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 I first got him, and
Resources for Cantering Confidently
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, Secret Powers Are Within You
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
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
Reward, Reinforcement and Punishment
Horses are intricate and complicated animals and their views and perceptions of the world around them can be quite different from our own. Being prey animals and flight animals, horses are highly sensitive to all
Slower is Faster with Horses
Let’s face it, we’ve become a society of instant gratification. From fast food, to fake nails, we like immediate results. This quest for instant results carries over to horsemanship, too—from flying lead changes, to
Trust Your Intuition to Avoid Injury
“Try That One More Time.” When it comes to horses, these words are often looked back on with regret. They’re often the words muttered right before something goes terribly wrong. Words matter. Sometimes we need
1010: Eye Kandee
Julie Goodnight works with a Gypsy Vanner cart horse and helps the rider canter for the first time under saddle.
A Horse’s Sense of Fairness
“Does my horse have a sense of fairness?” Recently, one of my Interactive Academy members asked me this question—a question that no one has ever asked me during my forty years of teaching people to
Making Time for Horses
When I was a kid, horses and ballet lessons were the only non-school activities I did. I went to the barn every single day to ride my horse. Life was uncomplicated then and time was
Resistance to Canter
What do you do when your calm and cool horse doesn’t want to move out at the trot or canter? Resist the urge to peddle and make sure your horse will listen to your cues.
Mastering the Canter
Everywhere I go—whether it’s to clinics, expos, conferences or just riding with friends—there are riders working on mastering the canter. Whether it is a novice rider just figuring out how to cue the horse and
Extended Trot Instead Of Canter Cue
Julie Goodnight Q&A Q: How do I get my horse to move out at the trot without breaking into a lope? He’s a western horse learning dressage and the extended trot is part of the
Explosive Canter Departures: Learning to let go and allow the horse to move forward
I’ve learned to recognize the signs of the horse who’s afraid of the canter departure. I’ve seen it many times throughout my career: A “forward” horse (with too much go) works just fine with the
Episode 914 – Departure Time
This former driving horse and amazing patrol horse learns to take off into the canter with control.
Episode 912 – Speed Limit – Behind The Scenes
Julie Goodnight helps a trail horse canter with control.
Episode 910 – Braking Gait – Behind The Scenes
Learning to canter on a young horse who hasn’t held the gait before and who has learned to stop.
Episode 910 – Braking Gait
Learning to canter on a young horse who hasn’t held the gait before and who has learned to stop.
My Horse Consistently Breaks Gait From A Lope To A Jog On The Right Lead. Q & A
Q: My horse consistently breaks gait from a lope to a jog on the right lead. What may be causing this? –Haley White A: This is an interesting question—and I wish I had a few
Master Each Gait
TTR JULY/AUGUST 2015 ~ FEATURE Master Each Gait What can you do to speed up a slow-walking horse and slow down a horse that’s too fast at the trot? And should you ever canter on
Fear Management
What do you do if you have ridden successfully in the past but a scary incident or injury replaced fun with fear? I hear from many riders who were once confident and after an accident
Surviving First Canter Lessons
Teaching Techniques Surviving First Canter Lessons By Julie Goodnight Canter: Sometimes, the mere mention of the word is enough to send riding students into panic and cause high blood pressure in the instructor. And it
Episode 823 – When Wrong Is Right
Julie Goodnight teaches a versatility ranch horse prospect to counter canter for ultimate lead control.
Episode 823 – When Wrong Is Right – Behind The Scenes
Julie Goodnight teaches a versatility ranch horse prospect to counter canter for ultimate lead control. Bonus footage not seen on TV.
Canter Malfunctions
Top trainer Julie Goodnight helps you analyze your riding posture and prepare you for the perfect canter. Find out how rider errors contribute to wrong leads and more. By Julie Goodnight with Heidi Melocco Cantering
Episode 722 – Don’t Stop Now– Behind The Scenes
Julie Goodnight helps a rider teach her young horse to move forward and into the canter
Episode 722 – Don’t Stop Now
“Don’t Stop Now” Julie Goodnight helps a rider teach her young horse to move forward and into the canter.
Clear Cues For The Canter Depart
Trainer Julie Goodnight explains what to do if your horse is misreading the cue to canter. http://www.equisearch.com/article/clear-cues-for-the-canter-depart-8597
Julie Goodnight’s Tips For Riding A Horse: How To Ride A Horse At The Canter
Top trainer/clinician Julie Goodnight showcases how you can ride your horse at the canter in this free guide. http://myhorse.com/free-guides/julie-goodnights-tips-for-riding-a-horse-how-to-ride-a-horse-at-the-canter/?utm_source=pinterest&utm_medium=Goodnight&utm_campaign=SEO-Campaign
Riding Skills: Making Smooth Gait Transitions
Clinician Julie Goodnight tells you how to use pre-signals and breathing techniques to improve your horse’s transitions between gaits. Are your horse’s transitions between gaits as smooth as glass? Or do you hold your breath
Shut Down
Dear Julie, I’ve been thinking a lot about this problem, since I didn’t find that our instructor found the right thing to do. Instead of finding an answer, he did what a program told him
Canter Control
Dear Julie, I have had my horse for 10 months. I am scared to ride her outside because every time I ask her for a canter, or if another horse canters off ahead of her,
Afraid Of The Canter Cue
Question: Dear Julie, When riding in the arena at the canter, for the first few strides my horse throws his head up in the air. Why is he doing this? Puzzled Answer: Dear Puzzled, This
Does Your Horse Like Your Saddle?
At a recent clinic weekend, I rode with a lovely woman, MaryAnn, who had hauled her Paint mare eight hours. MaryAnn was a sponge of a student—my favorite kind. She was knowledgeable, experienced and a
Fear Of Cantering
Ask Julie Goodnight: How do I overcome fears of cantering? 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
The Cross Canter
The Cross-Canter “Cross-canter” is the proper term for what is commonly called “cross-firing” or “disunited” cantering. As opposed to picking up the correct lead, with both front and hind inside legs leading the way, the
Canter Leads
Rule Out the Physical If you’re having trouble with your horse’s canter leads, make sure to rule out physical problems first. Whenever a horse only takes one lead at the canter, you always have to
Kicks At The Canter
Ask Julie Goodnight: Help, my horse kicks at the canter! 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
Canter Cue
Does Your Horse Fear the Canter Cue? At my clinics and during the TV show shoots, I often see horses that are fearful of the canter cue. Many riders are a little intimidated by the
Fearing The Transition
In Devon Danvers’ “Lost in Transition” episode of Horse Master, I helped a teenager who was ready to stop showing—and riding—because his horse exploded into the canter and just wasn’t fun to ride. The episode
My Horse Bucks When I Ask Him To Canter
Common Complaints My horse bucks when I ask him to canter. When you ask your horse to canter, does he pin his ears and hump his back—making it feel like he just swallowed a watermelon?
Riding Skills: Lead Changes
Question Category: Riding Skills Question: Julie, Hope all is going well for you. I’m continuing to enjoy teaching kids riding lessons. My question this time: What’s the best way to teach advance kids how to
Riding Skills: Is Contact Required For Collection?
Question Category: Riding Skills Question: Julie, I saw your clinic at the horse Expo in Illinois a couple of years ago and am completely impressed with both the your clinic and the down to earth
Riding Skills: Feeling Canter Leads
Question Category: Riding Skills Question: Hi Julie, I have trouble feeling my canter leads, and I know the worst thing I can do is look down. What is the best way to feel the lead?
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
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