Be Your Best Horsemanship

Latest Episodes:

How the Fear of Success May Be Holding You Back May 11, 2021

Show notes

Setting goals is easy. Achieving these goals, on the other hand, can be more challenging. Sometimes, it’s not always the fear of failure that gets in our way--it’s the fear of success. As high achievers, we tend to set such big goals for ourselves that the thought of achieving them can become intimidating, overwhelming, or even unrealistic. When we get overwhelmed by our goals, we can become paralyzed by the thought of what it will take to achieve that success. That’s why we set the goal to get 1% better every day. This is a manageable, realistic goal that, over time, compounds into monumental growth.

On this episode, I’m sharing my tips for setting realistic goals and expectations for your training. Read the full show notes at philhaugenhorsemanship.com.

The Signal Before the Signal May 04, 2021

Show notes

One of the biggest limiting factors I see in performance horses is a lack of collection. And, I believe this starts with a misconception of what collection really is. On this episode, I am debunking some common misunderstandings about collection, discussing how to establish "the signal before the signal," and explaining why collection is essential for performance horses.

To learn more about the exercises discussed in this episode, visit philhaugenhorsemanship.com/courses.

Overcoming Impatient Tendencies Apr 27, 2021

Show notes

Our horses are very forgiving. Given the opportunity to find the right answer, they will find it. The key to allowing your horse to find this answer consistently is to overcome your impatience. This means, giving your horse the chance to do it right before stepping in to help. If you step in too early, you’ll simply be in the way.

In this episode, I'm sharing one of the most common impatient tendencies that trainers, including myself, have to overcome daily. For more information about the exercises discussed in this episode, head over to philhaugenhorsemanship.com/courses.

Enhancing Effort and Potential Apr 20, 2021

Show notes

I believe that effort is a learned response. And, I believe this principle holds true for both horses and people. While some people and horses naturally give more effort than others, I believe that the amount of effort put forth always has a direct relationship to the expectations that have been set.

It is easy to wake up every morning and talk yourself out of doing the things that are uncomfortable or difficult. Those who are willing to put forth the effort and make themselves uncomfortable are the ones who I admire. And, luckily, I find myself surrounded by more and more of these people everyday.

Tune into this episode as I share some recent experiences from our 2021 clinic series, and how these experiences demonstrate the relationship between effort and potential.

Conversations About Great Horses Apr 13, 2021

Show notes

The work that it takes to develop a horse’s physical and mental ability is a continual process. Therefore, a horse is never truly “finished.” A horse may reach a point in its training where it feels confident and adaptable to many different situations. But, there is really no way to know how a horse will react in every scenario.

In this episode, I'm sharing some recent conversations I've had about what it takes to make a horse "great." Read the full show notes at philhaugenhorsemanship.com/podcast.

Enhancing Your Value as a Trainer Apr 06, 2021

Show notes

It took me many years to become comfortable with the idea of investing in myself. In fact, for the better part of my early training career, I would invest in everything but myself. The reason that I wasn’t investing in myself wasn’t because I didn’t have the time or money to do so. It was because I didn’t feel like I was worthy of the investment.

When I was able to see my own value, that’s when things began to change. I began to realize how these small investments of time and money would eventually compound into experiences that enhanced my value as a trainer.

On this episode, I'm sharing some of my experiences around the idea of investing in yourself, and how the knowledge and experiences you gain through these investments can enhance the value of your training career, as well as the value of your equine partners.

Developing Patience with Anxious Horses Mar 30, 2021

Show notes

When you come across an anxious horse, it is easy to become frustrated both with yourself and with the horse. The fact of the matter is--some horses are just wired this way. It has nothing to do with you or your training program. But, you and your training program can be the thing that makes the difference for this type of horse.

On this episode, I'm sharing some perspectives that can help you develop patience with anxious horses and adapt your training program to help those horses reach their full potential. Read the full show notes at philhaugenhorsemanship.com/podcast.

Survival Mode Mar 23, 2021

Show notes

What if we could be assured that all of our hard work would pay off? What if we knew without a doubt that all the time spent performing thousands of repetitions of those fundamental exercises would finally result in a paycheck? Would our levels of commitment be different?

In this episode, I'm talking about developing a "survival mode" mindset toward your horsemanship journey and developing habits of consistency and hopefulness. Read the full show notes at philhaugenhorsemanship.com.

Strengths and Struggles Mar 16, 2021

Show notes

It is easy to become obsessed with our weaknesses. However, when we constantly work on the areas we struggle with, our strengths begin to diminish as well. On this episode, I am discussing some of the most common things trainers struggle with and how to overcome these challenges through patience and balance. Read the full show notes at philhaugenhorsemanship.com/podcast.

Building Confidence & Preparing for Competition Mar 09, 2021

Show notes

As a competitor, my confidence comes from knowing that I have my horse prepared. When I know that my horse is where it needs to be, I know that I have put myself in a position to use my horse’s strengths to make my job easier.

On this episode, I'm sharing a few tips that will help you recognize ways to optimize your horse's performance for new set ups and continually reinforce a confidence-based training approach.

Read the full show notes at philhaugenhorsemanship.com/podcast.