Training Articles
Does your trail horse paw, walk off when you mount up, or go at an inconsistent speed? Correct these behavioral woes with these techniques from top trainer/clinician Julie Goodnight. BY
Question: I just purchased a seven-year-old gelding. The previous owner was riding him in a single-jointed snaffle bit. Now, I’m looking for a bit for him and he has responded
The Trail Rider ~ May/June 2016 Riding Right Stop in an Emergency The one-rein stop is often taught as the go-to aid for slowing and stopping a rowdy horse. But
The Trail Rider ~ May 2016 Ride Right with Julie Goodnight The Pulley-Rein Stop Learn how to stop a bolting horse on a narrow trail using a pulley rein with
Q: What are safe tips to introduce my kids to horses and riding? I want them to love riding but don’t want to do too much too soon and end
Q: Sometimes when I’m picking out my horse’s hooves, she pulls it down onto the floor. If I hold it tightly, she tries to jerk it away. How can I
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
Q: How tight should I tighten my horse’s cinch—and what is the right process. I don’t want to hurt my horse and I want to make sure he never becomes
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
Question: Why do some horses feel threatened when it comes to their food, and in return behave in an aggressive way at meal times? What can I do to prevent
By: Heidi Melocco with Julie Goodnight Top trainer/clinician Julie Goodnight gives you three fun activities designed to enhance the bond you have with your horse and solidify your role as
A Safe Handle on the Reins By Heidi Nyland Melocco with Julie Goodnight Learn how to safely use your reins on the trail with top trainer/clinician Julie Goodnight. She’ll explain how
Understand elusive riding terminology to get the most out of your ride time Concept and Written by Julie Goodnight ©2013 You know the feeling. You ride in a lesson and
Relationship Fix Series By Julie Goodnight with Heidi Melocco Top trainer Julie Goodnight discusses how horses gain a sense of calm and necessary interaction with the herd—and how
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
Relationship Rescue with Julie Goodnight Stupid Human Tricks: Unsafe Mistakes We Make Around Horses If you get too comfortable around a horse (even one that you have a great relationship
RIDE RIGHT WITH Julie Goodnight Saddle Up By Heidi Melocco with Julie Goodnight When did you last check your horse’s saddle fit? Many horses change body shape and therefore saddle
Trail Tips: When to water, lead across obstacles, don’t allow your horse to eat with a bit Take Water Breaks Horses should have access to clean water at least twice
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
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
Question: I work as a therapeutic riding instructor at a facility that has about 20+ horses. We have all types of horse behavior issues that creep up before we know
Question: The camp where I work mainly serves kids which have never ridden before, and some of our horses will have 15 different riders in a week between campers and
Riding lessons are all about imparting information and developing rider skill, but sometimes students are over-loaded with information. It’s helpful to plan practice time in each lesson– either at the
For many horses, particularly in the winter when the hair coat is very thick, pulling the bridle over the ears is a tight fit and can cause a lot of
The frog of the hoof grows continuously and is an important structure of the foot. Traditionally, farriers would trim the frog back, keeping it very neat and trim, but increasingly
What defines a senior horse? While there is no consensus among experts about what constitutes a “senior” horse, most agree that it is not based on chronological age but on
Find Julie’s tips from the AQHA publication. Tips about riding a rough trot, dealing with a head shy horse, links to safety videos, cantering tips, manners at feed time and
Clear, consistent communication is the key to smooth transitions with your horse. AQHA Professional Horsewoman Julie Goodnight explains that your horse comes to understand how you’re moving with how he’s
Getting your horse to drop his head gives him a serene, quiet place to be. It’s a great horse-training technique. From AQHA Professional Horsewoman and Certified Horsemanship Association instructor Julie
Why would you use a rawhide nose band to achieve results with a lighter touch? Why not just do the training to have the horse understand the lighter pressure with
In a perfect world, horses would never bite, kick or misbehave. You know you need to correct your horse, but how do you know what is appropriate or too much
Does Your Horse Have A Fear Of Bugs? Check out this Q and A with Julie Goodnight. Question: My horse has a fear of bugs, over the last year it
To Buy or Not to Buy? Do you have your eye on a stock-horse breed for your next surefooted trail horse? Follow top trainer/clinician Julie Goodnight’s seven expert horse-evaluation steps
Finding a Kid’s Horse Older is Better—You want a horse that is set in his ways, experienced and unflappable. The Rule of 20 says that the age of the horse
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE www.GettyEquineNutrition.com July 30, 2015 The Secret? Keep It Simple! By Juliet M. Getty, Ph.D. We know they’re out there. Horses who are enjoying life. Horses who are
Relationship Fix Series Bonding Dos and Don’ts By Julie Goodnight with Heidi Melocco Top trainer Julie Goodnight discusses how to show your horse affection without deteriorating your
First Aid Sometimes it seems like a horse could hurt himself even if you locked him in a padded stall. Running and playing with other horses keeps your horse
With a high-quality forage, horses may not need concentrates or supplements at all, but all my horses get supplements because I want them to look and feel their best. For
Cheating the Circle During Round Pen Work; Following the Herd Hierarchy at Feed Time Q: How can I get my horse to longe or round pen in a complete circle?
Have you ever had trouble loading your horse into the trailer — even when he’s loaded successfully in his past? There’s a chance you may unknowingly be contributing to his
Feeding Tips from Dr. Juliet Getty Horses That Graze All Day on Pasture Eat More Slowly If you let your horse out to graze on pasture for only a few
It’s easy to lose confidence on the trail if your well-trained horse has defied you or refused to go forward. A threat to bolt or rear can make a confident
Julie talks about what you need to know before you even think about taking off the bridle. See the PDF>>Bridleless Preparation PDF
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
Stopping Saddle Squeaks There’s nothing worse than riding around the arena in a saddle that’s so loud that everyone can hear you coming. The solution is simple. Take some baby
RIDE RIGHT WITH JULIE GOODNIGHT Ground-Work Exercises Hone your horse’s manners and your leadership skills over the winter for a better ride in the spring with these tips from top
Does your horse always cut the corners in the arena? Does he veer around little obstacles—such as puddles—even though you told him to go straight through? Do your circles become
As we get older, time in the saddle can bring on aches and pains. Here’s one horseman’s advice on how to minimize discomfort and enjoy your rides. http://www.equisearch.com/the-trail-rider/learn-ropes