Train Your Own Horse with Stacy Westfall

Latest Episodes:

How Can I Improve My Horse's Lope or Canter? Sep 18, 2019

Show notes

One of the number one issues that I get questions about is improving a lope or canter and doing it safely. I use the four square model of the horse's mind, the horse's body, rider's mind, and rider's body to illustrate some safety precautions for improving your lope and canter. To explain the issues people have and a common remedy, I kick the show off with a call from one of my past clinic participants named Bob. I asked Bob if he'd be willing to share his experience with everyone, and he agreed.

After my conversation with Bob, I have another guest named Michelle that had a horse with very serious metabolic issues and laminitis. I remember things better when they are wrapped in a story, and I've never had a horse with these issues. Michelle shares her story of trying to get a diagnosis for her horse, and the treatment that finally helped her recover. Michelle hopes that her story will help others be advocates for their horses.

Show Notes:

[01:53] Bob came to one of our clinics, and he lives close enough to us that he's been able to take lessons with Jesse.

[02:13] His question was about getting a controlled rhythmic lope that he's seen a lot of other people accomplish. Bob's lopes were frantic and even scary at times.

[02:35] Bob's main assignment was to lope more for longer periods of time.

[03:01] After increasing his time, his horse will now rhythmically canter.

[03:41] Bob thinks that the horse was thinking that if he went fast he would get the stop.

[06:10] Bob's question is one of the most common questions.

[07:19] The improvement has really made a difference in Bob's mounted shooting. He rides about three to four days a week. He works his horse for an hour.

[08:26] He works on things in the outdoor arena and on trail rides.

[09:26] Let's use the four square model and begin with the horse's body to talk about safety when working up to your lope or canter.

[09:36] You may need to improve your horses physical conditioning to improve his lope or canter. You can do this by lunging more on a lunge line or in a round pen.

[10:03] You could also lunge over poles at a canter.

[10:37] You also need to take a look at your horses mind. If you're unclear about your horse's body or mind, get a professional opinion to put you at ease.

[11:39] Another square in the model is the rider's body. What is making you physically uncomfortable about writing more?

[12:23] You should work on your trot to improve your confidence before you work into the lope.

[13:47] You can also improve your physical strength outside of riding a horse.

[14:06] When you go to the fourth quadrant of the rider's mind, a great exercise to do is write down all of your fears on a piece of paper. Then find a solution for each thing that is holding you back.

[16:45] I believe in analyzing what is going on with the fear rather than just forcing yourself to work through it.

[19:54] Michelle bought her horse when it had just turned three. Her horse was a healthy Tennessee Walking Horse.

[20:35] When Michelle's horse was seven, she began having acute lameness. It took awhile to diagnose it as laminitis.

[21:25] Some symptoms that the horse had included breaking out in hives then becoming acutely lame. She acted like her front feet were sore, but there was no visible injury.

[23:47] With x-rays at the veterinarian, they were able to see the rotation and the sinking in her feet.

[24:48] After treatment, every six weeks for a year. The horse fully recovered. She still wears special shoes and goes to the vet once a year.

[26:13] She also started medication to boost her metabolism. The lab work did indicate a metabolic issue.

[27:58] The horse is also on a special diet and takes supplements. She is 11 years old now, and she has fully recovered.

[30:23] Michelle followed up with lab work, because the numbers tell you what is working.

[33:34] The horse is now on Metabarol and vitamin E.

Links and Resources:

Stacy Westfall's Video Vault

Episode 1: Fear vs Danger: Riders Can Improve If They Know the Difference

Rood & Riddle Equine Podiatry

Equithrive Metabarol

$50 Rebate Program

Have you ever wondered what a live version of this podcast would be like?I'm hosting some live, online video calls that are like a live version of this podcast. I teach on a subject, answer questions and for those who are brave, I'll turn your video on live too and you can join me for a conversation!

If you want to learn more about this you can visit https://stacywestfall.com/live/ for more information!

Improving Your Horses Steering Sep 11, 2019

Show notes

Have you ever been trail riding and realized that your right leg was passing very close to a tree? Have you pulled the reins to the left, and the horses neck went to the left but your leg still hit the tree? This is because horses don't always follow their necks. They follow their shoulders.

Most of us have learned that if we want the horse to go to the right, we pull on the right rein and if we want the horse to go to the left, we pull on the left rein. Most of the time, the head and shoulder will go in that direction.

In this episode, I'm going to explain the foundation for improving steering. This involves becoming very aware of shoulder control. I'll explain the idea that horses don't always follow their heads, and I'll give you an exercise to help improve your timing with this new awareness.

Show Notes:

[03:46] Horses don't always follow their heads, but they do always follow their shoulders.

[04:21] It's easy to think horses follow their heads, because that's one of the first things that riders and horses are taught.

[04:36] Today, we're going to embrace the idea that the horse doesn't always follow the shoulder, and we can move the head in one direction and the shoulder in the opposite direction.

[04:44] The only way this is possible is if the horse comprehends it and the aids are applied in the right manner.

[04:58] The same method that was used to train the horse to follow the shoulders, can have different timing and make something different happen. You can look at this as untraining or adding another layer.

[05:27] When I coach riders with horses at the elementary level, I often see steering problems.

[06:04] If a horse lacks a higher education, a rider might release out of self-preservation and the horse starts to see Grandma's rules and does what it wants.

[07:46] It's very fascinating what we can teach these horses on accident. When you realize how much can be taught on accident, you can really follow the line of thinking and start seeing how the horse is applying this.

[08:41] Sometimes riders don't notice subtle steering problems, because they don't ride specific patterns.

[11:34] Arena work helps horses see a pattern and think logically.

[14:39] Spiraling out is the horse bending to the left and going to the left. The right rein gets pulled towards three o'clock and the shoulder goes to the right.

[15:29] In neck reining, the right rein means to go to the left. This sounds confusing, but we are still moving the horses shoulder to the left. It's about the shoulders.

[15:56] Go in a small circle to the left. Your horse is going to ask a lot of questions.

[17:50] Whatever you release on is going to matter.

[18:31] Pay attention to the front feet. Think about where they are going. This will change every three or four steps.

[19:32] You can start to feel where you can have the timing to influence the horse.

[21:39] In elementary school, we teach the horse to move their shoulder in the direction that we pull the rein.

[21:57] In high school, we spiral out and ask the horse to bend in one direction and move the shoulder in the opposite.

[22:21] Eventually, we get to a point where we can neck rein. This means the horse will move the shoulder and bend to the direction of travel.

[22:47] The first exercise is one rein and both legs evenly. Ride in a circle to the left. Using one rein, the rider starts to experiment after a while.

[25:18] Riders start to realize how effective their legs can be for driving the horse forward and in a bigger circle.

Links and Resources:

Equithrive Use the code STACY for 10% off

Tennessee Equine Hospital

Tennessee Equine Hospital Facebook

Episode 38: Rewarding Physical and Mental Changes in Your Horse

Episode 18: Improving Your Aids When Riding Your Horse

Episode 19: Your Weakest Aid When Horseback Riding

Episode 20: The Hierarchy of the Riders Aids as the Horse Advances

Episode 36: 3 Reasons to Do Groundwork With Your Horse

If you want to learn more about this you can visit https://stacywestfall.com/live/ for more information!

Training HOT Horses Sep 04, 2019

Show notes

Hot horses are those high energy horses who want to run fast and don't always do what you want. In this episode, I go back to my teeter totter example to explain the spectrum of hot horses. Picture a +10 on one side and a -10 on the other. A hot horse will run the spectrum on the plus side. I also talk about the difference between a hot horse with high energy and a horse that could be nervous or confused because of lack of training.

I explore the pros and cons of hot horses and how they can be better trained. The horse's body is a reflection of their mind, and I answer a couple of listener questions about hot horses and give some examples that might be helpful. In today's On Call with Dr. Monty we talk about the number one killer of horses, and Dr. Monty shares a wonderful program that can help save horses and give owners peace of mind.

Show Notes:

[05:04] My horse Popcorn is more of a natural +7. He puts his head down in the pasture and runs as hard and fast as he can. At his core, he is a very hot horse.

[06:55] Pros of hot horses include them being athletic and easy to motivate. They are also very sensitive. They tend to think quick. They are quick on their feet and mentally in thinking.

[07:47] Cons include thinking quick, being sensitive, being athletic, and trying too hard. All of the things that are the pros are also the cons with hot horses.

[08:09] Hot isn't good or bad, but it's definitely more useful in certain situations and less useful in other situations.

[09:01] It's okay to recognize certain traits. If you just want a horse to walk down the trail, you probably don't want a hot horse.

[09:34] Be aware of the patterns that you use when you ride. These include the physical pattern that you ride in and the habits you have while you ride.

[10:01] Add groundwork, because it's a great place to teach emotional control. This teaches the horse how to behave correctly under pressure, and it helps convince you that the horse will behave correctly.

[11:02] Hot horses often get rewarded for being hot.

[16:06] A listener question about a horse that needs to let go and relax.

[17:47] The horse gets faster on a loose rein. This might mean that he is a little bit lost. If the horse is lost, use more encouragement to give him guidance. He needs a hug.

[19:01] The percentage of groundwork isn't as important as the quality of the groundwork and what you are releasing on.

[20:43] You could be working on some thoughts that the horse thinks are a good idea, but they're not.

[21:50] I have a test to make sure horses understand the difference between whip and stand still that I use before I mount up.

[22:42] It all boils down to where he finds release.

[23:16] A listener question about a 16 year old gelding who doesn't want to walk after a canter or trot.

[24:47] There are signs on both sides of the teeter totter. This is a good sign that your horse is closer to zero. He is going back and forth between the two sides.

[26:07] When he goes up, he may not know how to go down. This could be a training issue.

[26:45] You need to use your legs more with a hot horse.

[27:10] Avoid spicy exercises with a hot horse. Add more base or boring stuff. Repetitive exercises can slow a horses mind down.

[29:11] Make sure downward transitions are like a hug. Close all of your aids or hands and legs. Applying pressure doesn't always mean move. Applying pressure to slow down is great to do in groundwork.

[32:22] These horses also contract their strides. Working on turns like the four leaf clover pattern can help.

[34:27] Keep thinking hug, soften, release.

[34:40] It matters where you release these horses.

[36:57] Use less leg on a cold horse and more leg on a hot horse.

[38:21] With hot horses you have a lot of forward motion to work with, and they are asking for the training.

[39:31] Colic is such a scary thing. It's the number one cause of death in horses. You shouldn't be scared about colic, but you should be ready.

[40:01] Out of every colic that Dr. Monty sees, 8 out of 10 just need medication and a veterinary examination. When you see signs of not wanting to eat, laying down, or trying to roll consider colic as a possible cause and get in touch with your veterinarian.

[40:39] About 1 1/2 out of 10 may need additional management and fluids and pain medication. Your veterinarian or veterinary hospital can help with that.

[41:05] The last category is the 1/2 horse out of 10 or the 5 out of 100 that have a life threatening condition and need surgery. They could have a twist or displacement or something going on that could kill the horse if it doesn't have surgery.

[41:35] At Tennessee Equine Hospital, they have a loyalty program where if they help with wellness and basic care, and you pay $50 a year, they will pay for your horses colic surgery, if needed.

[43:00] They have a greater than 80-85% success rate with their colic surgeries.

[43:39] They started the Promise Program, because one year they had to euthanize close to 60 horses that had owners who didn't or couldn't pay for the surgery.

Links and Resources:

Equithrive Use the code STACY for 10% off

Tennessee Equine Hospital

Tennessee Equine Hospital Facebook

Smart Start: Building a Strong Foundation for Your Horse

Stacy Westfall 2003 NRHA Futurity Freestyle Bridleless Reining

Stacy Westfall - 2011 Congress Freestyle Reining Bridleless - Can Can Vaquero

Stacy's Video Diary: Jac-Episode 1-First Day-Part 1-Evaluating Jac

Teach your horse to stand still: trail and arena Episode 3: The Trail to the World Show

Stacy Westfall: Emotional control of your horse (3 of 10)

If you want to learn more about this you can visit https://stacywestfall.com/live/ for more information!

True Forward Motion in a Horse Aug 28, 2019

Show notes

When we become very familiar with a term, it can sometimes lose meaning. When I talk about a horse having a lack of forward motion or needing more forward motion what I'm actually talking about is the horses first response without resistance.

Symptoms of not having forward motion would be a sluggish walk and a sluggish upward transition from walk to trot or from trot to lope. It can also manifest itself in the horse refusing to cross mud or being hesitant to load in the trailer. It can even be not going over a tarp, entering an arena, or not leading down a trail.

This episode is all about forward motion with definitions and examples. Then I talk about how learning something hard can make things easier. In my segment with Dr. Monty, we mention the unmentionables.

Show Notes:

[03:03] An example is a horse not walking into an arena. This is why it's important to teach a horse to lope over a tarp. This helps overcome the resistance of doing something that might be a little bit uncomfortable.

[04:04] I also got an email about a horse backing up when not appropriate.

[06:23] When we took our horses trail riding, they would go through the mud and the stream. These horses had learned true forward motion.

[09:07] The horses trusted the work done in the arena, so they were confident to move forward on the trail.

[10:03] I want my horses to be purposeful and thoughtful, but still apply forward motion.

[11:06] Another example is horses that won't enter an arena. These fast horses didn't understand forward motion.

[12:17] Hot horses don't truly understand leg pressure and forward motion, because they don't practice it very often.

[15:22] When you avoid making contact and pressure on the reins, the horse doesn't get a chance to learn higher level thinking. There's no place for a horse to work on balancing their body if you don't work on collection with them.

[19:06] A horse that isn't allowed to learn might lean against the rider's leg and not be truly forward.

[21:53] Collection is taught through connection with the reins and the legs of the rider.

[23:19] Teaching forward motion isn't complicated.

[29:07] When a rider becomes willing to make a connection with the reins, he can move forward under pressure with the horse.

[31:11] Your horse can learn to go forward and become better for it.

[32:36] You can teach a horse to become confident and overcome pressure. Teaching a horse to handle pressure might seem hard, but it makes their life easier in the end.

[33:52] Sheath and udder cleaning is our mystery subject with Dr. Monty.

[35:04] Moisture buildup can lead to infection. These areas need to be cleaned to prevent infection.

[36:54] Over cleaning can also cause irritation. You can use too many soaps and cleaners.

[37:23] Dr. Monty doesn't recommend using soap regularly. He recommends a product called Excalibur.

[38:01] It's not a bad idea to have a professional help with this or at least have an exam to see what is needed.

Links and Resources:

Episode 38: Rewarding Physical and Mental Changes in Your Horse

Equithrive

Tennessee Equine Hospital

Excalibur

If you want to learn more about this you can visit https://stacywestfall.com/live/ for more information!

Why I Do Not Disengage My Horse's Hips Aug 21, 2019

Show notes

There are times when you may need to make an emergency stop with your horse. One way to do this is to disengage the horse's hips. This is something that I do not do in my training, and today, I'm going to tell you why. First, I'm going to explain exactly what I mean by disengaging the horse's hip. I'm also going to discuss the difference when riding and doing groundwork.

When learning about horses, I encourage you to look at many programs including other people's. When watching other programs look at the form to function and then make your own decisions. They may not use the same terminology.

I also have an interesting and forward thinking discussion with Dr. Monty about deworming.

Show Notes:

[00:58] What I mean by disengaging the horse's hip is that the horse should plant its front feet and swing its hips to the side when doing groundwork or riding.

[01:19] You could also think of this as a turn on the forehand during groundwork.

[02:01] During ridden work it's when the head is pulled around to the rider's leg.

[03:11] The interesting thing when discussing engaging versus disengaging is that it can be different, so we need to get really specific with our definitions.

[05:27] Disengagement is going to have the front end of the horse planted and engagement is going to still have forward motion.

[06:31] I have said for years, that I don't teach my horses to disengage. I only did it as a requirement for a test.

[07:19] I don't teach my horses to disengage during riding, because it's going to slow my training down, and it's counter to everything else I do.

[07:54] It's easier for a horse to disengage than engage, so I'm not going to teach something easier right at the beginning.

[08:12] I use disengaging for groundwork, because I'm using it to get the horse to turn and face me.

[08:32] I also don't use any disengaging moments at higher speeds.

[10:49] Sometimes disengaging and engaging will look similar, because they both have forward motion. Maintaining motion is the hallmark.

[12:25] I teach disengage on groundwork limited to the walk and the trot. I don't use it exclusively.

[14:32] When riding, I teach the horse to bend and freeze its feet.

[17:22] Having a horse disengage is uncomfortable, because it's not very well-balanced.

[18:01] Use a one rein or emergency stop by bending the horses head around, so you can jump off.

[20:48] Dr. Monty and I discuss deworming.

[22:45] The old school way is to deworm every two months.

[23:23] The latest thinking is to take a yearly fecal test and then determine what level of parasite load the horse has and then make a proper deworm plan.

[24:03] You won't be able to keep your horse from parasites, but they do have a natural immunity.

[25:05] Horses with a low parasite number are dewormed twice a year. A horse with higher numbers is dewormed every 90 days. Really high numbers are dewormed and then checked in two more weeks.

[25:44] There will be low numbers, medium numbers and high numbers.

[26:07] Get a fecal test done and treat your horse appropriately.

Links and Resources:

Stacy's Video Diary: Jac-Episode 1-First Day-Part 1-Evaluating Jac

Episode 39: The Two Most Basic Cues When Riding a Horse

Equithrive

Tennessee Equine Hospital

If you want to learn more about this you can visit https://stacywestfall.com/live/ for more information!

The Two Most Basic Cues When Riding a Horse Aug 14, 2019

Show notes

It's a bold statement to say there are two simple cues that fix most issues. When I say most issues I mean things like bucking, rearing, head tossing, and a lot of the issues that we experienced under saddle. You might wonder how it's possible that two simple cues can fix most of those issues? In this episode, I explain the first two cues that I teach a horse when I'm riding them under a saddle.

I'll talk about these cues in three different phases and from the horses point of view and the rider's point of view. These two important elementary cues are bend and forward motion. These two cues are the cornerstone of safety when teaching your horse to ride under saddle. I also answer a listener question and discuss equine dentistry with Dr. Monty.

Show Notes:

[03:21] Bend and forward motion are the two elementary cues.

[04:12] These cues don't go away when the horse makes it to high school. They are just masked by the other cues. When we get to college with the horse we have a more advanced level of communication.

[06:02] I think maybe these cues are underused because people start with their horse in high school. It also feels like less control if you go down to one rein.

[07:38] Horses are very straight when they buck and rear and exhibit problems. This elementary school exercise helps to get the horses engaged right off the bat.

[09:06] The bare minimum with training Popcorn was to get him to bend around and trot. These were my safe baselines.

[10:49] When I start coaching a rider to let go more, and they have fear, they are lacking the understanding of less is more.

[11:04] Bend is your friend. I say this over and over at clinics.

[11:40] For safety, foundation exercises are your friend.

[12:09] Think about what it would take to be able to bend the horse a little bit more.

[12:45] The horse is more comfortable when it's not as restricted. If a rider is using all four aides, that puts a lot of pressure on the horse.

[14:50] The clarity of simplifying makes it much easier on the horse.

[15:18] Early exercises are the foundations of the horses training. You can understand the horse's feedback better if you reduce everything down to the most simple cues that you can give.

[16:49] Stacy shares a listener question about trail riding with a gelding that complains or bucks when they go into a lope. The listener usually rides through it. Does this need to be fixed?

[18:47] When a pattern develops, it's time to get ahead of it. Try to address it proactively.

[20:20] Walk, trot, then work in a circle with some bend. Trot a little faster and ease up. This can address the complaints at a lower level.

[24:01] Once your horse realizes that loping is easier than trotting fast, he'll want to lope.

Equine Dentistry with Dr. Monty:

[26:59] Horses in the wild with good teeth do better. It's part of natural selection.

[27:56] Domesticated horses aren't bred for good teeth. Domesticated horses have a lot of dental issues.

[28:32] Horses teeth continue to grow longer. If they are aligned, the length will be ground off. Bad behavior can be a sign of dental problems.

[30:29] Dr. Monty and a lot of other vets do dentistry.

[31:29] Make corrections in phases. Don't be aggressive. Also get a reference. Check the horses teeth at least annually but twice a year is better.

Links and Resources:

Episode 6: The horse's path of learning is NOT the same as the rider

Equithrive

Tennessee Equine Hospital

If you want to learn more about this you can visit https://stacywestfall.com/live/ for more information!

Rewarding Physical and Mental Changes in Your Horse Aug 07, 2019

Show notes

Timing is everything when it comes to horse training. I don't want to put any pressure on you, but you need really good timing.

Your timing may never be perfect, but it can always be improved. In a future episode, I will also talk about how in the beginning, your timing is everything and then once the horse picks up more responsibility your timing is less important. This is such a great topic, because the contradictions can be almost mind-blowing, yet the subtleties are so important to learn.

This episode is all about the importance of timing. I talk about how to improve your timing and common mistakes I see in timing. Then is my segment with Dr. Monty we discuss electrolytes and cooling down your horse. You don't want to miss this, because Dr. Monty gives me a cooling tip that I've never heard before.

Show Notes:

[02:18] Physical timing is the first thing that people are able to see and identify. Later on people develop the ability to reward mental timing.

[03:50] Your horse will reveal to you the spots where you have the weakest understanding.

[04:37] A listener question about timing. He has trouble loading into the trailer.

[06:26] The horses fear is often a lack of understanding. The horse needs to be desensitized to the stimulus that causes the fear. He also needs to be sensitized to the halter.

[08:43] The goal is to see an emotional balance across the board.

[10:16] Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't means that there are holes in the training.

[14:26] Pulling the horse on the trailer is never a good idea.

[16:57] When your horse sees the trailer his brain doesn't want to go on to it, so his feet don't move. Finding the answers can get very layered.

[18:28] You can hear all aspects of the four square model in trailer loading. The riders mind, the rider's body, the horse's mind, and the horse's body.

[18:47] There's a difference between physical timing and mental timing. Physical timing is a great place to start.

[20:12] The horse can't squeeze between your body and the trailer if you're standing with your shoulder against the trailer.

[21:45] Without the clarity of a goal, people can be unclear.

[23:28] The lead line is in your left hand. The moves you make can be like a chess game. Put a light pressure on the lead rope.

[25:00] Watch your horse as you take the slack out.

[29:52] Look at his eyes. If he looks asleep, he's ready for another question.

[31:04] Patience is an underused tool.

[32:27] Timing is tied to what he is thinking.

[35:15] Pick up the slack again. Are his eyes wide?

[38:08] Raise your right hand. What did your horse say? Pay attention to the little details.

[44:02] Groundwork is all done with timing.

[45:16] I love liberty work. Part of our job is to teach horses to speak human. A horses reaction to pressure in a healthy way can keep them safe.

[48:03] When you start to see what is happening, it gets fun, because you can see the problem ahead and be proactive.

[49:05] A question about a young horse and directing his attention to a different spot.

[54:15] Engaging a horse in the conversation takes away the boredom.

Dr. Monty and I Discuss Electrolytes and Dealing With the Heat

[55:12] When it's hot what signs indicate stress and is white block salt enough?

[55:33] The salt contains electrolytes which helps cool the horse and improves the cardiovascular system.

[56:02] White salt may not be enough. When it's really hot put an electrolyte supplement into the feed.

[57:01] If it's too hot for you, it's probably not the best time to ride. Start early or wait until the evening. Horses deal with heat through respiration and sweating.

[57:49] Placing ice on the jugular vein will cool the blood flow which helps to cool the body.

Links and Resources:

Trailer Loading Tips Sponsored by Tekonshah

Stacy Westfall horse training lesson with Twilite Trailers - Part 1

Stacy Westfall horse training lesson with Twilite Trailers - Part 2

Episode 30: Correcting Behavior We Dislike In Our Horses

Equithrive Use the code Stacy for 10% off and free shipping

If you want to learn more about this you can visit https://stacywestfall.com/live/ for more information!

Do This During Groundwork With Your Horse Jul 31, 2019

Show notes

Before we begin I want to clear up something about last week's podcast. I randomly mentioned something going on with Popcorn's ear. He has a papilloma virus or ear plaque, but it's improving dramatically.

In this episode, I'm going to explain the first communication I developed during groundwork. I'm also going to talk about the difference between leading versus drawing. In my final segment with Dr. Monty, we answer a listener question about increasing exercise tolerance versus overworking.

Show Notes:

[02:45] When someone brings a horse in for a lesson some of the first things I want to know include can I get this horse out of my space and can I get it to face me.

[05:40] Horses that are in your space need to learn how to back out of your space. You can make your arms big or tap on the knee.

[07:26] I do a lot of my work on a lunge line.

[08:43] When a horse is on the line, I want to keep them out of my space and ask them to turn and face me. With this, I no longer feel crowded and the horse is facing me.

[09:45] If you watch the video in my first email newsletter, you will see an example of Popcorn and two younger horses deciding who is going to back out of the space.

[11:15] When horses interact, and they have a lot of respect for each other, they have a bigger bubble.

[12:18] Some will jockey for space and some kick and some bite.

[12:56] Observe the language that you see your horses using when they interact with each other.

[13:06] Can I keep the horse out of my space at least four feet out? Is the horse facing me? Am I able to send this horse to the left or the right?

[14:04] Communication gets more subtle. Body language is big in the beginning.

[15:04] Use big animated body language when first working with a horse. The end goal is to get the communication really refined.

[16:31] I'll have the owner stand in a hula hoop and see if they can back the horse out of their space.

[17:05] These are some of the things to think about when it comes to the horses body.

[18:08] At the beginning, I use drawing them in more than leading. I usually lead the horse from the side, so it's not pulling directly against me.

[20:06] Your body has so much power to communicate.

Dr. Monty Answers a Listener Question About Increasing Exercise Tolerance Versus Overworking

[25:20] Where is the line between over practicing and keeping a rhythm?

[26:23] Look how the horse is breathing and how the horse is sweating. You can tell how a horse is doing by watching respiration and sweat. Also think how healthy a horses joints are.

[28:00] Exercise your horse three to five times a week and start easy with a trot before going into canter work. It takes two to three weeks for a horse to increase strength and endurance.

Links and Resources:

Are ear plaques better left alone?

Stacy Westfall YouTube

Equithrive tell them Stacy sent you.

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3 Reasons to Do Groundwork With Your Horse Jul 24, 2019

Show notes

A big part of training is establishing communication in a safe way. In this episode, I share three reasons why you should do groundwork. I share how to safely work with horses at different stages and one of the biggest aspects of communication which is reading body language.

I also introduce a new segment with equine veterinarian Dr. Monty McInturff.

Over the years, I've spent a lot of time with great veterinarians. There is routine care, maintenance, and early diagnostic care. Seeing so many horses in training is kind of like being a sports coach. If I saw something off, a vet trip would be needed. Anytime you can spend time at vet clinics watching what is going on is a huge learning opportunity.

When I was talking to the folks at Equithrive and they said they had lots of connections with vets, it was super exciting to me to think that I could continue my education through this partnership with them. This week I am bringing you a new segment called: On Call with Dr. Monty. Dr. Monty has been an equine practitioner for over 30 years and specifically focuses on the equine athlete.

Show Notes:

[01:12] Stacy shares an entertaining listener voice mail where he acted out her podcast instructions while listening at an airport.

[02:12] A deep dive into the horses body. The first thing I go to is a horse in a round pen. Thinking about ground work makes it easier to think about the horses body.

[03:32] Three reasons why you should do ground work: 1. It's the best place to read the horses body. 2. It's the best for your horse to learn to read your body. 3. You can teach emotional control.

[04:10] Picture yourself standing in the middle of a 60 foot round pen. A wild horse will be further away from you. As a handler, you read the body language and decide where to move while the horse is reading your body language.

[07:15] There is a conversation happening between the horse and rider even if it just looks like a horse and rider walking towards a stall.

[07:45] Your horse is reading your body language and what he is allowed to do and not allowed to do.

[08:31] I want you to think about the power that comes in having the horse away 15 or 20 feet away from you. Now you have a complete picture of the horse's body.

[09:33] Think about how the conversation feels different when you and the horse really respect each other's space.

[11:04] When horses are in our space but ignoring us, it's a problem.

[12:04] Earn the right to be in your horse's space and have the horse earn the right to be in your space by being respectful of you.

[14:27] When your horse is 20 feet out, you can really start to see what the horse is looking at and the world through his eyes.

[16:20] If your horse isn't interested in you, he's not going to be reading your body language.

[16:47] Teaching emotional control is the beauty of groundwork. I'm going to do this with a horse that's a little bit further away from me.

[20:23] I think it's the desire for closeness that brings us in too close to our horses bodies too often. This can accidentally set us up for a dangerous spot.

[21:59] When your horse is closer than four feet, you need a very clear working system, because there is a danger zone.

[23:09] Look at ground work as a place where you can study and read your horses body language, and your horse can study and read your body language. It's also an amazing place to teach emotional control to the horse.

[23:36] Are you doing enough groundwork to allow your horse to read your body language? Can you adjust the working Zone you have around your horse?

On Call with Dr. Monty

[31:48] The owner of Equithrive approached Dr. Monty about 10 years ago to ask him to try a product. Dr. Monty wasn't interested in an oral joint supplement, but the owner of Equithrive gave him a sample.[32:54] He gave a trainer the product to try. A couple months later the trainer was asking for more. He said it really worked great for his horses. [33:42] Taking the product twice a day had 19 or 20 year old horses acting like they were 9 or 10. They had more endurance and were more active.[34:00] Dr. Monty started using it on older horses, and now, it's the only oral joint supplement that he recommends. [35:18] Stacy uses the supplement on Popcorn and noticed dramatic effects. The product turns down the production of inflammatory enzymes.

Links and Resources:

Stacy's Video Diary

Equithrive Use code Stacy for 10% off and free shipping

Tennessee Equine Hospital

Monty McInturff, DVM

If you want to learn more about this you can visit https://stacywestfall.com/live/ for more information!

The Reason We Are Fascinated With the Horses Body Jul 17, 2019

Show notes

Welcome to Season 4 where it's all about the horse's body. In this episode, I'm going to give you three tips to use when reading your horse's body language. I also answer a listener question, and I share a new segment that's coming up in future podcasts. If you remember from Season 1, I used the four square model to break down the concepts and divide them into the rider's mind, the rider's body, the horse's mind, and the horse's body.

The horse's mind and body are connected, because we see what is going on in the horse's mind by watching the horse's body. This is why it's so important to break things down into three steps when trying to interpret a horses body language. I break down those steps in this episode to help you better understand how your horses actions convey what is going on in your horse's mind.

Show Notes:

[01:42] When we discuss the horse's body, we physically see what our horses are doing. We see their mind reflected in their body.

[02:08] Trying to separate the horse's mind and the horse's body is kind of like trying to separate two sides of a coin.

[02:27] When becoming a student of body language, it's important to take a few extra steps and break things down.

[02:42] We can read a lot of different things into body language. Here are three tips to help read the horse's body language. Number one is observe the horses actions factually. Number two is observe your actions factually. Number three is to walk away and then draw your conclusion. This is where you would figure out how to modify the behavior.

[03:23] I think there's a lot of similarities between the dynamics of people being in groups and horses being in groups.

[03:45] Observe your horse just by reading its actions.

[05:27] Try to differentiate between the actual facts of what's happening and the story you may have in your head.

[07:50] My mind and body is having an influence over the horse's mind or it's pretending not to and allowing the horses mind to do what it wants.

[09:16] If you like that your horse protects you, you are going to project that and allow that.

[09:32] To modify a horse's behavior it first has to change in your mind, then your body, then your behavior influences the horse's mind and the horse's body.

[09:56] In this podcast, we are going to discuss how to influence the horse's body as we recognize that there are a lot of different layers to this.

[10:31] Observe the big picture of the whole ride and long-term patterns. As you notice the patterns, you can break down whether something is happening in the horses mind or the horses body.

[14:11] What makes breaking down the horse's body the most difficult of anything is the lingering question in the back of your mind is your horse lame or sore. This is where a long-term view becomes helpful.

[15:06] A lot of questions in a rider's mind revolve around if they are riding their horse too hard or too much. Not wanting to hurt your horse comes from a good place, but it can creep into the horse's mind when they sense your hesitation.

[15:45] A listener question about routine care for a horse's health. I don't always feel qualified to answer questions about a horses health, but my new sponsor, Equithrive is going to bring a new segment to the podcast called On Call where I get questions answered by different vets.

[16:56] Equithrive works really closely with veterinarians, and they've lined up some of the top veterinarians in the country to join me on the podcast to answer your questions about your horses help.

Links and Resources:

Episode 1: Fear vs Danger: Riders can improve if they know the difference

Equithrive

If you want to learn more about this you can visit https://stacywestfall.com/live/ for more information!

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