Training Advice | Julie Goodnight Academy

Resources for Training Advice

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

Issues From The Saddle: My Horse Holds The Bit And Throws Head When Unbridling

Question Category: Issues from the Saddle Question: Julie, My horse holds the bit in her mouth when I am trying to take the bridle off and then throws her head up in the air and

Issues From The Saddle: Must Be In Front On Trail

Question Category: Issues from the Saddle Question: Dear Ms. Goodnight, I have a 15-year-old quarter horse, MAX, who decided he does not want to be the second horse out on the trail. I ride alone

Issues From The Saddle: Meandering On The Trail

Question Category: Issues from the Saddle Question: My 6 y/o AQHA gelding is very focused in the arena, on or off cattle, keeping his face directed at our target or direction. On the trail, he

Issues From The Saddle: Kicks Out At Canter

Question Category: Issues from the Saddle Question: I have 3 horses, all of which do the same thing. They walk and trot quietly, but when you cue for lope, they will kick up in the

Issues From The Saddle: Jigging Horse Sensitive To The Leg

Question Category: Issues from the Saddle Question: I have been given a 12 year old gelding that I am very much attached to and enjoy riding. The problem is that he has had some past

Issues From The Saddle: How To Relax A Spooky Horse

Question Category: Issues from the Saddle Question: Dear Julie, I have broken my arm from the fall. We have snow on the ground and I didn’t want my horse {a forward horse} to run home.

Issues From The Saddle: How To Deal With A Spooky Horse

Question Category: Issues from the Saddle Question: Hello Julie, I was glad to see you are doing a clinic in my area in NH. I have a 10 year old who was born on my

Issues From The Saddle: How Much Does Conformation Have To Do With Movement

Question Category: Issues from the Saddle Question: Hi, I have a 5 year old QH gelding that is tall and not very muscular. He has a long back and legs and I wonder if that

Issues From The Saddle: How Do You Stop A Horse When He’s Running Backwards

Question Category: Issues from the Saddle Question: How do you stop a horse when he’s running backwards? I was trail riding over the weekend, and my horse took a dislike to the horse behind him.

Issues From The Saddle: Horse Won’t Stand For Mounting

Question Category: Issues from the Saddle Question: I ran across your website while searching for an answer for a behavior problem with my daughter’s 7 year old quarter horse mare. We have owned this mare

Issues From The Saddle: Horse Won’t Move Forward; When To Use Spurs

Question Category: Issues from the Saddle Question: Dear Julie, I’ve seen your show on RFD-TV about how to lower your horse’s head. In the episode you mentioned something about spurs, how to use the spurs

Issues From The Saddle: Horse Won’t Give His Head

Question Category: Issues from the Saddle Question: I have a 2 year old that is not giving his head I can pull it around but he will not give the bit at all. He has

Issues From The Saddle: Horse With Head Shake

Question Category: Issues from the Saddle Question: Good morning Julie, I have two additional questions for you: First, I have written about an extremely sensitive five year old mare, who is still occasionally blowing up

Issues From The Saddle: Horse Pulls To Arena Gate

Question Category: Issues from the Saddle Question: Hello, I am have a Tennessee walker and she rides around the arena fine until she passes the gate. Then it happens, she starts to walk sideways in

Issues From The Saddle: Horse Eats Grass While Trail Riding

Question Category: Issues from the Saddle Question: Dear Julie, I have a young quarter mare that is constantly reaching for food on the trail. I have gotten after her for this and have never allowed

Issues From The Saddle: Horse Bites When Saddled, Wrong Canter Leads

Question Category: Issues from the Saddle Question: I have a 9 yr. old gelding that I have had for 3 yrs, I have shown walk trot English/Western for 2 yrs. My husband and myself are

Issues From The Saddle: Hops Into Trot

Question: Every time I ride my pony and ask her to pick up a trot from a walk, the first stride is a canter stride. Then she slows down into a trot. She does have

Issues From The Saddle: Help A Green Horse Become Balanced And Collected?

Question: First – I attended your clinics at Equine Affaire in Mass. I have to say, at such events, I have seen many well-respected clinicians and trainers, but no one has ever come close to

Issues From The Saddle: Headset For Shows

Question Category: Issues from the Saddle Question: Julie I have a question for you…do you have any suggestions for helping me set my horses head? She’s not too bad and I really think its a

Issues From The Saddle: Good On Trail, Bad In The Arena

Question Category: Issues from the Saddle Question: Dear Julie, I recently purchased my second horse, a twelve-year-old gelding. He has impeccable ground manners and is a pleasure to ride on trails but as soon as

Issues From The Saddle: Gate Sour Horse And A Tom Thumb Bit

Question Category: Issues from the Saddle Question: Julie, You have a similar question presented to you being great on the trail but terrible in the arena that you have already answered. That statement is also

Issues From The Saddle: Gate Sour

Question Category: Issues from the Saddle Question: Hello, I am have a Tennessee walker and she rides around the arena fine until she passes the gate. Then it happens, she starts to walk sideways in

Issues From The Saddle: Foxtrotter Won’t Canter On The Beach

Question Category: Issues from the Saddle Question: Hi Julie, I have an 8 year old Fox Trotter; he works well in the Bridleless bit, is well trained in ground work and great on the trail,

Issues From The Saddle: Fear Of Riding And Inappropriate Horses

Question Category: Issues from the Saddle Question: Hi Julie, I first saw you in 2005 at the Louisville Equine Affaire. You were awesome, and you were so right about fear management, your seminars are packed

Issues From The Saddle: Do I Need Spurs?

Issues From The Saddle: Distracted Herd-Bound Horse

Question Category: Issues from the Saddle Question: Dear Julie, I was at your clinics last year at the Equine Affair Massachusetts. I tell you, you were the greatest trainer there! My horse, Rufus (an 8

Issues From The Saddle: Desensitizing Your Horse To The Girth Or Cinch

Question Category: Issues from the Saddle Question: Julie, I hope you can help me with my horse. He is a 15 y/o gelding, I ride him hunt seat. He gets very irritated when I girth

Issues From The Saddle: Desensitizing To Speeding Vehicles/Cars

Question Category: Issues from the Saddle Question: Dear Julie, I thoroughly enjoy your newsletters and look forward to receiving them! I’m also really looking forward to seeing you in West Springfield, MA at the Equine

Issues From The Saddle: Cutting Horse Too Much For Me?

Question Category: Issues from the Saddle Question: Hi Julie, I just purchased an 8 year old Quarter Horse mare with a background in cutting. She is a really sweet horse and goes great at the

Issues From The Saddle: Cold Backed Horse

Question Category: Issues from the Saddle Question: Hello Julie: I was on the Internet searching for info on rearing and found your web site. I have a question I hope you can help with. I

Issues From The Saddle: Clarification: Weight Limits For Riders

Question Category: Issues from the Saddle Question: I purchased a welsh pony 12.1 hh 18 y.o with loads of experience as parade, driving, riding western, English and the list goes on. He is not spooky

Issues From The Saddle: Bracey Hard Stop In Rope Horse

Question Category: Issues from the Saddle Question: Ms. Goodnight, I have a 16 y/o quarter horse gelding who is a finished heading horse. Here recently he has been trying to stop on his front end.

Issues From The Saddle: Barrels To English

Question Category: Issues from the Saddle Question: Hello Julie, I’d like your opinion. I have a 14-year-old quarter horse mare that was trained to run barrels. Since I’ve had her (almost 2 years now) I

Issues From The Saddle: Achieving Collection From A Young Horse

Question Category: Issues from the Saddle Question: Dear Julie, Firstly, let me tell you that I appreciate very much your website and information! Thank you! My question is: I have a 3 yr old gelding

Issues From The Ground: Won’t Stand For Farrier

Question Category: Issues from the Ground Question: I have a couple yearlings that are not standing very well for the farrier. My stud yearling, an appaloosa, just wouldn’t stand well at all. The farrier after

Issues From The Ground: Will Not Stand Still

Question Category: Issues from the Ground Question: Hi Julie, I was at your clinic in Colorado Springs—I don’t know if you’ll remember me, but I had the 4 year old black BLM mustang, Ranger, with

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

Issues From The Ground: Trick Or Treat?

Question Category: Issues from the Ground Question: Why shouldn’t I give my horse hand-fed treats? Answer: Training Tips: Trick or Treat? By Julie Goodnight Ground manners are critical in a horse of any age, for

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: Round Pen Revealed

Question Category: Issues from the Ground Question: Why should I use round pen work with my horse? And why is round penning so synonymous with natural horsemanship? Answer: The round pen is one of the

Issues From The Ground: Rearing When Leading

Question Category: Issues from the Ground Question: My friend has a 9-month-old filly that is half quarter horse and half appaloosa. She is a good little horse but quite spunky. She has been leading quietly

Issues From The Ground: Rearing Fit When Saddled

Question Category: Issues from the Ground Question: Hello Julie, I was on the Internet searching for info on rearing and found your web site. I have a question I hope you can help with. I

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: Pins Ears And Bites While Leading

Question Category: Issues from the Ground Question: Dear Julie, I purchased your Lead Line Leadership DVD and have a question. I have a 9 year-old Arabian gelding who I received from a friend about 6

Issues From The Ground: Overwhelming Your Horse

Question Category: Issues from the Ground Question: I was hoping that I could pick your brain on something… I’ve been thinking a lot about this problem, since I didn’t find that our instructor found the

Issues From The Ground: Needle Shy

Question Category: Issues from the Ground Question: We have seen you a number of times at the Rocky Mountain Horse Expo and love the way you work with horses. We desperately need your advice. We