from Julie
Dear Friends, This fall brings a transition like no other. Normally, I take a break from business travel in the summer and ease back into full swing, traveling to horse expos, clinics and conferences in
August 2020 Horse Report
Here we are at the peak of riding season and I’m happy to report that our horses are all healthy and sound, even our foster horse, Doc Gunner. For the last 90 days, Gunner has
Make Grooming a Cinch
Article by Absorbine: Professional Julie Goodnight weighs in with some tips Whether you’re headed out to the first show of the “season” or keeping a horse quarantine clean, with ShowSheen® from Absorbine®, you can get
Get a Handle on Your Reins
Tack and equipment play an important role in riding and training horses. Knowing the options and making the right choices can make a huge difference in your riding. The four natural aids of the rider
August 2020 Letter from Julie
Dear friends, I’m not sure whether I’m sad to see summer wane or glad to see this year halfway behind us. The not-knowing-what’s-next is hard for everyone, myself included. I miss helping horses with
July 2020 Horse Report
With more time at home than ever before, you’d think I’d get my horse ridden every day. I guess it’s not surprising that having to totally reinvent the way you do business might take some
July 2020 Letter from Julie
Dear friends, It’s definitely been an interesting summer so far. Like so many of you, I’m getting used to a new way of doing business, and so far, I’ve managed to fill in the holes
Too Hot to Trot
I grew up in central Florida, riding year-round in the steamy heat. As a young girl, most of my summer riding was done bareback, barefooted, in a bathing suit (much to my mother’s chagrin). As
June 2020 Horse Report
All the excitement around my barn in the last month was about Doc Gunner, my new “foster horse.” He arrived at our place on June 18th after a long haul from Oklahoma City. Doc Gunner
June 2020 Letter From Julie
Dear friends, The last three months have been a whirlwind of disappointment, worry, having expectations, lowering expectations, exploring options, reinventing business, getting used to a new normal and gradually gaining hope about the future. Like
My First Covid-Era Horsemanship Clinic
After almost two decades of being a road warrior, traveling 20-30 times a year to clinics and public speaking at horse fairs and conferences, I suddenly found myself grounded when travel came to a screeching
May 2020 Horse Report
For my horses, not much has changed during the pandemic. For me, I’m adjusting to a new rhythm that does not include packing and unpacking. Being stuck at home, I thought I’d have more time
Helping Horses in Need—It Takes a Village
Dear Friends, This is a story about one horse that needs our help, and the dozens of people stepping up to help horses in need every day. But the truth is, he is only one
May 2020 Letter from Julie
Dear Friends, Another month has gone by while we all do our share to fight the spread of this awful virus. Here in Colorado, we are slowly rebooting the economy and I am hopeful that
The Unwanted Horse in the United States: An Overview of the Issue
Author, Tom R. Lenz, DVM, MS, DACT provided permission to post. Horses in the United States no longer wanted have been sold or discarded by their owners throughout history, but it is only in the
The Unwanted Horse issue – Where is it today? 2020
This article is posted with the Author’s Tom Lenz DVM, MS, DACT permission. Horses in the United States no longer wanted have been sold or discarded by their owners throughout history, but it
April 2020 Horse Report
In the four weeks since my last horse report, we have been on lockdown. Most Americans, and indeed people all over the world, are affected by this pandemic but for each of us, the effects
Horsemanship Homework
Sometimes life doesn’t go as planned. Despite our best efforts, there are times when life-events will supplant your horsemanship activities. Putting in too many hours at work, an illness in the family, a new job,
April 2020 Letter From Julie
Dear friends, What a difference a month makes! Here in Colorado, we are in our third week of shutdown and second week of stay-at-home orders. We are all taking the pandemic seriously and doing our
March 2020 Horse Report
Had I written this report a week ago, when I was supposed to, it would have sounded much different. Then, I would’ve been whining about being on the road too much and how little ride-time
Fresh Start
Like my fruits and vegetables, I prefer my horses fresh. It’s clearly not for everyone, but I enjoy riding a horse that’s a little bit excited, that’s looking down the road, eager to get there
March 2020 Letter from Julie
Dear friends, The valley I live in is known as “the banana belt of Colorado” for a reason. At a high altitude, winters are long and in spite of lots of snow and cold in
February 2020 Horse Report
We are in the midst of a long, hard winter! Typical this time of year, one day might be sunny and warm with highs in the 40s or 50s, and the next is single digits,
Winter “Whoas”
Unless you have the luxury of loading up your horses and heading to Arizona or south Florida for the winter, chances are good your riding activities have been seriously curtailed by winter weather. Whether you’re
February 2020 Letter From Julie
Dear friends, Is it Spring yet? Once the holidays are behind me, I’m always eager to get the year underway. I’ve got places to go, people to meet and horses to ride! I’ve been busy
January 2020 Horse Report
All of the horses are currently healthy, hairy and happy. And for that, I am grateful. Even old Dually (now 20 years old and retired from active duty) is occasionally spotted running and bucking in
My Favorite Books of the Year and Decade
As a voracious reader, I often reference books when I’m teaching or public speaking. Typically, that leads to questions from other voracious readers about what horse books I recommend. With the start of a new
January 2020 Letter From Julie
Dear friends, Happy New Year! I’m reluctant to see another year end, but I’m enthusiastic about the opportunities the new year brings. I’m a planner, so I like looking ahead; I’m an overachiever, so I
Consistency Counts
On one of my many visits to southern California, I was conducting a horsemanship clinic in the town of Norco, renowned for its horse-friendly lifestyle. On any given day in “Horsetown USA,” you’ll see horses
December 2019 Letter From Julie
Dear friends, As the year ends, I’m resisting looking back and wondering where the days/weeks/months went, and instead I’m focused ahead on what the new year will bring. I’m a big fan of New Year’s
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.
November 2019 Horse Report
Since this time last month, I’ve been away from home for 25 days, in the normal course of my job attending clinics, expos, conferences and teaching at CSU Equine. Fall is a busy time of
November 2019 Letter from Julie
Dear friends, Winter has descended on us rapidly, here in the high mountains of Colorado—we’ve already had several snows and single-digits. We always appreciate the snow (not so much the single digits), no matter
October 2019 Horse Report
I rode my horses a lot less than I’d hoped last month, since I was on the road more than home. We were not able to take the horses up to C Lazy U for
New Kid on the Block: Introducing a new horse to the herd
Whether you keep your horse at home or at a boarding facility, there will be times when new horses must be integrated into an existing herd. Generally, this involves a lot of posturing between the