February 2023 Horse Report
I am happy to report that my plans for breeding Annie this year are well underway! So far (*knock on wood*) everything is going according to plan. Annie hasn’t figured
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Horse Goals or Bust! Part 3: Rider Fitness & Conditioning Plan
We are three months into Horse Goals or Bust!—my nine-month plan to help you accomplish your horsemanship goals and live your dreams. Many of you have jumped onboard for this
January 2023 Horse Report
This year, my horse life is taking an abrupt turn in a direction that surprised even me—and it all started with a piece of paper. A year ago, when my
Horse Goals or Bust! Ready, Set, Go!
It’s that time of year to hit the reset button, look forward, and set new, impactful goals for yourself. We started this journey last month in my blog and podcast,
December 2022 Horse Report
Around my barn, we shift into a lower gear this time of year, based on surviving winter. Here in the high mountains of Colorado, winter comes early and stays late.
Check Your Rearview Before You Get in Gear Next Year
It’s true. The older you get, the faster the time goes by. The past few years have been topsy-turvy, and a roller-coaster ride of emotions. During this time, three friends
What Does it Mean to Have “Realistic” Training Expectations?
Whether your young horse is ready for saddle training, or your adult horse needs to be restarted, has developed undesirable behaviors, or is ready for a higher level of training,
October 2022 Horse Report
After two weeks of clinics and tours, I arrived home from Ireland to the peak of fall weather here in the Rocky Mountains. One day I was riding horses on
Artificial Aids: Training Tool or Crutch?
Horses are amazingly adaptable creatures, and over thousands of years they have partnered with us and found ways to make themselves invaluable to human society. Since before horses were even
September 2022 Horse Report
With heavy hearts, we laid our old friend “Doc” to rest this month. Doc was a talented performance horse, and taught every one of us something special. He finished his
How to Get a 5-Star Rating From Your Farrier
As a kid, I rode show hunters, and back then most of them were off-the-track Thoroughbreds–notorious for their shelly, thin feet and the tendency to lose a shoe right before
August 2022 Horse Report
Here in Colorado, summers are long-awaited, and then over before you know it. As we like to say, there are four seasons here: winter, winter, winter, and road construction. We’ve
Plugging the Holes in Your Horse’s Training
You have future goals to accomplish with your horse, but you know you’re not ready yet. Equestrian sports require a long-term commitment and often the journey takes us places we didn’t imagine when we started.
This journey will require building new skills, but which ones? You and your horse will need lots of practice, but on what? You must keep your eyes on the prize, yet be willing to “go back to basics” to fill in holes that may be missing either in your horse’s training and experience, or your own.
July 2022 Horse Report
All winter long, we yearn for summer, and by the time it gets here, we start whining about the heat. The horses are no different! Like humans, horses tend to
Change of Plans: When It’s Time to Pivot
You’ve made big plans and set some lofty goals with your horse, starting months or even years ago. Maybe you want to do a series of competitions, a long-distance trail
June 2022 Horse Report
Annie and I took a road trip earlier this month to present at the Harmony Horse Expo, a fun and educational weekend full of training demos from trainers and other
Trailering Checklist Part 2: Is Your Horse Ready to Hit the Road?
Your horse didn’t exactly volunteer to join you on your next road trip, and isn’t pining for a big adventure or “revenge travel” to make up for lost time over
May 2022 Horse Report
In the past four months, I’ve traveled coast-to-coast for many different horse expos and clinics—just like before-times! It was great to be back on the road again, to meet new
Quiz: What is Your Horse’s Training Level?
Horses are very precocious animals—they are fast learning and their education begins in the first moments of life. Unfortunately, they learn inappropriate things just as quickly as the good stuff,
April 2022 Horse Report
Dear friends, The past month brought some rather profound changes around our barn, leaving a giant hole in my heart. First, we said a sad farewell to our faithful old
What’s the Temperature of Your Horse’s Temperament?
Horses are unique individuals with differing temperaments and a variety of idiosyncrasies. Even within one breed or type of horse, temperament can vary greatly between individuals. The more you know
Trailering Checklist Part 1: What to Know Before You Hit the Road
There’s a lot to consider when it comes to traveling with horses, and I’ve learned a lot of things to do (and not to do) over the years. Whether you
February 2022 Horse Report
Winter got off to a mild start here in the Colorado mountains but has come back with a vengeance lately. With lots of snow and sub-zero temps, our outdoor arena
What’s LOVE Got To Do With It?
If you are reading my blog, chances are good that you LOVE all horses, and your own horse especially. But does your horse LOVE you back? As it turns out,
January 2022 Horse Report
One thing I love about horse sports is that no matter what you achieved last year, there’s always more you can do the next year. No sooner do you accomplish
Saddle Fit Do-Over
Assessing your tack—in terms of its condition, fit to the horse, and appropriateness for the horse’s discipline and level of training—should be ongoing, but doing a thorough assessment should happen
December 2021 Horse Report
I have to say I was happy to get back into a more normal work schedule this fall—starting with my first few trips to events by airplane since March of
Are You & Your Horse Ready for Winter?
Even though our winter out here in the mountains has been disturbingly warm and dry this year, I know that eventually the cold and snow will descend upon us. Neither
November 2021 Horse Report
Watercolor of Dodger & Lucy We’ve had some transitions around our barn in the last month. Recently, we said a final farewell to our old friend, Roger Dodger—possibly the best
Proactive Riding—Take the Driver’s Seat
Many of the questions I get start with a sentiment like this: “My horse used to do this well, but now he won’t,” or, “My horse was really responsive when
October 2021 Horse Report
My horses enjoyed a well-deserved training break over the past month. Slowly, my life is creeping back to normal and I’m spending more time traveling. I’m so grateful to be
Managing Fearful Behavior in Horses
My young horse, Pepperoni, was just a tender 2-year-old with about 30 days undersaddle when I first ventured outside the arena with him. On that day, my number one goal
September 2021 Horse Report
Here in the Colorado Rockies, fall comes early, but we have been blessed with exceptionally warm days and normally cool nights, with about a 50-degree difference from the low to
Helping Horses, One Foster at a Time
I’m pretty sure no one loves horses more than I do, but I know a lot of you who love them just as much. We’ve cultivated a small herd of
August 2021 Horse Report
As the days shorten, I’ve been frantically trying to squeeze in all the activities I wanted to do this summer. The older I get, the shorter the summers are, and
The Secret Ingredient: Managing the Herd-Bound Horse
At my ranch, we have seven geldings and one mare. When we brought my new foster mare, Truth, in for training the two mares were instantly drawn to each other
July 2021 Horse Report
I’ll admit, it’s been a bit of a lazy summer for me, and I’ve had lots of time to enjoy my horses in a more casual way. With no clinics,
“Rearing” to Go!
One of the most memorable episodes of Horse Master for me involved a lovely warmblood mare who developed a rearing problem after a successful run as a show jumper. The
June 2021 Horse Report
Seems like just yesterday I was complaining about winter lasting too long, and now we are enduring a record-breaking heat wave! But ours is a dry heat, and with a
Does My Horse Like Me?
Recently I had a question from one of my podcast listeners, Benjamin. He asked: “Many blogs, books and online training resources talk about helping you develop the relationship you always
May 2021 Horse Report
After a cold spring, our horses are finally able to graze green grass (and Annie’s svelte figure is soon to be replaced by the Michelin Man look). With Annie and
Back From the Brink: Managing Emotional Meltdowns in Horses
No doubt about it—horses are emotional animals; perhaps more emotional than humans. As prey and herd animals, horses are programmed to adopt the emotions of the animals around them (herd
Cultivating a Connection with Horses
Duke was a well-trained gelding, successful in the show ring as a youngster, then ridden extensively in the rugged mountains of Colorado. He was a handsome hunk of muscle, very
March 2021 Horse Report
March has been a snowy month for us, but we are grateful for the moisture that will ease us out of drought conditions and help green up our pastures. It
April 2021 Horse Report
Dear Friends, The horses are starting to shed and the outdoor arena has thawed enough to ride in—surely spring is around the corner! The horses are feeling frisky, and adventurous
Secret Powers are Within You!
It should go without saying that training and riding a thousand-pound flight animal is complicated—it’s the only sport I know of that involves inter-species teamwork. Riding is a partnership of
February 2021 Horse Report
Here in the high mountains of Colorado, we’re still in our deepest part of winter, with sub-zero temperatures and blowing snow. It’s the time of year when we go into
Canter Hacks | Part 2: Canter Hacks for Advanced Horses & Riders
Sorry! If you got here from my March, 10 2021 newsletter, it took you to this post by mistake! Click here to continue reading my March 2021 blog post called,
February 2021 Letter from Julie
Sorry! If you got here from my March, 10 2021 newsletter, it took you to this post by mistake! Click here to continue reading the March 2021 Letter from Julie
January 2021 Horse Report
Winter is long and hard, here in the high mountains of Colorado and although the days are getting longer now, subzero temperatures, wind and ice, make riding outdoors a challenge.