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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 yo ...
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Episode 336: Horsemanship as Art—And the Tension of Teaching It
25:11
25:11
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Horsemanship is often described as an art—but teaching it requires breaking that art into pieces. In this episode, Stacy reflects on the challenge of translating feel, flow, and intuition into teachable steps—and why both structure and flow must coexist within the art of horsemanship. Key takeaways: Building flow without foundation leads to instabi…
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Episode 335: The Rider’s Body – When Your Body Tells a Different Story (Part 2)
23:52
23:52
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Stacy Westfall explores the hidden conversation happening between riders and horses—beyond conscious cues. Using the analogy of learning to float while swimming, she reveals how riders can unintentionally contradict their own instructions through subtle physical signals. In this episode: Discover why your horse reads your tension, breathing pattern…
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Episode 334: The Rider's Body – Your Cues vs Your Core (part )
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24:45
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In this episode, Stacy explores the critical distinction between specific riding aids and your overall body intention. Riders often experience a disconnect between the small cues they apply (leg pressure, rein contact) and the broader message their body position and energy convey to the horse. Key takeaways: – The rider’s body communicates more tha…
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Episode 333: The Rider's Mind - The Critical Balance Between Knowledge and Meaning
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24:55
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This episode explores the two core elements inside the rider’s mind: the information you rely on and the thoughts that either help or distract you. Stacy unpacks how both missing knowledge and unexamined beliefs can quietly interfere with clear communication and forward progress with your horse. Key takeaways: Gaps in understanding may look like mi…
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Episode 332: The Horse’s Mind – From Instinct to Intention (Part 2)
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In this episode, Stacy explores how horses experience emotion—and more importantly, how they can learn to regulate it. Through stories, training examples, and thoughtful reflection, she illustrates how emotional elasticity allows horses to pause instead of panic, and process instead of simply react. Listeners will learn how to recognize a horse’s n…
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Episode 331: The Horse’s Mind: What Their Body Tells You About Their Thinking (Part 1)
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A horse’s body reveals more than just physical movement—it reflects their thoughts, emotions, and understanding. In this episode, Stacy Westfall explores how a horse’s behavior can show both their level of knowledge and their maturity. She shares why interpreting the horse’s mind requires stepping outside of our automatic reactions and learning to …
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Episode 330: The Horse’s Body: Observation vs. Interpretation
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22:29
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When your horse hesitates, pins its ears, or struggles with a movement, what’s really happening? It’s easy to jump to conclusions—assuming resistance, pain, or a training gap. But the key to true understanding lies in separating observation from interpretation. In this episode, Stacy Westfall explores the importance of neutral fact-finding when ass…
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Episode 329: Misdiagnosed? A New Way to Diagnose Riding Challenges
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When training your horse, are you treating symptoms or addressing the real issue? In this episode, Stacy Westfall explains why accurate diagnosis is always the first step. She shares insights from decades of horse training, revealing how misdiagnosing a problem can lead to ineffective solutions, frustration, and even new challenges. Key takeaways: …
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Episode 328: The Moment is Gone (But That's Not a Problem)
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Not every ride goes as planned—but what happens after the ride often determines whether you improve or stay stuck. In this episode, Stacy Westfall breaks down a "less than perfect" training session with her horse Ember, sharing how experienced riders turn these moments into stepping stones instead of setbacks. Key takeaways: Progress follows a cycl…
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Episode 327: The Recipe for Success: Balancing Structure and Intuition in Horse Training
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25:42
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This episode tackles the challenge many riders face when trying to balance structured training plans with intuitive horsemanship. Stacy Westfall uses an unexpected cooking analogy to demonstrate how mastering any skill requires both systematic planning and gut-level awareness. Key takeaways: Strategic time investment in foundational training during…
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Episode 326: The Physical Expression of Your Dream: Beyond Words Like 'Trust' and 'Enjoy'
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Do you find yourself using words like "trust" and "enjoy" when describing your horse training goals, but struggle to translate these concepts into action? You're not alone. Many riders grapple with the gap between their aspirations and day-to-day training decisions. In this episode, Stacy Westfall explores how to transform abstract horse training c…
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Episode 325: The Missing Link: Why Some Keep Going and Others Burn Out
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17:26
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What if your fuel—not your effort—is the problem? Stacy Westfall shares a surprising lesson in persistence, revealing why sheer determination isn’t enough—and what actually sustains lasting effort. Understand why intense effort alone often leads to diminishing returns—and what to do instead. Explore the subtle but crucial difference between belief-…
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Episode 324: Heart and Goal: Your Dreams Made Visible
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18:13
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When riders set goals, they often strip away the emotional elements in an attempt to make them more "professional" or achievable. Stacy Westfall challenges this approach through a personal story of how a devastating show ring mistake unexpectedly launched her bridleless riding career. Removing emotions from goals may feel safer and more clinical, b…
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Episode 323: "I Feel Behind" - And What To Do About It
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Do you catch yourself saying "I'm behind" so often it feels like a permanent state of being? That nagging sense of always playing catch-up can follow us from the house to the barn, affecting everything from daily tasks to our horsemanship goals. Join Stacy as she shares her journey from thinking "being behind" was unchangeable to discovering a path…
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Episode 322: Why Smart People Abandon Good Goals
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When pursuing a meaningful goal or implementing a yearly theme, three specific challenges consistently emerge that can derail your progress. Join Stacy Westfall as she breaks down these obstacles and provides actionable solutions for navigating them successfully. Key takeaways: Our brains are wired to resist change in predictable ways, but understa…
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Episode 321: The Missing Step: Why Your Goals Need a Theme
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Do you find yourself cringing when someone asks about your goals? Or maybe you've set goals before, but they felt hollow and meaningless? You're not alone, and you might just be missing a crucial step. Join Stacy Westfall as she reveals how adding a yearly theme can transform your approach to goal setting. In this episode: Discover why traditional …
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Episode 320: Your Next Chapter: Finding Magic in Your Own Timeline
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25:09
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In this episode, Stacy explores how a fresh perspective on learning can transform your horsemanship journey. Through sharing her own mindset shift about future learning goals, she demonstrates how being specific with timeframes while staying open to possibilities can create powerful growth opportunities. Key takeaways: Learn why comparing your curr…
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Episode 319-The Gift of Seeing: Finding Magic in the Rewatch
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"If I could snap my fingers and give you a gift...” In this episode, Stacy shares what she considers one of the most powerful tools in any rider's journey. Drawing insights from the fascinating way children naturally approach familiar content, this episode reveals how riders can turn video from an overwhelming experience into a journey of discovery…
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Episode 318-Noticing Progress While Embracing Reality
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19:19
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In this episode, Stacy explores why celebrating small wins matters, even - and especially - when faced with unexpected emotions about our progress. Through two student examples, she shows how awareness of subtle changes and acceptance of our journey's ups and downs leads to deeper understanding and growth. She shares her personal journey with the c…
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Episode 317: Your Horse's Year in Review: Seeing 2024 Through Their Eyes
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In this episode, Stacy guides listeners through creating a year-end review from their horse's perspective. Building on her popular approach of sharing stories from the horse's viewpoint, she offers: Two ways to participate: follow along with the podcast or download a free interactive PDF workbook (click here to go to the page with the pdf) Examples…
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Episode 316: Three Revealing Behaviors: When Horses Want to Play
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In this episode Stacy explores the nuanced concept of play in horses, identifying three distinct types of playful behavior: possessed play, repressed play, and reactive play. She challenges listeners to consider playfulness on a spectrum, both in themselves and their horses. Stacy highlights the importance of understanding and managing a horse's pl…
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Episode 315: Why are you thankful for horses? How have horses changed your life?
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37:23
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In this episode, Stacy Westfall shares a personal tip on the value of re-listening to podcasts, courses, and books to deepen learning and retention, especially when paired with implementing lessons in between. She introduces the replay of a special Thanksgiving-themed episode that features listener-submitted reflections on why they are thankful for…
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Episode 314: New is Always New: Why Experience Doesn't Eliminate Uncertainty
18:27
18:27
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Stacy Westfall explores a common misconception in horse training: that professionals don't experience uncertainty or caution when facing new situations. Through parallel stories of her hesitation at a coffee shop and a horse encountering a trailer ramp, she reveals that professionals absolutely feel cautious, careful, and mindful – they just accept…
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Episode 313: Preventing Secondary Reactions: Preparing Your Horse for Success
29:43
29:43
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In this episode, Stacy Westfall opens with an update on her current horses, and then introduces the main topic of how to train for something ‘before you need it.’ Stacy discusses her approach to training Ember, a highly athletic and sensitive young horse she describes as "a lot of horse." Using the analogy of a sports car versus a luxury car, she e…
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Episode 312: Is Your Horse Seeing Contradictions? Helping Your Horse Understand
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In this episode, Stacy explores the concept of recognizing and embracing contradictions in horse training, sharing insights from a recent experience with her horse, Luna. Luna has started anticipating spins during trot circles, which could be viewed as a problem, but Stacy sees it as a potential training advantage. She explains how anticipation can…
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