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Horse Behavior: Handling A Stud Colt

…three year olds, but in the case of a stud colt, I would start him earlier.

As for why a horse responds differently to male and female is not so much gender related as it is related to leadership, confidence and firmness in handling. Women tend to approach horses…

Abby on Skippy with Julie standing beside them.

Becoming The Leader

…that has lead the horse to this conclusion. So how do we change this? Well, I can think of a few options.

Only your daughter will be able to step forward and take the leadership role with her horse. You riding the horse will not affect the relationship between…

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Becoming The Leader

…countless little things that has lead the horse to this conclusion. So how do we change this? Well, I can think of a few options. Only your daughter will be able to step forward and take the leadership role with her horse. You riding the horse will not affect the…

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Keeping Focused

…your authority and leadership.

An obedient horse will be focused straight ahead and will go in the direction you ask, at the speed you dictate, without constant direction from you. Many riders micro-manage their horses by constantly steering and correcting speed with the reins, so the horse becomes…

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Gate Sour Behavior

…and it is an indication that your horse is disobedient and does not trust your leadership skills or respect your authority over her or want to have anything to do with you.

First, you need to have better knowledge of horse behavior and the whole leader-follower/ dominant-subordinate part…

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My Horse Won’t Stand Still For Mounting

leadership skills. A horse must not only learn what rules to follow, but also that there are ramifications if he breaks a rule—that’s where your leadership comes into play. For young horses, it’s important to learn good ground manners, including standing still when asked. A good trainer will start with…

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Preventing Herd-Bound Behavior

…Yet, even though gregarious behavior is instinctive in horses, somehow we speak of it as if it is an affliction. Barn-sour, gate-sour, buddy-sour, herd-bound, spoiled and even ruined. Horses are instinctively drawn to the herd; it’s up to us to provide the training and leadership the horse needs to transfer…

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Overcoming Fear: Instilling Confidence In Young Riders

…and there have probably been countless little things that has lead the horse to this conclusion. So how do we change this? Well, I can think of a few options.

Only your daughter will be able to step forward and take the leadership role with her horse. You…

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Issues From The Ground: Rearing When Leading

Once a horse accepts the dominance, authority and leadership of another horse, he will happily follow that horse anywhere. The most dominant horse in the herd is called the “alpha individual,” and this horse, usually a mare, is responsible for taking care of the herd and leading it to

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Horse Behavior: Horse’s Instincts

…with a horse that is frightened and to attribute their behavior to obstinacy. Patience, confidence and leadership go a long way to help a frightened or spooky horse. Allowing the horse to move his feet when he is nervous is important for keeping him calm. Gaining control of a horse’s…

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Horse Turns Toward Gate And Stops Working

…Lead Line Leadership will take you through this process with step-by-step explanations. The Complete Groundwork Package includes two DVDs and all the equipment you need for groundwork.

After spending some quality time with your horse from the ground, you’ll also have to address your authority with your horse from…

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Good Horse Gone Bad

By observing the handler, it is usually pretty obvious what the problem is– under-correction, over-correction, lack of awareness of spatial issues, tolerating and condoning poor behavior, not setting rules or boundaries, poor timing and just a general lack of leadership skills. Often conflicting signals and miscommunication are involved, so

A Devoted Horse

…to control your own emotions and be aware of the body-language message you present your horse, is all it takes to have a compliant and willing horse that worships the ground you walk on.   My Herd, My Rules Horses know leadership when they see it; they seek out authority,…

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The Difference Between Lead Line Circling And Longeing

Ask Julie Goodnight: What’s the Difference in Longeing and Lead Line Circling?

Question: Dear Julie, I purchased your DVD, Lead Line Leadership and I have been searching your library and need some basic clarification. What is the difference in lead line circling (from Lead Line Leadership) and longeing?

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Should You Be Around Your Horse While He’s Eating?

…over the horse. Ever hear of this technique? And while I would agree that there may be extreme circumstances in which this scenario might be useful, I think that, in general, there are better ways to attain the leadership role with your horse.

It’s always good to think about…

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Trots Down Hill

…through? Is he speeding up and slowing down without a cue? These are all indications that you are not being a consistent leader to your horse and they could be indications that you are eroding your authority with your horse every time you ride him.

Leadership is a very…

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

…and touch it with his nose. You can practice this on the ground too.

One big problem with a horse like this is that they do not focus on you and do not look to you for leadership. This kind of relationship (focused and obedient) is best accomplished with…

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Issues From The Ground: Round Pen Revealed

…Control his speed (communication)

4. Establish a dialogue (trust)

5. Following behavior (leadership)

The round pen itself is simply a confined area, at least 50-60 feet in diameter, with a high rail at least 5′ tall, excellent footing and preferably a solid kick board around the bottom,…

How to Make a Perfect Horse

…frustrated with the horse. As I started the first groundwork session of the clinic, I could see nothing but animosity and disdain from the horse.

This was a big, dominant horse, who was obviously disapproving of the woman’s attempts at leadership. He pinned his ears and gestured with his…

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Why Are Horses So Spooky?

…become frightened. All horses, no matter how high in the hierarchy, will gratefully accept the leadership of another individual, as long as the leader has demonstrated their commitment to controlling and protecting the herd.

For a horse to accept a human as leader, that human must be able to…

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Horse Behavior: Understanding Horse Behavior

…you back away, you have just told him he is in charge. If you get scared, tense your muscles and hold your breath, your horse will mirror your actions and instantly become frightened.

All horses, no matter how high in the hierarchy, will gratefully accept the leadership of another…

Does Your Horse Like You?

…and expectations, consistency and strong leadership. They love to rest, they love to be praised for a job well done and they love it when you take all the pressure off of them.  Horses don’t like you or dislike you randomly. They react to how you make them feel—safe and…

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Past Performance is No Guarantee of Future Success

…trainer. Horses love structure, routine and sameness; it makes them feel safe. Horses crave and worship leadership, so going from a strong leader to a passive one is a change any horse would notice. You cannot buy respect from a horse and you cannot buy a relationship with a horse;…

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My Horse Goes Where He Wants To Go

…to do exactly as you say.

Once your horse understands that he does not have a say in the matter and that you’ll be diligent and persistent, he’ll cease the arguments and compromise and simply go where you say. What he needs most is your leadership and consistency.

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Veterinary Visits “The Best Patient”

…problems on sickness or pain, chances are, your ill-mannered patient hasn’t learned how to look to you for leadership and guidance. If he learns to follow your every command when he’s well, he’ll respect your cues when he’s hurt or when it’s time for an important examination.

We met…

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Acting Up On The Trail

…was actually a very sweet, easy-to-train horse that has just not had good leadership. ALL horses must learn this very important rule from the youngest possible age: YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO FRATERNIZE WITH ANOTHER HORSE IN ANY WAY WHEN I AM AROUND YOU. This includes sniffing noses, flicking ears,…

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Starting Over With A Fractious Horse

…plate and showing some leadership—either you are the boss of them, or they are the boss of you—that’s the way it works in a horse herd. Horses are much happier when there is a competent leader in charge, so that they can relax and not have to think.

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Catching Your Horse From Pen Or Pasture

…with his halter. Keep repeating the process. It will work.

If your horse has been difficult to catch, he may be exhibiting other disrespectful behaviors, too. To learn how to teach your horse other important ground manners, check out the DVD, Lead Line Leadership and other training tools at…

No Fraternization!

…the one in charge.

She was actually a very sweet, easy-to-train horse that has just not had good leadership. ALL horses must learn this very important rule from the youngest possible age:

YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO FRATERNIZE WITH ANOTHER HORSE IN ANY WAY WHEN I AM AROUND…

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Pony Power

Good Day!

Leadership and authority are the subjects of today’s show, “Pony Power.” Starring Zeke and his naughty pony Frost, you’ll see an amazing transformation from an obnoxious, spoiled pony who walks all over Zeke, head buts him and drags him to the grass. Turns out the

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When To Ask For More From Your Horse

…they are working. For those try-hard horses, we have to be careful not to over-tax them emotionally and physically—although these Ferrari-type horses are awesome, they are high-maintenance machines that break down frequently. But the average horse only tries as hard as your leadership and authority demands and will only rise…

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Issues From The Saddle: Paces Instead Of Fox Trots

…and great care should be taken to make sure your new relationship starts off on the right foot, with you in an authoritative leadership position. A bad experience when he is first getting started in his new life and building a new relationship with a human, can lead to a…

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Issues From The Ground: Why Won’t My Horse Listen To Me?

…from these be applied to getting him to stand still?

Thanks

Answer: A: If you have studied the ground work DVDs, then you already know what to do to train your horse to stand still on your authority—the entire first part of the Lead Line Leadership DVD is…

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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 months ago. Cloud was never worked with much and is only green-broke.

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Issues From The Ground: Ground Manners For The Veterinary Visit

…biting, moving away or just not cooperating. While you might blame your horse’s “sudden” behavioral problems on sickness or pain, chances are, your ill-mannered patient hasn’t learned how to look to you for leadership and guidance. If he learns to follow your every command when he’s well, he’ll respect your…

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Issues From The Ground: Will Not Stand Still

…and we will both be much happier when I learn how to assert my leadership and he submits. I just don’t know where I’m going wrong at this point, or whether I should let the barn manager up the ante, or what. I suspect that there’s a battle for leadership

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Building A Better Relationship: My New Horse Is Challenging Me

…but feel good on the ground. What can I do to provide leadership and build respect with this horse until he mellows out? Do you think he is just testing me or am I going to have to live with his unpredictability?

I can already see signs that he…

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Building A Better Relationship: Pawing

…fact that you give him treats at all is a big cause. He has learned to associate you with a handout and when he sees you he is very anxious to receive his treat (the feeding of treats erodes your leadership over the horse). I would suggest that you not…

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Horse Behavior: Do Horses Prefer Male Over Female Riders?

…or not the handler has good leadership skills. The horse is responding to the body language of the human, which tells the horse whether or not the human is confident and potential leadership material. Most humans are not fully aware of their body language and the messages that they are…

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Issues From The Saddle: Distracted Herd-Bound Horse

…are there are little things that you are doing that you may not even be aware of that are eroding your authority with him. He needs stronger leadership from you. Does he ever control your actions? Does he invade your space at times; eat grass while you are leading him;…

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Issues From The Saddle: Horse Won’t Turn When I Ask Him To

…and goes wherever he wants.

This could also be a sign of a bigger problem, which is that your horse does not accept your authority and leadership. There might be other signs of disobedience, but sometimes what I would see as disobedience, the owner thinks is normal, like crowding…

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Issues From The Saddle: Nervous To Go On Trail

…willing and obedient and we have only had him in training for one week. Part of the problem is engrained disobedience and part of it relates to the confidence and leadership of the rider. We expect the horse to behave, insist upon it really, and we expect him to go…