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Train Your Own Horse with Stacy WestfallAuthor: Stacy Westfall
Stacy Westfall teaches people how to understand, enjoy and successfully train their own horses. In her podcast, she shares all of her knowledge in her area of expertise: horses. She offers insights into issues that riders face in their own minds as well as the way they are viewing the challenges and goals they have with horses. She shares tips on becoming a better rider as well as a better leader for your horse. Discover how you can understand things from your horses point of view so that you can enjoy the learning process with your horse. When you are able to understand what your horse is experiencing mentally and physically the process of learning new things becomes more enjoyable. Your goals may be showing, trail riding or simply enjoying life with horses-all of which Stacy enjoys herself. She shares her own struggles and successes to allow listeners to understand that everyone experiences ups and downs. Through her podcast, website, YouTube channel and social media Stacy answers questions about: Fear, when to sell a horse, goal setting, safety, ground work, trailer loading, lead changes, reining, spins, stops, western dressage, ranch riding, when to get help, lessons, clinics and improving your safety, success and enjoyment of horses. Language: en Genres: Hobbies, Leisure, Sports, Wilderness Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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Episode 341: Forward Is a Direction—And a Trained Skill
Episode 341
Wednesday, 4 June, 2025
This episode builds on the previous discussion of horses "falling in" on circles by shifting from the problem to the proposed solution: teaching forward as a direction, not just a speed. Stacy explains why forward is often misunderstood and rarely trained as a purposeful, straight-line intention—and how this gap shows up in real riding issues. Key takeaways: Most riders unconsciously cue left or right more often than they intentionally ask for straight forward movement Horses do not default to straightness—it's a trained skill, not a natural tendency Trails and arena rails can give the illusion of straightness, masking a lack of rider-directed movement Problems like dropped shoulders often stem from poor forward engagement, not just steering issues This episode examines how redefining “forward” as a deliberate, trainable direction can dramatically improve your horse’s balance, straightness, and responsiveness. Riders struggling with tight turns, imprecise lines, or inconsistent stops will benefit from this practical framework for improving both clarity and control.
