Hi Julie,
I've got a question about our five-year-old Paint gelding. My wife swears that he prefers men riders to women riders. I'm almost to conclude the same thing, even though I really am skeptical about that. It seems the women who have ridden him, including my wife, have had him act up consistently, and are fearful of him.…
Added by Julie Goodnight on October 11, 2010 at 8:30am — 1 Comment
Hello,
I have a Tennessee walker and she rides around the arena fine until she passes the gate. Then it happens, she starts to walk sideways in to the gate. I am a new rider so I'm not sure what to do. When I try to correct her she thinks I'm telling her to stop. How do I do it?
Your horse is simply gate sour and wants to stop at the gate and go out of it and back to the barn. All horses have this tendency, if not handled correctly, and it is sometimes…
Added by Julie Goodnight on September 24, 2010 at 10:00am — No Comments
Hi Julie,
Try to settle this discussion - please! Is posting on the correct "diagonal" only important in English riding? I always thought it was about the horse's balance in a bend....some say it's just not a "western thing"...and will post in a western saddle, but not with any regard for the diagonal???
Sharon
Sharon,
You are correct that posting…
Added by Julie Goodnight on September 11, 2010 at 11:30pm — 10 Comments
Hello,
I have a 15-year old gelding – appaloosa/Clydesdale cross, Copper. My problem is that I am not confident enough to follow through with things that I ask him to do. This happens mainly when I ride him – he’s lazy and doesn't want to go, or doesn't want to go in the direction I want to go. That is partly because I don’t have a lot of experience with horses, but mostly because I saw Copper buck someone off that he didn't like, and I don’t want that to happen to me! I know that he…
Added by Julie Goodnight on August 27, 2010 at 10:30am — No Comments
Does Your Horse's Bit Fit Properly?
Dear Julie,
How do you know when a bit is properly sitting in the horse's mouth? We have always heard that you look at the "wrinkles". However, this can be confusing to us.
Thank you,
Devonna
Devonna,
This is a confusing issue to lots of people and one that almost always comes up in my clinics. It's an old-fashioned concept to say that the bit fits correctly when you see one or two wrinkles in the…
Added by Julie Goodnight on July 16, 2010 at 9:30am — No Comments
I was trail riding over the weekend, and my horse took a dislike to the horse behind him. I saw the symptoms (making faces) and tried to get his attention on me, but he would have none of it! That awful equine behind him clearly needed to be taught a lesson (he must have been several feet back). So my horse (an appaloosa) RAN backwards!…
Added by Julie Goodnight on April 30, 2010 at 10:30am — No Comments
Added by Julie Goodnight on April 16, 2010 at 8:00am — No Comments
Dear Julie,
The question I have is for the Mountain Pleasure horse I bought about six months ago. He is a big sweetie, I love him dearly he has very nice manners and lunges well. The problem I'm having is the first time I rode him before I bought him, the people I bought him from used a headstall that was to big and he got the bit under his tongue I don't know and can't find out if he did this before then, but now it continues to…
ContinueAdded by Julie Goodnight on April 2, 2010 at 12:30pm — 2 Comments
Added by Julie Goodnight on March 5, 2010 at 10:00am — 1 Comment
Added by Julie Goodnight on February 19, 2010 at 11:00am — No Comments
Dear Julie,
My understanding is that spurs are to be used to back up a request if the horse is not responding or to make a cue more clear as in lateral work. It is hard for me to picture how to not have the spur contact the horse, especially in the most forward position when cueing with one's leg. In general, should leg cues be given with the inside of the calf to avoid hitting the horse with the spur rather than turning the heel inward?
Thanks,
Casey
Mariposa…
Added by Julie Goodnight on January 8, 2010 at 10:30am — 2 Comments
I am the parent of an 11-year-old girl who is serious about horses. She's been riding for 5 years in California, and we just moved to Michigan. For two months now, I've been looking for a good stable and instructor. Her former teacher in CA was CHA (Certified Horsemanship Association) certified. Should I be limited to finding a CHA certified instructor? What other questions should I be asking to insure her safety with a new instructor? My daughter is riding English with focus on…
Added by Julie Goodnight on November 13, 2009 at 10:00am — No Comments
Hello Julie,
I was wondering about the appropriate length of time that a training session with your horse should last. I realize that a lot of that depends on the difficulty of what you are teaching your horse and where your horse is in his learning life. But if I was having a regular, nothing-dramatically-new, riding or lunging session with my horse should I expect him to stick with me for 30 minutes, 60 minutes or what? I want my horses to enjoy our sessions together so I don’t…
Added by Julie Goodnight on October 30, 2009 at 10:30am — No Comments
Dear Julie,
Please explain to me the rein aids for English and Western. I would like to know which ones to use for each discipline and what is the difference. For example, direct and direct opposition, indirect and indirect opposition? And how do you use these in riding?
Elizabeth
Hi Elizabeth,
Thanks for the excellent questions. I find this is an area that is vaguely understood, at best, by the average horse person. First of all, as far as the…
Added by Julie Goodnight on October 16, 2009 at 7:30am — No Comments
Hello Julie,
My horse has been off all summer due to an injury and I would like suggestions as to how I can get him in shape for spring. I will work with him all winter and need help with a plan. Can you help us?
Thank you,
Karen
Karen,
When a horse has been laid off for a year or a season due to an injury, you'll want to start slowly in his reconditioning program and build over time. Assuming you've had this horse cleared by a vet to start…
Added by Julie Goodnight on October 2, 2009 at 6:30pm — 2 Comments
Hi Julie,
We have a 2 year old filly who weighs in at about 1000 lbs. We have done all kinds of groundwork exercises and desensitization exercises with her. She is golden...until its time for immunizations. She will not tolerate a needle. She is getting hurt in the process, as are the people around her. We even tried snubbing her (tying her to a post and squeezing a gate against her). I thought she was going to break her neck or tear the barn down. We are running out of…
Added by Julie Goodnight on September 11, 2009 at 10:30am — 6 Comments
Hi Julie,
I have just started to care for a 5 year old Irish Draught x TB - he has a tendon/tendon sheath injury and was about to be put to sleep by his previous owner, due to lack of time and money and the possibility that he may not be able to be ridden again. He has been stabled now for three months and apparently has not been behaving very well in his 12 foot x 12 foot stable (he is 17.2 hh).
I have moved him to a much larger stable in a quiet yard and he seems much…
Added by Julie Goodnight on August 28, 2009 at 8:30pm — No Comments
Hi Julie:
I just recently purchased a horse in October this is my first horse and boy I am not starting off very well. This horse was 200lbs underweight when I got him so to say the least I baby him (oops). He has successfully gained 100lbs and I am very excited. He is a very loveable horse and has no bad habits except for the following. My first problem is every time I saddle him I cannot get him to walk as soon as I say walk he will for only a second and he immediately goes into a…
Added by Julie Goodnight on August 14, 2009 at 9:00am — 4 Comments
Hi Julie,
I am writing from Pretoria South Africa. My daughter recently attended her first show jumping event. Her horse boxed (trailered) without major problems and also traveled well. At the event this well-behaved, sweet horse, turned into a very nervous rearing animal. We could not control her and needless to say my daughter could not compete. According to her riding instructor, from whom we purchased the horse, she came off the track two years ago after being pushed very hard.…
Added by Julie Goodnight on July 31, 2009 at 11:00am — 1 Comment
Hello Everyone!
People send me riding and training questions from all over the world and I look forward to sharing some of my answers with all of you!
Dear Julie,
Please explain to me the rein aids for English and Western. I would like to know which ones to use for each discipline and what is the difference. For example, direct and…
Added by Julie Goodnight on July 17, 2009 at 9:30am — No Comments
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