Episoder
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Our show is a space for riders and horse owners of all disciplines to learn best practices and to discover skills, strategies, tools, ideas, and insights for better connecting with their horses, with all horses, and for getting work done.
We love to hear from listeners and contacting us is easy here.
We offer these shows for free. If you think it’s worthy of a small contribution, we sure would appreciate it.
This is Episode 2 of Season 5 and in it, I interview J.B. Zeilke, a writer, music video producer, and most of all, a cowboy. JB has cowboyed on six continents and written about it in The Lost Cowboy. This book, with a drawing of a cowboy riding a bucking reindeer on the cover, recently one two Spur awards, prizes given out by Western Writers of America. He won the Best Contemporary Non Fiction and Best First Non Fiction Book. Find him on Instagram at the.lost.cowboy!
He had returned from the awards ceremony in Tulsa, Oklahoma when I talked to him last week.
I was so pleased to talk with J.B. but decided to leave the details of his trips for listeners to check out on their own. So, yes, please check it out. You can find it on The Lost Cowboy.com and on Amazon. Read about his making connections, meeting folks, dodging bullets, and trying to get along in Australia, South Africa, Sweden, Argentina, Mexico, and Mongolia. Great stuff!
I thought listeners would love to hear what JB has learned over his many years of travel, specifically things that apply to horsemanship, riding, and partnership building. He does a great job of articulating some essential elements of the horse – rider connection, things he found somewhat universal, across the contients. It’s a delightful interview that I’m happy to share.
Thanks to our title sponsor, Lucerne Farms, producers of quality forage feeds, extremely handy and healthy bales of alfalfa, timothy, and grass blends. A great addition or substitute for your hay or grass and way better than grain. They also make products for your stalls and chickens.
How has your summer been going?
As I’ve returned to podcasting responsibilities, I’ve been thinking about our title. Best Horse Practices.
Do you have any best horse practices that are top of mind lately?
Do you have any worst horse practices that are top of mind lately?
Thanks to Redmond Equine and Pharm Aloe – for generously sponsoring our show. Check out Pharm Aloe’s aloe pellets which you can simply sprinkle on your horse’s feed and Redmond’s Rock on a Rope which you can simply hang on a fence. We think you’ll love ‘em.
Also thanks to Patagonia WorkWear for their continued support. Give us feedback, suggest a topic or guest, or make a donation and you’ll be automatically entered to win one of two free Patagonia WorkWear items that we give away every month. Redmond Equine is sending a complimentary syringe of Daily Gold Stress Relief to everyone who drops a tip in our donation jar. Pretty cool and a $15 value. If you get something of value from our podcast, please consider making a donation. We sure would appreciate it.
That’s it. Another episode in the can and out of the barn. Thanks for listening y’all.
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We love to hear from listeners and contacting us is easy here.
We offer these shows for free. If you think it’s worthy of a small contribution, we sure would appreciate it.
This is Episode 1 of Season 5. For this show, I’m speaking on behalf or maybe I should say as half. Half of the interview crew for this podcast. Jec and I have had a hiatus and Jec is still doing her thing and enjoying summer. She’ll be back later this season.
I thought I’d make this a short episode to let you know what I’ve been up to and to ask you what you’ve been up to. As I mentioned, we love hearing from listeners and, as always, folks who get in touch with us with feedback or suggestions for guests and topics are in the running for freebies.
Thanks to our title sponsor, Lucerne Farms, producers of quality forage feeds, extremely handy and healthy bales of alfalfa, timothy, and grass blends. A great addition or substitute for your hay or grass and way better than grain. They also make products for your stalls and chickens. Check them out at lucerne farms com
Also, a shout out to a clothing company that’s putting a trot in our steps lately: Dovetail, a women-owned maker of tough, very horse-rider friendly pants. Try the bootcut jeans – stretchy, durable, and they look good.
Since our last episode for Season 4, I’ve been working on several projects. I have been day working for a rancher here in Montezuma County. That means I do a bit of everything. Lately, there has been a lot of fencing and moving cows. My go-to gelding, Ray, has an injury, so my younger, greener horse, Table, has been relied on quite a bit. There is a silver lining in Ray’s injury, I try to tell myself, because really, as a young horse in training, Table should be ridden a lot.
We have had our circus moments, but mostly I’m very pleased with his progress. He’s becoming more patient and confident. And he’s able to do more, like open gates, side pass, move through thick brush without freaking out, and ride away from buddies without freaking out.
We took a spill the other day when, in the midst of trotting a big circle, we went down in a big gopher hole. I hurt my cheek (it looked like I got into a bar fight) but anyway, I was really pleased that Table trotted a few steps and then waited for me to collect myself. Way better than a few months ago, when I think he would have bolted and headed for the next county. So, even though it was painful and unfortunate, I counted that moment as a win!
Table has been behind cows several times and while he’s not “cow-y” (like cow-bred quarter horses who pin their ears and love to boss around cattle), he’s engaged with what’s going on and, surprisingly, is not flustered by the process of moving cows, fetching cows, and all the things you tend to do when handling cattle in open spaces and then smaller confines, like pens and corrals. He does get more stressed and more excited when other horse and rider pairs are involved. I think some of that can be attributed to me getting more amped when there are other horse and rider pairs. You know how that goes, right?
Many of us horse owners are also dog owners, so I’ll let you know that I’m also bringing up a young dog this year. His name is Chuck. He’s mostly border collie and he’s eight months old. He’s seeing some cows and has come along when we’re working them a few times. He knows down. He comes when he’s called. And he’s pretty excited about the cattle. I’ve been watching Chuck as he watches my adult dogs work. It’s pretty cool to see and be part of this on-the-job training. My job, as I see it, is to keep him safe and give him a long leash, figuratively speaking. That is, to not scold him too much when he does something wrong and to really praise him when he does something right, like staying in a down position even when he’d rather be getting after cows or moving a cow correctly and not overdoing it.
How has your summer been going?
As I’ve returned to podcasting responsibilities, I’ve been thinking about its title. Best Horse Practices.
Do you have any best horse practices that are top of mind lately?
Do you have any worst horse practices that are top of mind lately?
I’m laughing here because I think very few of us are perfect all the time. I think, in fact, that many of us advocate for best practices, for being safe rather than sorry, for taking our time and doing it right, for being deliberate and intentional. But, at the end of the day, or sometimes, in the middle of the day, when rain has started and you’re tired from a fitful night, or stressed by too many things to do, well, we can slump toward worst horse practices. We might cut a corner or do something in haste, something we know better not to do, like tying a horse to something insecure (that would not stay put if the horse pulled back) or, like leaving a gate open because we’re coming right back. 9 times out of 10, we get away with it. But then there is always that time when you don’t.
I mentioned this to my friend, Jessica Munn, who helped me start Table and who I’ve mentioned before on this show. She had some great ones, which I’ll share here as a primer to get you thinking about these oops-y elements of your horse time:
- Inappropriate riding attire – like riding in Crocs.
- Riding alone without telling anyone where you’re going, when you should be back, or sharing your location.
- Using poor tack. Like cheap gear or gear that’s been weakened by overuse or weather. This kind of gear will fail you when a wreck unfolds or it might be the reason a wreck unfolds.
- Using treats.
- Tying knots that tighten when they get pulled on. That’s what “quick release” slip knots do. Instead, learn how to tie a bowline knot.
- Not training a horse to stand tied for long periods of time.
- Tying a horse by the reins.
- Getting in the trailer when loading a horse, instead of sending him in.
- Drinking alcohol and riding.
- Not putting enough time and practice into a horse and its work and then expecting things to go well.
- Having horses encroach on your personal space.
Thanks for these, Jess!
What are your worst horse practices?
Send them my way.
Part of my summer this year has been busy with work as producer on Confluence: DogHorseCowHuman. That’s the working title of a short film project directed by Beau Gaughran (who, by the way, has filmed all the Best Horse Practices Summit presentations). Confluence tells the story of these four species and their intertwining lives on the range.
It will be a 10-12 minutes short film and we’ll be entering it in film festivals this fall. So stay tuned for more news around that.
Thanks to Redmond Equine and Pharm Aloe – for generously sponsoring our show. Check out Pharm Aloe’s aloe pellets which you can simply sprinkle on your horse’s feed and Redmond’s Rock on a Rope which you can simply hang on a fence. We think you’ll love ‘em.
Also thanks to Patagonia WorkWear for their continued support. Give us feedback, suggest a topic or guest, or make a donation and you’ll be automatically entered to win one of two free Patagonia WorkWear items that we give away every month. Redmond Equine is sending a complimentary syringe of Daily Gold Stress Relief to everyone who drops a tip in our donation jar. Pretty cool and a $15 value. If you get something of value from our podcast, please consider making a donation. We sure would appreciate it.
That’s it. Another episode in the can and out of the barn. Thanks for listening y’all.
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Manglende episoder?
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We love to hear from listeners and contacting us is easy here.
We offer these shows for free. If you think it’s worthy of a small contribution, we sure would appreciate it.
This is Episode 27 of Season 4. In it, Jec and I have a fun On the Fence conversation in which we talk some about identity and, mmm, maybe a bit of barn politics and shenanigans that we sometimes see in horse communities. The topic came up when I was listening to an interview that Ezra Klein did with Agnes Callard, a professor at the University of Chicago.
Oh, and we also give a nod, or maybe a shake of the head, to the cover art for Beyonce’s new country album, which has, of course, a horse on it.
Thanks to our title sponsor, Lucerne Farms, producers of quality forage feeds, extremely handy and healthy bales of alfalfa, timothy, and grass blends. A great addition or substitute for your hay or grass and way better than grain. They also make products for your stalls and chickens.
Also, a shout out to two clothing companies who are putting a trot in our steps lately: Kuhl and Dovetail.
We’re trying out a stretchy jean jacket as well as a fleece-lined vest from Kuhl. And we are absolutely loving the boot cut jeans from Dovetail.
It's been a good season! We’re one of the top horse podcasts and we consistently rank well in the natural sciences category of podcast. Thank you so much for your enthusiasm, for recommending us to friends, and for being in touch. Jec and I really love the many connections we’ve made with listeners and appreciate what we see as two-way conversations. Thank you!
Thanks to Redmond Equine and Pharm Aloe – for generously sponsoring our podcast. Check out Pharm Aloe’s aloe pellets which you can simply sprinkle on your horse’s feed and Redmond’s Rock on a Rope which you can simply hang on a fence. We think you’ll love ‘em.
Also thanks to Patagonia WorkWear for their continued support. Give us feedback, suggest a topic or guest, or make a donation and you’ll be automatically entered to win one of two free Patagonia WorkWear items that we give away every month. Redmond Equine is sending a complimentary syringe of Daily Gold Stress Relief to everyone who drops a tip in our donation jar. Pretty cool and a $15 value. If you get something of value from our podcast, please consider making a donation. We sure would appreciate it.
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We love to hear from listeners and contacting us is easy here.
We offer these shows for free. If you think it’s worthy of a small contribution, we sure would appreciate it.
This is Episode 26 of Season 4. In it, I interview Sara Lowe, a horsewoman and police detective from Wyoming. She’s a clinician and colt starter, and she participated in the Buck the Trend mental health forum held last month here in southwest Colorado.
This is the fourth in a series of interviews around Buck the Trend. You can find links to conversations with BTT therapists and other participants in the show notes.
Buck the Trend got its start thanks to a generous grant from the LOR Foundation and with the support of Patagonia WorkWear. Donations have been extremely helpful, too. Big thanks to all who contributed.
Thanks to our title sponsor, Lucerne Farms, producers of quality forage feeds, extremely handy and healthy bales of alfalfa, timothy, and grass blends. A great addition or substitute for your hay or grass and way better than grain. They also make products for your stalls and chickens. Check them out at lucerne farms com
Sara mentioned growth mindset a few times. For those of you who might be wondering what that means, it’s roughly when folks believe their talents can be developed through hard work, good strategies, and input from others. This is opposed to a fixed mindset, in which one thinks one’s talents are innate gifts. Here's a helpful link.
Sara's website.
Find her on Facebook.
If you’re interested in learning more about Buck the Trend, getting involved, coming to the next one, supporting BTT, or joining the conversation, head here.
Thanks to Redmond Equine and Pharm Aloe – for generously sponsoring our podcast. Check out Pharm Aloe’s aloe pellets which you can simply sprinkle on your horse’s feed and Redmond’s Rock on a Rope which you can simply hang on a fence. We think you’ll love ‘em.
Also thanks to Patagonia WorkWear for their continued support. Give us feedback, suggest a topic or guest, or make a donation and you’ll be automatically entered to win one of two free Patagonia WorkWear items that we give away every month. Redmond Equine is sending a complimentary syringe of Daily Gold Stress Relief to everyone who drops a tip in our donation jar. Pretty cool and a $15 value. If you get something of value from our podcast, please consider making a donation. We sure would appreciate it.
That’s it. Another episode in the can and out of the barn. Thanks for listening y’all.
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We love to hear from listeners and contacting us is easy here.
We offer these shows for free. If you think it’s worthy of a small contribution, we sure would appreciate it.
This is Episode 25 of Season 4. In it, Daniel Dauphin is back, not to talk about bits and horse mouth anatomy but to talk about Buck the Trend, the mental health forum held last month. Daniel attended BTT and we have been visiting on the phone about mental health in our horse community since the Best Horse Practices Summit in 2022, which I directed and at which he presented two sessions.
This is the third in a series of interviews around Buck the Trend, which is funded in part by the LOR Foundation. You can find interviews with the therapists and with another participant, Dan Flitner here. And next week, I’ll post my interview with Sara Lowe, a Wyoming horse trainer and clinician who attended BTT.
Buck the Trend got its start thanks to a generous grant from the LOR Foundation and with the support of Patagonia WorkWear. Donations have been extremely helpful, too. Big thanks to all who contributed.
Thanks to our title sponsor, Lucerne Farms, producers of quality forage feeds, extremely handy and healthy bales of alfalfa, timothy, and grass blends. A great addition or substitute for your hay or grass and way better than grain. They also make products for your stalls and chickens.
Check out Daniel and his bit course here.
Check out his YouTube video on BTT.
Check out his Best Horse Practices presentations.
If you’re interested in learning more about Buck the Trend, getting involved, coming to the next one, supporting BTT, or joining the conversation, head here to read our posts or hit the contact button to reach out.
Thanks to Redmond Equine and Pharm Aloe – for generously sponsoring our podcast. Check out Pharm Aloe’s aloe pellets which you can simply sprinkle on your horse’s feed and Redmond’s Rock on a Rope which you can simply hang on a fence. We think you’ll love ‘em.
Also thanks to Patagonia WorkWear for their continued support. Give us feedback, suggest a topic or guest, or make a donation and you’ll be automatically entered to win one of two free Patagonia WorkWear items that we give away every month. Don’t forget that Redmond Equine is sending a complimentary syringe of Daily Gold Stress Relief to everyone who drops a tip in our donation jar. Pretty cool and a $15 value. If you get something of value from our podcast, please consider making a donation. We sure would appreciate it.
That’s it. Another episode in the can and out of the barn. Thanks for listening y’all.
-
We love to hear from listeners and contacting us is easy here.
We offer these shows for free. If you think it’s worthy of a small contribution, we sure would appreciate it.
This is Episode 24 of Season 4. In it, I interview KD Bryant and Joseph Prekup, the two therapists who anchored the development and facilitation of Buck the Trend, the mental health forum held recently in southwestern Colorado. BTT got its start thanks to a generous grant from the LOR Foundation and with the support of Patagonia WorkWear. Donations have been extremely helpful, too. Big thanks to all who contributed.
Buck the Trend is a two-and-a-half day, all expenses paid workshop focused on skill-building and elevating the mental health conversation in our community. It’s an opportunity to focus on ourselves for a moment, so that we can enhance and improve what’s around us, specifically, the well-being of those close to us, humans and non-humans alike, as well as the greater horse community.
Let’s give a nod to our sponsors. We welcome Hoka and Skratch Labs the show. Jec and I consider ourselves athletes and we hope you do, too. These folks are centered around helping athletes do great things. Hoka shoes help with the outside, with the best running shoes and Skratch Labs helps with the inside with hydration drinks and trail snacks. Check them out at hoka.com and skratchlabs.com
Thanks to our title sponsor, Lucerne Farms, producers of quality forage feeds, extremely handy and healthy bales of alfalfa, timothy, and grass blends. A great addition or substitute for your hay or grass and way better than grain. They also make products for your stalls and chickens. Check them out at lucerne farms com
If you’re interested in learning more about Buck the Trend, getting involved, coming to the next one, supporting BTT, or joining the conversation, head here.
Thanks to Redmond Equine and Pharm Aloe – for generously sponsoring our podcast. Check out Pharm Aloe’s aloe pellets which you can simply sprinkle on your horse’s feed and Redmond’s Rock on a Rope which you can simply hang on a fence. We think you’ll love ‘em.
Also thanks to Patagonia WorkWear for their continued support. Give us feedback, suggest a topic or guest, or make a donation and you’ll be automatically entered to win one of two free Patagonia WorkWear items that we give away every month. Don’t forget that Redmond Equine is sending a complimentary syringe of Daily Gold Stress Relief to everyone who drops a tip in our donation jar. Pretty cool and a $15 value. If you get something of value from our podcast, please consider making a donation. We sure would appreciate it.
That’s it. Another episode in the can and out of the barn. Thanks for listening y’all.
-
We love to hear from listeners and contacting us is easy here.
We offer these shows for free. If you think it’s worthy of a small contribution, we sure would appreciate it.
This is Episode 23 of Season 4. In it, I interview Dan Flitner in one of several new episodes about Buck the Trend, the mental health forum held recently in southwestern Colorado. Buck the Trend, operated under the auspices of the Best Horse Practices Summit, attempts to address the following issues:
-- Our work can be isolating and demanding and there are cultural, logistical, economic, and social impediments to getting help and being well.
-- Our mental health and wellness impact not just us, but those around us, including family, friends, coworkers, and, of course, the animals.
-- Horses may be “therapeutic.” They can make us feel better. But they can’t necessarily help us build skills to navigate interpersonal relationships and feel better about ourselves.
Buck the Trend is focused on skill-building and elevating the mental health conversation in our community. It’s an opportunity to focus on ourselves for a moment, so that we can enhance and improve what’s around us, specifically, the well-being of those close to us, humans and non-humans alike, as well as the greater horse community.
Dan is a rancher in Oregon. He hails from Wyoming and has ranched all his life. Dan got involved in BTT several months ago as a supporter and consultant. His nephew, Luke Bell, a cowboy and rising star in country music, had serious mental health concerns and was found dead in Tuscon, Arizona, about 18 months ago. Mental health has been on his mind and on the minds of his family for some time.
Let’s first give a nod to our sponsors. We welcome Hoka and Skratch Labs the show. Jec and I consider ourselves athletes and we hope you do, too. Like they say with horses and hooves, for want of a shoe a horse was lost, for want of a horse, a rider was lost. Well, we think the same goes for happy human feet. When they’re not in riding boots, keep your feet happy in Hokas.
Also, did you know that Skratch labs offers milk and cookies? They have chocolate milk mix with probiotics, to which you simply add water. And they have cookie mix to which you add butter and things like chocolate chips and nuts. Or whatever you want. Check these new show supporters out at hoka.com and skratch labs .com
Thanks to our title sponsor, Lucerne Farms, producers of quality forage feeds, extremely handy and healthy bales of alfalfa, timothy, and grass blends. A great addition or substitute for your hay or grass and way better than grain. They also make products for your stalls and chickens. Check them out at lucerne farms com
I’ll be featuring a few more interviews from Buck the Trend. Next up, KD Bryant and Joseph Prekup, the two therapists at BTT. Stay tuned for that next week.
If you’re interested in getting involved or supporting this effort, head here.
Thanks to Redmond Equine and Pharm Aloe – for generously sponsoring our podcast. Check out Pharm Aloe’s aloe pellets which you can simply sprinkle on your horse’s feed and Redmond’s Rock on a Rope which you can simply hang on a fence. We think you’ll love ‘em.
Also thanks to Patagonia WorkWear for their continued support. Give us feedback, suggest a topic or guest, or make a donation and you’ll be automatically entered to win one of two free Patagonia WorkWear items that we give away every month. Don’t forget that Redmond Equine is sending a complimentary syringe of Daily Gold Stress Relief to everyone who drops a tip in our donation jar. Pretty cool and a $15 value. If you get something of value from our podcast, please consider making a donation. We sure would appreciate it.
That’s it. Another episode in the can and out of the barn. Thanks for listening.
-
We love to hear from listeners and contacting us is easy here.
We offer these shows for free. If you think it’s worthy of a small contribution, we sure would appreciate it.
This is Episode 22 of Season 4. In it, Jec interviews Katrin Silva for a Coaches’ Corner. It’s always fun when these two get together because they know so much. A bit humbling sometimes because their depth of knowledge is vast. Katrin is an accomplished teacher and trainer based in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
In this conversation, Jec asks Katrin about book learning and how it weaves into riders’ sensibilities. An informative and inspiring talk.
We will link to the several books mentioned in the show notes.
Also, we welcome Hoka and Skratch Labs to our family of sponsors. Jec and I consider ourselves athletes and we hope you do, too. Like they say with horses and hooves, for want of a shoe a horse was lost, for want of a horse, a rider was lost. Well, we think the same goes for happy human feet. When they’re not in riding boots, keep your feet happy in Hokas.
Also, did you know that Skratch Labs offers milk and cookies? They have chocolate milk mix with probiotics, to which you simply add water. And they have cookie mix to which you add butter and things like chocolate chips and nuts. Or whatever you want. Check these new show supporters out at hoka.com and skratch labs .com
Thanks to our title sponsor, Lucerne Farms, producers of quality forage feeds, extremely handy and healthy bales of alfalfa, timothy, and grass blends. A great addition or substitute for your hay or grass and way better than grain. They also make products for your stalls and chickens. Check them out at lucerne farms com
Jec and Katrin mention:
A Horseman’s Notes, Eric Herbermann
Riding Logic, Wilhelm Museler
The Way to Perfect Horsemanship, Udo Burger
Dressage for All of Us, Katrin Silva
Ride with Feel, Katrin Silva
Books by Jec Ballou
Thanks to Redmond Equine and Pharm Aloe – for generously sponsoring our podcast. Check out Pharm Aloe’s aloe pellets which you can simply sprinkle on your horse’s feed and Redmond’s Rock on a Rope which you can simply hang on a fence. We think you’ll love ‘em.
Also thanks to Patagonia WorkWear for their continued support. Give us feedback, suggest a topic or guest, or make a donation and you’ll be automatically entered to win one of two free Patagonia WorkWear items that we give away every month. Don’t forget that Redmond Equine is sending a complimentary syringe of Daily Gold Stress Relief to everyone who drops a tip in our donation jar. Pretty cool and a $15 value. If you get something of value from our podcast, please consider making a donation. We sure would appreciate it.
That’s it. Another episode in the can and out of the barn. Thanks for listening, y’all.
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Our show is a space for riders and horse owners of all disciplines to learn best practices and to discover skills, strategies, tools, ideas, and insights for better connecting with their horses, with all horses and for getting work done.
We love to hear from listeners and contacting us is easy here.
We offer these shows for free. If you think it’s worthy of a small contribution, we sure would appreciate it.
This is Episode 21 of Season 4. In it, I interview Ben Longwell, who runs True West Horsemanship. This will make a third visit for Ben on the show. In past interviews, he’s had great insight to bitless options as well as nervous horse help. Here, we talk about the evolution of horsemanship and different directions people are taking the horse-rider partnership. He often sees the extreme ends of a spectrum but notices a lot of interesting developments in the middle. It’s a really nice interview we hope you’ll enjoy.
Thanks very much to the folks who have donated to Buck the Trend, the pilot mental health forum I’m directing next week. It is a two-day, all expenses paid learning opportunity specifically for those in our horse community. We have working cowboys, clinicians, ranchers, farriers, and others coming from Arizona, New Mexico, Oregon, and elsewhere. Get a great t-shirt and support the cause. Learn more here.
Also, we welcome Hoka and Skratch Labs to our family of sponsors. Jec and I consider ourselves athletes and we hope you do, too. Like they say with horses and hooves, for want of a shoe a horse was lost, for want of a horse, a rider was lost. Well, we think the same goes for happy human feet. When they’re not in riding boots, keep your feet happy in Hokas.
Also, did you know that Skratch labs offers milk and cookies? They have chocolate milk mix with probiotics, to which you simply add water. And they have cookie mix to which you add butter and things like chocolate chips and nuts. Or whatever you want. Check these new show supporters out at hoka.com and skratch labs .com
Thanks to our title sponsor, Lucerne Farms, producers of quality forage feeds, extremely handy and healthy bales of alfalfa, timothy, and grass blends. A great addition or substitute for your hay or grass and way better than grain. They also make products for your stalls and chickens.
Thanks to Redmond Equine and Pharm Aloe – for generously sponsoring our podcast. Check out Pharm Aloe’s aloe pellets which you can simply sprinkle on your horse’s feed and Redmond’s Rock on a Rope which you can simply hang on a fence. We think you’ll love ‘em.
Also thanks to Patagonia WorkWear for their continued support. Give us feedback, suggest a topic or guest, or make a donation and you’ll be automatically entered to win one of two free Patagonia WorkWear items that we give away every month. Don’t forget that Redmond Equine is sending a complimentary syringe of Daily Gold Stress Relief to everyone who drops a tip in our donation jar. Pretty cool and a $15 value. If you get something of value from our podcast, please consider making a donation. We sure would appreciate it.
-
We love to hear from listeners and contacting us is easy here.
We offer these shows for free. If you think it’s worthy of a small contribution, we sure would appreciate it.
This is Episode 20 of Season 4. In it, Jec interviews Julie Goodnight. I feel like this interview has been a long time coming. Jec has admired Julie for years and it took quite a bit of effort to finally coordinate the online meet up. I remember watching Julie at the Equine Affaire in Massachusetts, back in maybe 2008? Julie has an incredible wealth of experience and also perspective as she’s been in the midst of educating humans for so long. We’re so happy to have her on the show.
A few other notes:
Thanks very much to the folks who have donated to Buck the Trend, the pilot mental health forum I’m directing next week. Next week! It is a two-day, all expenses paid learning opportunity specifically for those in our horse community. We have working cowboys, clinicians, ranchers, farriers, and others coming from Arizona, New Mexico, Oregon, and elsewhere. Get a great t-shirt and support the cause. Learn more here.
Also, we welcome Hoka and Skratch Labs to our family of sponsors. Jec and I consider ourselves athletes and we hope you do, too. Like they say with horses and hooves, for want of a shoe...for want of a horse, a rider was lost. Well, we think the same goes for happy human feet. When they’re not in riding boots, keep your feet happy in Hokas. Jec loves the Speedgoats and I wear the Mufate.
Also, did you know that Skratch labs offers milk and cookies? They have chocolate milk mix with probiotics, to which you simply add water. And they have cookie mix to which you add butter and things like chocolate chips and nuts.
Thanks to our title sponsor, Lucerne Farms, producers of quality forage feeds, extremely handy and healthy bales of alfalfa, timothy, and grass blends. A great addition or substitute for your hay or grass and way better than grain. They also make products for your stalls and chickens.
Thanks to Redmond Equine and Pharm Aloe – for generously sponsoring our podcast. Check out Pharm Aloe’s aloe pellets which you can simply sprinkle on your horse’s feed and Redmond’s Rock on a Rope which you can simply hang on a fence. We think you’ll love ‘em.
Also thanks to Patagonia WorkWear for their continued support. Give us feedback, suggest a topic or guest, or make a donation and you’ll be automatically entered to win one of two free Patagonia WorkWear items that we give away every month. Don’t forget that Redmond Equine is sending a complimentary syringe of Daily Gold Stress Relief to everyone who drops a tip in our donation jar. Pretty cool and a $15 value. If you get something of value from our podcast, please consider making a donation. We sure would appreciate it.
That’s it. Another episode in the can and out of the barn. Thanks for listening, y’all.
-
We love to hear from listeners and contacting us is easy here.
We offer these shows for free. If you think it’s worthy of a small contribution, we sure would appreciate it.
This is Episode 19 of Season 4. In it, Jec interviews Daniel Dauphin, an accomplished horseman from Louisiana and someone who is steadily gaining a reputation for being the expert on bits, how they function, as well as horse mouth anatomy. He gave two excellent presentations at the Best Horse Practices Summit.
He’s developed a new bit course.
Watch his Summit video.
Free class sign-up here.
We’d also like to direct your attention to our fundraising for Buck the Trend, a mental health forum for those in our horse community. Get a great t-shirt and support the cause. Learn more here.
Thanks to our title sponsor, Lucerne Farms, producers of quality forage feeds, extremely handy and healthy bales of alfalfa, timothy, and grass blends. A great addition or substitute for your hay or grass and way better than grain.
A few more nods – one to Skratch Labs, a Colorado-based company making hydration drinks, recovery drinks – I especially love their chocolate milk with probiotics – and energy bars.
Jec and I are on a campaign to get you to start acknowledging that you all are athletes, too. Jec and I both add running to our list of activity loves. What do you do aside from riding? The company, Hoka, has a shoe for it, we’re guessing. Check them out.
Aside from the specific bit-related advice shared here, I found myself nodding to the best practices they mentioned about showing your horse different environments and different experiences. I know this not only makes for a healthy and versatile horse, but it also gives her confidence, I think, for handling and being a good partner regardless of the situation.
Last weekend, I finally got back to the gym. I warmed up with some running, then did weights, then went swimming. I usually use a Garmin watch, but forgot it. Back home, I entered the workout manually and called it a Magical Mystery Tour. And I thought, geez, I should be doing something like that with my horses, too!
What do you do to shake things up? How do you keep the partnership growing and your horse’s experiences fresh?
Thanks to Redmond Equine and Pharm Aloe – for generously sponsoring our podcast. Check out Pharm Aloe’s aloe pellets which you can simply sprinkle on your horse’s feed and Redmond’s Rock on a Rope which you can simply hang on a fence. We think you’ll love ‘em.
Also thanks to Patagonia WorkWear for their continued support. Give us feedback, suggest a topic or guest, or make a donation and you’ll be automatically entered to win one of two free Patagonia WorkWear items that we give away every month. Don’t forget that Redmond Equine is sending a complimentary syringe of Daily Gold Stress Relief to everyone who drops a tip in our donation jar. Pretty cool and a $15 value. If you get something of value from our podcast, please consider making a donation. We sure would appreciate it.
That’s it. Another episode in the can and out of the barn. Thanks for listening, y’all.
-
We love to hear from listeners and contacting us is easy here.
We offer these shows for free. If you think it’s worthy of a small contribution, we sure would appreciate it.
This is Episode 18 of Season 4 and it’s an On the Fence episode in which Jec and I talk about some upcoming goals as well as potential podcast discussions, like horse rescues and social media concerns.
We also enumerate some of our favorite past episodes including:
Coaches’ Corners with Amy Skinner
The Large Animal Vet Crisis with Dr. Doug Thal
Interview with Molly Gloss
Interview with Lee McLean
Interview with Lynn Acton
Interview with Ann Firestone of Save Your Ass rescue
Interview with Alicia Harlov
As you all know, Jec and I are athletes and would love to hear that you consider yourself an athlete, too. In that vein, this week, we’re giving proper due to Kahtoola, an Arizona-based company that makes traction gear, specifically nano spikes that slip over your boots or running shoes. Excellent if you don’t feel like wiping out again on the ice or packed snow.
Also, Best Horse Practices Summit presenter Daniel Dauphin is an expert on bits and horse mouth anatomy and we’re lucky that he’s developed a new bit course.
Watch his Summit video.
In the meantime, here is a little bit, so to speak, on the new course:
It's tiresome to sift through all the dogma, misinformation, and people giving unqualified advice. We’re all looking to learn so we can execute with best practices for our horses. In this murky world of bits, bit-shaped objects, gimmicks, strong opinions, contradictions, and propaganda put out by bit companies trying to increase sales, how can you trust any of the information?
Daniel Dauphin has been on the bit-truth-train for over a decade. He’s done his research and consulted people more knowledgeable than himself.His "Bit Video” has been accepted as a teaching resource in the Equine Sciences programs of over 25 universities, including Texas A&M and Colorado State.
In his new course, you’ll learn about the anatomy affected by bits like the tongue and hyoid apparatus, and about using your hands more effectively. It is not discipline or experience level specific.Daniel’s goal is to empower you to make better choices for your own situation. It includes weekly zoom calls for questions and guest experts.
Free class sign-up here.
We’d also like to direct your attention to our fundraising for Buck the Trend, a mental health forum for those in our horse community. Get a great t-shirt and support the cause. Learn more here.
Thanks to our title sponsor, Lucerne Farms, producers of quality forage feeds, extremely handy and healthy bales of alfalfa, timothy, and grass blends. A great addition or substitute for your hay or grass and way better than grain.
Thanks to Redmond Equine and Pharm Aloe – for generously sponsoring our podcast. Check out Pharm Aloe’s aloe pellets which you can simply sprinkle on your horse’s feed and Redmond’s Rock on a Rope which you can simply hang on a fence. We think you’ll love ‘em.
Also thanks to Patagonia WorkWear for their continued support. Give us feedback, suggest a topic or guest, or make a donation and you’ll be automatically entered to win one of two free Patagonia WorkWear items that we give away every month. Don’t forget that Redmond Equine is sending a complimentary syringe of Daily Gold Stress Relief to everyone who drops a tip in our donation jar. Pretty cool and a $15 value. If you get something of value from our podcast, please consider making a donation. We sure would appreciate it.
That’s it. Another episode in the can and out of the barn. Thanks for listening, y’all.
-
We love to hear from listeners and contacting us is easy here.
We offer these shows for free. If you think it’s worthy of a small contribution, we sure would appreciate it.
This is Episode 17 of Season 4 and in it, Jec interviews author, teacher, and horsewoman Jenn Currie. She offers clinics which she calls Brain-Centered Horsemanship and has a book for middle school teachers. She is blending what she knows about her teaching experiences with horse behavior in a pretty compelling program.
Thanks to our title sponsor, Lucerne Farms, producers of quality forage feeds, extremely handy and healthy bales of alfalfa, timothy, and grass blends. A great addition or substitute for your hay or grass and way better than grain.
I bet we all know some really good horsemen who are just not effective teachers. I think that most people in the horse world start giving lessons or offering clinics because of their successes with horses. And yet, it’s so important to connect well with the human – this means, as Jec and Jen concurred – having the student feel relaxed and safe yet engaged. As Jen said, learning is at its heart is emotional because learning is a journey of discovery. It’s precious territory.
I worked at the local sale barn last week, riding the pens. First time I’d done something like that. It was fast-paced and involved a lot of opening and closing gates, working cows, calves and bulls, listening to the radio for pen assignments, and moving my horse with agility and quietness. I was lucky and honored to have a few folks, good riders and good humans, bringing me up to speed on how things go there with patience and calm. If it wasn’t for them, my horse and I would not have done well. So thank you kindly to AJ and Sheldonna.
It takes a lot of investment of time, thought, and energy to become a good teacher and I really love celebrating horsemen and women who excel at both horse and human connections. Sounds like Jen is one of those people.
Thanks to Redmond Equine and Pharm Aloe – for generously sponsoring our podcast. Check out Pharm Aloe’s aloe pellets which you can simply sprinkle on your horse’s feed and Redmond’s Rock on a Rope which you can simply hang on a fence. We think you’ll love ‘em.
Also thanks to Patagonia WorkWear for their continued support. Give us feedback, suggest a topic or guest, or make a donation and you’ll be automatically entered to win one of two free Patagonia WorkWear items that we give away every month. Don’t forget that Redmond Equine is sending a complimentary syringe of Daily Gold Stress Relief to everyone who drops a tip in our donation jar. Pretty cool and a $15 value. If you get something of value from our podcast, please consider making a donation. We sure would appreciate it.
That’s it. Another episode in the can and out of the barn. Thanks for listening, y’all.
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Our show is a space for riders and horse owners of all disciplines to learn best practices and to discover skills, strategies, tools, ideas, and insights for better connecting with their horses, with all horses and for getting work done.
We love to hear from listeners, we think this might be an episode that fosters a lot of conversation, and contacting us is easy through the contact button on best horse practices dot com.
We offer these shows for free. If you think it’s worthy of a small contribution, we sure would appreciate it.
This is Episode 16 of Season 4 and in it, Jec interviews author Mary Ann Simonds. This is a good one because I am at odds with some of what they talk about, which is a good thing. I love that we can have folks on the show that Jec embraces and I don’t. Or vice versa.
Mary Ann has spent years studying horse behavior and horse-human interaction in competitive show barns and has worked with many clinicians. So, I understand that she comes from a very different world than me.
I think it’s important to steer clear of language that attempts to give horses human inclinations. She says, for instance, that horses like to create drama and that horses can be on the autism spectrum. Those are anthropomorphic assessments that give me pause.
Mary Ann talks about love and care for our horses as if that were a clear idea. Love and care for someone who keeps her horse in a stall at a boarding facility looks a lot different than how a Wyoming rancher may consider love and care.
Thanks to our title sponsor, Lucerne Farms, producers of quality forage feeds, extremely handy and healthy bales of alfalfa, timothy, and grass blends. A great addition or substitute for your hay or grass and way better than grain.
We thank Sampson Moss and his business, Prairie Wind Hat Works for the generous sponsorship. Sampson makes custom hats from his place in Pincher Creek, Alberta. Order yours and have it for the spring riding season. You will look sharp!
Considering love and care and how we make progress with our horses. Wow, what a tough subject.
Just like the greater American social world, I can here all kinds of judgment from the recreational or sport community towards the working community or from suburban to rural, from dressage to rodeo on what it means to love, care and make progress with our horses. Years ago, I ran a business taking care of other people’s horses in Maine. I was taking care of a woman’s horses for a week and she apologized for practicing what she called “affectionate neglect.” She felt a bit ashamed that her horse routine was so simple. They had the run of the pasture. They were together. They didn’t get blankets or stalls or grain. They basically had space and were kept together. My response was, "this is terrific! what are you ashamed of?"
Temple Grandin, who has come in and out of fashion over her many years, has been extremely helpful to me. Language, she has said, can get in the way. Even the word “humane” means different things to different people. The assessments that Mary Ann is developing for horses’ mental health will be interesting to learn more about.
Thanks to Redmond Equine and Pharm Aloe – for generously sponsoring our podcast. Check out Pharm Aloe’s aloe pellets which you can simply sprinkle on your horse’s feed and Redmond’s Rock on a Rope which you can simply hang on a fence. We think you’ll love ‘em.
Also thanks to Patagonia WorkWear for their continued support. Give us feedback, suggest a topic or guest, or make a donation and you’ll be automatically entered to win one of two free Patagonia WorkWear items that we give away every month. Don’t forget that Redmond Equine is sending a complimentary syringe of Daily Gold Stress Relief to everyone who drops a tip in our donation jar. Pretty cool and a $15 value. If you get something of value from our podcast, please consider making a donation. We sure would appreciate it.
That’s it. Another episode in the can and out of the barn. Thanks for listening, y’all.
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Our show is a space for riders and horse owners of all disciplines to learn best practices and to discover skills, strategies, tools, ideas, and insights for better connecting with their horses, with all horses and for getting work done.
We love to hear from listeners and contacting us is easy here.
We offer these shows for free. If you think it’s worthy of a small contribution, we sure would appreciate it.
This is Episode 15 of Season 4 and in it, Jec interviews Dana Schultz, a therapist at Medicine Horse, a therapeutic facility in Longmont, Colorado. So, yes, this episode is a bit out of our purview. But then again, we have been talking about mental health lately and Medicine Horse in particular seems to be an outfit that connects good science with good horse work. So there ya go.
Also, if this is the season of gratitude, then this episode is perhaps a good reminder of what we owe our horses. With all the busyness of the season, we could, you know, just stop for an extra minute, or maybe even an extra hour, to just BE with them and perhaps connect in a way that says, ‘thanks.’
Also, thanks to you, dear listeners, for buying books and donating to our cause. There is still time to order books from us. Visit Jec Ballou and Cayuse Communications for many fun options. At Cayuse, you can get a free book with every order. I’m recording this on December 15 and there is still time to get books to you by Christmas.
Thanks to our title sponsor, Lucerne Farms, producers of quality forage feeds, extremely handy and healthy bales of alfalfa, timothy, and grass blends. A great addition or substitute for your hay or grass and way better than grain.
We thank Sampson Moss and his business, Prairie Wind Hat Works for the generous sponsorship. Sampson makes custom hats from his place in Pincher Creek, Alberta. Order yours and have it for the spring riding season. You will look sharp!
Sounds like Medicine Horse is doing good work and that their horses have good lives. I’ve always been interested in the impact therapy sessions have on the horses. We know that cortisol, commonly called the stress hormone, is lowered for humans in horse-human interactions. But what about the horses? It’s my understanding, from talking with equine therapy folks as well as canine therapy workers, that the animals can only handle a certain amount of this kind of work each day. My mom trained her dogs for therapy work. When 9/11 happened, she told me about the dogs who were called in to work at the centers set up for families to pick up death certificates of those who died in the towers. She said the dogs could only handle an hour before they needed a break.
Read this article on a WSU study of kids and equine facilitated therapy.
All to say, it’s so good to give our animals jobs, but let’s be careful.
Thanks to Redmond Equine and Pharm Aloe – for generously sponsoring our podcast. Check out Pharm Aloe’s aloe pellets which you can simply sprinkle on your horse’s feed and Redmond’s Rock on a Rope which you can simply hang on a fence. We think you’ll love ‘em.
Also thanks to Patagonia WorkWear for their continued support. Give us feedback, suggest a topic or guest, or make a donation and you’ll be automatically entered to win one of two free Patagonia WorkWear items that we give away every month. Don’t forget that Redmond Equine is sending a complimentary syringe of Daily Gold Stress Relief to everyone who drops a tip in our donation jar. Pretty cool and a $15 value. If you get something of value from our podcast, please consider making a donation. We sure would appreciate it.
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We offer these shows for free. If you think it’s worthy of a small contribution, we sure would appreciate it.
This is Episode 14 of Season 4 and it’s a short one. Why?
To be blunt and to speak in general terms, I’d say life and death are having their ways with us.
I’m sorry to let you know that Jec lost her mother last month. As you might imagine, that’s been pretty trying for her. I lost my mom just over a year ago. While our mother-daughter relationships were very different, we both owe it partly to our mothers for what we do now. Horses would not be so much of our lives or so much of our identity, if it weren’t for our moms. That, I think makes the remembering and the grieving process a bit more in-your-face than it might be otherwise.
They say there are five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance. You’ve probably heard of them. Here at the Best Horse Practices podcast, we are dealing with some of them, or maybe none of them, but with feelings that are related. Or mixtures of them.
It’s a process. And as one of my favorite singer-songwriters, Del Barber, would say: "there is no straight path."
I think the holidays, the shorter days and longer nights can be challenging, too. It can be harder to get out and ride when it’s 15 degrees and dark is just an hour away. A cup of hot cocoa or a glass of wine can seem like a much better idea.
What are your challenges?
How do you make the most of winter riding?
What are some winter hacks you have for dealing with ice, snow, cold, and short days?
We would love to hear from you!
Also, I want to remind you about the mental health initiative that the Best Horse Practices Summit is developing. Thanks in part to a grant from the LOR Foundation, there will be a mental health forum called Buck the Trend taking place here in southwestern Colorado in mid-February, 2024. You can learn more about that here. and help us vote on the logo, too!
This is a bit about Buck the Trend that I shared recently:
Buck the Trend is a forum for working cowboys, trainers, farriers, clinicians and others in the horse community. It is a pilot project to address the mental health challenges specific to our community. It is founded on the idea that a small, peer-focused group, hosted in a safe, relaxed setting, and led by experienced mental health professionals, is an effective way to nurture conversations, build skills, and affect positive change.
A little bit about the why and the how:
Many of us have acknowledged that our work can be isolating and demanding and that there are cultural, logistical, economic, and social impediments to getting help and being well.
Our mental health and wellness impact not just us, but those around us, including family, friends, coworkers, and, of course, the animals.
Horses may be “therapeutic.” They can make us feel better. But they can’t necessarily help us build skills to navigate interpersonal relationships and feel better about ourselves.
The solution:
This forum is focused on skill-building and elevating the mental health conversation in our community. It’s an opportunity to focus on ourselves for a moment, so that we can enhance and improve what’s around us (specifically, the well-being of those close to us, humans and non-humans alike, as well as the greater horse community).
If you would like more information or would like to support Buck the Trend, please contact us.
Thanks to our title sponsor, Lucerne Farms, producers of quality forage feeds, extremely handy and healthy bales of alfalfa, timothy, and grass blends. A great addition or substitute for your hay or grass and way better than grain.
We thank Sampson Moss and his business, Prairie Wind Hat Works for the generous sponsorship. Sampson makes hats from his place in Pincher Creek, Alberta, and is taking custom orders now.
Hey, just a heads up that Jec and I have some great books for your Christmas shopping. Check out Jec's website and Cayuse Communications. Please consider supporting us with a few book buying clicks.
That’s it. Another episode in the can and out of the barn. Thanks for listening, y’all!
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We offer these shows for free. If you think it’s worthy of a small contribution, we sure would appreciate it.
This is Episode 13 of Season 4 in which Jec and I have an On the Fence segment. We are returning to a little theme that has been running through our shows, in which we ask the question (and take stabs at answering it) how are we doing? How is the horse industry doing? How are the trainers and other horse professionals doing? Our hunch is that burnout is real and financial struggles are real and that any alleviation of these difficulties is elusive.
We’re turning to our listeners for answers, too, and everyone who reaches out is in the running for Patagonia WorkWear. Heck, we’re also throwing in stickers, Redmond Equine products and a complimentary book from Cayuse Communications. So let us hear from you!
Jec mentions Karen Rohlf and her show interview.
I mention mental health challenges and the mental health forum, taking place here in southwestern Colorado in mid-February, 2024. Learn more about that here and here.
Thanks to our title sponsor, Lucerne Farms, producers of quality forage feeds, extremely handy and healthy bales of alfalfa, timothy, and grass blends. A great addition or substitute for your hay or grass and way better than grain.
Also, check out Chill Angel for luxurious superfine merino wool loungewear. We love their stargazer and reverie tops.
We are really looking forward to hearing from you to bolster this conversation with your experiences. Our colleague Katrin Silva is having a related conversation around what’s wrong in the dressage world and the show world. We know it’s not just the judges. We know it’s not just the trainers. Is it a systemic problem? If so, how can we best address it? Do we all need to be a little bit more knowledgeable and accountable? Sometimes the horse industry seems a bit like a freighter. Very hard to correct its course.
We thank Sampson Moss and his business, Prairie Wind Hat Works for the generous sponsorship. Sampson makes custom hats from his place in Pincher Creek, Alberta. I received a new sage green cowboy hat with a dark green bound edge last month and it’s been on my noggin for several rides already. Check out the best horse practices blog post for this show to see pictures.
Thanks to Redmond Equine and Pharm Aloe – for generously sponsoring our podcast. Check out Pharm Aloe’s aloe pellets which you can simply sprinkle on your horse’s feed and Redmond’s Rock on a Rope which you can simply hang on a fence. We think you’ll love ‘em.
Also thanks to Patagonia WorkWear for their continued support. Give us feedback, suggest a topic or guest, or make a donation and you’ll be automatically entered to win one of two free Patagonia WorkWear items that we give away every month. Don’t forget that Redmond Equine is sending a complimentary syringe of Daily Gold Stress Relief to everyone who drops a tip in our donation jar. Pretty cool and a $15 value. If you get something of value from our podcast, please consider making a donation. We sure would appreciate it.
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We offer these shows for free. If you think it’s worthy of a small contribution, we sure would appreciate it.
This is Episode 12 of Season 4 in which Jec interviews Wendy Murdoch, creator of the Murdoch Method and author of several books. Check out her online Whole Rider course here.
Before this marvelous interview, I thought I’d share a few bits on my work with two young horses. It’s a departure of sorts, but I hope you enjoy it. We love to hear from listeners. Contact us here.
Thanks to our title sponsor, Lucerne Farms, producers of quality forage feeds, extremely handy and healthy bales of alfalfa, timothy, and grass blends. A great addition or substitute for your hay or grass and way better than grain.
Because writing and talking helps me to better synthesize and appreciate experiences (and progress and hiccups and trepidations and failures and successes), I wanted to share some words on my time starting two youngish horses, Tuesday and Table.
Tuesday is four or five. She came to me as a free-to-a-good-home, dark buckskin, club-footed quarter horse.
Table, who was called Lorenzo until this nickname overpowered me, is a five-year old mustang from the Devil’s Garden herd management area in northern California. I acquired him from a gal who seemed afraid to handle him and before that he was with a man who mistreated him, or at least that’s what I was told and, based on Table’s behavior, I’d say is accurate.
Both had been handled very little, had never been ridden, and were overweight.
That’s where the similarities end.
Tuesday had a disrespect for my personal space and was pretty klingy to her herdmates. With work, like creating clear boundaries, testing them, letting her make a mistake and learning from it, those elements of her behavior are improving nicely. She’s a sweet horse and I think it can be tempting to invite her in for some rubs and loving. But for now, it’s more important for her to learn she can be happy with boundaries. She was unsafe in how she encroached, and it would be easy to make her unsafe again.
Table tends to be wary of everything, from a phone that suddenly plays music to me wearing a cowboy hat instead of a baseball hat. And even after lots of good work around tying, he still has a tendency to set back.
While I am a competent rider and have helped several horses who have come from bad situations, I have never started a horse from the ground up. As luck would have it, my friend, Jessica Munn, came to visit for a month. Jess is a colt starter, with a background in dressage as well as cowboying. It hadn’t been our plan to dedicate so much time to Table and Tuesday, but I’m so grateful that we were both able to commit to this focused work. Her help has been fundamental to our progress and I am deeply indebted to Jess for the knowledge and encouragement she brought to the pen. Oh, and she relearned me on the bowline knot, which I learned as a kid but had a hard time tying it as a horse-tying knot. If you have a horse that might set back, a bowline is a better knot to tie than a quick release knot.
Over several weeks, we worked every day to get both of them more comfortable with many aspects of this horse-human thing. Like, for instance, being tied for decent periods of time (20 minutes or more), being hobbled, being led, being tacked up, having feet handled and trimmed, and being away from herdmates.
That’s a broad brush and it’s tempting to think this checklist was ticked off in an afternoon. Far from it. Getting these horses to be better citizens was a road full of frost heaves and potholes. We worked every day, for one or two hours with each horse. We built on the previous days’ work and almost always revisited what we’d done in days past.
There is a great deal of repetition in good horse work. We do this so the horse knows what to expect in the form of boundaries and performance: when I apply pressure, you move away from it. When I tie you, you get to chill. When the other horses go out to pasture, you get to stay here, pay attention, and have fun.
Jess helped me with essential groundwork, which has included lunging and driving, as well as important techniques for riding horses who’d never been ridden, like being able to have them flex when I step up into the saddle. Stepping into the saddle is done from both sides, by the way. There was some learning for me around how to carry the reins more safely and how to sit better on a young horse.
She has encouraged me to take time to do everything well. As I have helped the horses become more patient, she has taught me the value of fence-sitting and taking more time with, well, everything. “It’s not time-consuming,” Jess reminded me. “It’s patience-building.”
I have learned some hacks for making progress and being less fearful. Singing, playing ridiculous music, and talking to my horses has helped shake off the brace and elevate my confidence. Taking videos has helped me see my penchant for leaning forward. When it feels like I’m leaning back, I’m actually pretty erect in the saddle. Jess has reminded me to be a confident leader. But what does that look like and how can I relate this to you all, who have different pictures in their heads about what confidence looks like?
I see the best results when I am decisive and clear. But being clear means knowing what you’re doing, so I have needed help with technique. Being clear is also wound up in confidence and mental habits, too. It’s easy to say, “work with confidence and clarity,” but it’s harder to do it in a way that is effective for the horses. “Black and white makes light. Be sparingly demanding.” says Jess. Whether with groundwork or riding, it is an everyday challenge to be clear, not vague, to ask succinctly, and not to nag.
Our work together, these daily sessions over a month, along with the sitting around, talking about what worked and didn’t have helped me a lot in this vein. Now that I’m doing the daily work on my own, I find I have to commit even more diligently: to get out there every day and to stay focused and intentional.
Of course, there has been unintentional nagging. Of course, I can beat myself up over tough afternoons. It’s all part of the process.
We thank Sampson Moss and his business, Prairie Wind Hat Works for the generous sponsorship. You can order one today and have it by the holidays!
Thanks to Redmond Equine and Pharm Aloe – for generously sponsoring our podcast. Check out Pharm Aloe’s aloe pellets which you can simply sprinkle on your horse’s feed and Redmond’s Rock on a Rope which you can simply hang on a fence. We think you’ll love ‘em.
Also thanks to Patagonia WorkWear for their continued support. Give us feedback, suggest a topic or guest, or make a donation and you’ll be automatically entered to win one of two free Patagonia WorkWear items that we give away every month. Don’t forget that Redmond Equine is sending a complimentary syringe of Daily Gold Stress Relief to everyone who drops a tip in our donation jar. Pretty cool and a $15 value. If you get something of value from our podcast, please consider making a donation. We sure would appreciate it.
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We offer these shows for free. If you think it’s worthy of a small contribution, we sure would appreciate it.
This is Episode 11 of Season 4 and in it, Jec interviews Dr. Doug Thal, owner of Thal Equine, a veterinary practice and Santa Fe, New Mexico. Doug was tapped to present a great topic at the Best Horse Practices Summit one year ago, but came down with Covid just prior to our event. He and I have had a lot of conversations around what vets need to know, especially around horsemanship, and, what horse owners need to know to be better owners and to be able to communicate best with their vets. I was so looking forward to his presentation but here, in this interview about the vet shortage crisis, Doug gets into this a bit.
Check out his app, Horse Side Vet Guide.
Thanks to our title sponsor, Lucerne Farms, producers of quality forage feeds, extremely handy and healthy bales of alfalfa, timothy, and grass blends. A great addition or substitute for your hay or grass and way better than grain. Check them out at lucernefarms.com.
Also, thanks to Skratch Labs, makers of hydration drinks and snacks for athletes. I especially like their chocolate milk, which is great after a hard, long ride. Yes, heat it up and make hot cocoa, by all means. Use besthorse25 for 25 percent off your order.
Whenever I see horses on TV, handled by newbies, most in the Netflix show Sex Education, I cringe. But then I think about the enormous learning curve that people have coming to horse work, horsemanship. And there is always more to learn. When I think of how little I knew when I was riding and taking care of horses as a girl, I’m astonished more bad stuff didn’t happen. In working with my young horses now, I’m astonished at how much more I need to learn and be confident about.
Do you have stuff in your truck? Have you had moments of steep learning curves? Tips for fellow horse owners? We would love to hear from you.
Here are articles to check out:
Ownership
First Aid Essentials
First Response Tips
We thank Sampson Moss and his business, Prairie Wind Hat Works for the generous sponsorship. Sampson makes custom hats from his place in Pincher Creek, Alberta. I am extremely excited to receive a hat I ordered a few months ago. It’s sage green, has a three and a half inch brim trimmed out with dark green bound edge. When I get it, I’ll post pics. You can order one today and have it by the holidays.
Thanks to Redmond Equine and Pharm Aloe – for generously sponsoring our podcast. Check out Pharm Aloe’s aloe pellets which you can simply sprinkle on your horse’s feed and Redmond’s Rock on a Rope which you can simply hang on a fence. We think you’ll love ‘em.
Also thanks to Patagonia WorkWear for their continued support. Patagonia just came out with a hemp tool bag that is awesome for tack and barn stuff, from hoof picks to brushes, sprays, and hobbles. It is reversable so the many pockets can live on the inside or outside. The hemp was grown in the US and the bag was sewn in the US. AND...we are giving away two of them! Give us feedback, suggest a topic or guest, or make a donation and you’ll be automatically entered to win one of two free Patagonia WorkWear items that we give away every month. Don’t forget that Redmond Equine is sending a complimentary syringe of Daily Gold Stress Relief to everyone who drops a tip in our donation jar. Pretty cool and a $15 value. If you get something of value from our podcast, please consider making a donation. We sure would appreciate it.
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This is Episode 10 of Season 4 and in it, Jec holds a Coaches’ Corner with our frequent and friendly guest, Amy Skinner. The two horsewomen discuss body work and as well as other services that can be hired and provided to your horses.
What do you think?
We’ve had Jim Masterson, founder of the Masterson Method, present at the Best Horse Practices Summit twice. The evidence is certainly strong for this kind of body work helping horses. And Jim is a wonderful, generous presenter who has put hands on thousands of horses and mentored scores of Masterson Method providers. BHPS 2022 presentation. BHPS 2021 Presentation.
But Jec and Amy are on to something when they talk about the possible red flags or, say, caution flags, when it comes to body work, chiropractic work, acupunture, as well as supplements, and other extra-care type elements of horse ownership. Are they worth it? Is there another reason you might be subscribing to it?
I was listening to a podcast about self-care. Actually, it was about the industry of self-care, of all the stuff you can buy to care for yourself, of music to listen to, of essential oils to smell, of chairs and sunglasses, and, well, stuff! When really, though, self-care isn’t about stuff at all.
Thanks to our title sponsor, Lucerne Farms, producers of quality forage feeds, extremely handy and healthy bales of alfalfa, timothy, and grass blends. A great addition or substitute for your hay or grass and way better than grain. Check them out at lucernefarms.com.
Also, thanks to Skratch Labs, makers of hydration drinks and snacks for athletes. I especially like their chocolate milk, which is great after a hard, long ride. Yes, heat it up and make hot cocoa, by all means. Check them out at skratch labs com Use besthorse25 for 25 percent off your order.
Dr. Sherry King, in an article for Best Horse Practices, wrote that horses may not want or need the stuff Amy and Jec mentioned. She said:
When we misinterpret our relationship with our horse, when we move beyond the role of caring steward to treating the horse like an extension of ourselves and our family, we err to the detriment of the horse. We end up loving it badly.
The next time you catch yourself doing “something special” for your horse, stop. Think. Are you really doing this for your horse, or are you doing it for you? If it is really for you, is it also good for the horse?
Beware false prophets of equine welfare – what they preach may actually be bad for horse’s health.
This is not a clarion call to stop all the extra stuff you’re doing for your horses. But maybe cast a critical eye on it?
Oh, I mentioned the podcast on self-care: The two women kind of dissected the self-care industry as appealing to our consumerist nature, that if we can just buy something that someone assures us is comforting and soothing, then we will be comforted and soothed. But, they pointed out, the ultimate comfort comes from turning inward not outward. It is doing the things that don’t cost anything but time and effort. Like maybe meditation or really thinking about life priorities and then consciously shifting your days to better represent what you want and what you need. Like maybe riding more or giving your horses’ more exercise since we know that’s almost always of great benefit to the horses.
We thank Sampson Moss and his business, Prairie Wind Hat Works for the generous sponsorship. Sampson makes custom hats from his place in Pincher Creek, Alberta. You can order one today and have it by the holidays.
Thanks to Redmond Equine and Pharm Aloe – for generously sponsoring our podcast. Check out Pharm Aloe’s aloe pellets which you can simply sprinkle on your horse’s feed and Redmond’s Rock on a Rope which you can simply hang on a fence. We think you’ll love ‘em.
Also thanks to Patagonia WorkWear for their continued support. Patagonia just came out with a hemp tool bag that is awesome for tack and barn stuff, from hoof picks to brushes, sprays, and hobbles. It is reversable so the many pockets can live on the inside or outside. The hemp was grown in the US and the bag was sewn in the US. AND...we are giving away two of them! Give us feedback, suggest a topic or guest, or make a donation and you’ll be automatically entered to win one of two free Patagonia WorkWear items that we give away every month. Don’t forget that Redmond Equine is sending a complimentary syringe of Daily Gold Stress Relief to everyone who drops a tip in our donation jar. Pretty cool and a $15 value. If you get something of value from our podcast, please consider making a donation. We sure would appreciate it.
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