Be Your Best Horsemanship

The better we become at reading the horse in front of us, the better we can apply what we know to help that horse succeed.
In this episode, I’m sharing examples from some of the rope horses in our program and how the same training principles can require a different application from one horse to the next.
Tune in as I talk through scoring, rate, positioning, stopping, release points, and using different disciplines to fill in the gaps—all while learning to adjust your approach to fit the individual horse.

If you want a result you aren't getting, you've got to be willing to do something you aren't doing. In this episode, I'm talking about what it means to stay in growth mode—from developing young horses and recognizing that each one is going to progress differently, to evaluating our own horsemanship and making changes when something isn't working. I also share a few takeaways from Atomic Habits about how our identity shapes our habits and why continued growth requires us to get outside our comfort zone and be willing to do things differently.

As an owner, your role in your horse’s training process starts long before you ever drop them off at the trainer’s barn. In this episode, I talk about how the handling and preparation we put into our young horses as weanlings and yearlings can make a huge difference when it comes time to start them as two- and three-year-olds. I also share why good communication between the owner and trainer matters, from being clear about your goals for that horse to setting realistic expectations for what can be accomplished within a training program.

The summer season puts a different level of stress on your horses. When you are in the 'heat' of training and competition, maintaining adequate hydration is key to proactively preventing physical issues, as well as boosting overall health and performance in your horses. Join me as I sit down with equine nutrition expert, Dr. Jyme Nichols from Bluebonnet, as she shares tips for getting ahead of your horse's hydration program, making seasonal adjustments to feeding and forage, and implementing best practices for maintaining equine health in warmer months.

Every season requires something different from both you and your horse. In the summer months, heat, humidity, and longer days can take a physical and mental toll, which means your training program has to adapt. In this episode, I talk about why listening to your horse is more important than sticking to a rigid schedule, how to recognize when physical fatigue is turning into mental defensiveness, and why it's important to prioritize building trust and confidence over simply adding more repetitions when you're training in extreme heat and challenging conditions.