In today's episode I want to pay tribute to some very influential men and mentors. Allen Gammill my grandfather. He taught me several lessons in loyalty. Boley Crawford  assistant football coach at East Texas State University(now Texas A&amp;M Commerce) who gave me an option between class or practice Dick Atwood owner of Atwood Hats Randy Snodgrass  owner of ArenaWerks These men left a lasting impression on me!

In today's episode I want to pay tribute to some very influential men and mentors. Allen Gammill my grandfather. He taught me several lessons in loyalty. Boley Crawford assistant football coach at East Texas State University(now Texas A&amp;M Commerce) who gave me an option between class or practice Dick Atwood owner of Atwood Hats Randy Snodgrass owner of ArenaWerks These men left a lasting impression on me!

Dance With Who Brung Ya

In the most recent previous episodes we discussed The Path of Least Resistance, Forward Motion, The Control of Forward Motion and now it's time to discuss The Stopping Forward Motion. Let's face it. There are tons of ways to stop a horse. Heck, there are even different kinds of stops. The thing I focus on first is a true understanding between horse and rider as to WHY your horse is moving. Today we will focus on what I refer to as The 3 Steps To Stopping.  First         Quit making him go. Remove your movement/rhythm  Second    WHOA  Third        Support with your reins As my horse develops, I may actually train them to stop by also using The 3 Steps to Stopping individually. I'll explain. Bottom line is that we must ask ourselves why our horse is going. Our horse must learn from all previous steps of The Basics that they are moving because we've established a working relationship and we are creating rhythm to get the horse to move. When this working relationship is established and practiced first then The 3 Steps to Stopping will be a success.

In the most recent previous episodes we discussed The Path of Least Resistance, Forward Motion, The Control of Forward Motion and now it's time to discuss The Stopping Forward Motion. Let's face it. There are tons of ways to stop a horse. Heck, there are even different kinds of stops. The thing I focus on first is a true understanding between horse and rider as to WHY your horse is moving. Today we will focus on what I refer to as The 3 Steps To Stopping. First         Quit making him go. Remove your movement/rhythm Second    WHOA Third        Support with your reins As my horse develops, I may actually train them to stop by also using The 3 Steps to Stopping individually. I'll explain. Bottom line is that we must ask ourselves why our horse is going. Our horse must learn from all previous steps of The Basics that they are moving because we've established a working relationship and we are creating rhythm to get the horse to move. When this working relationship is established and practiced first then The 3 Steps to Stopping will be a success.

Nothing Beyond the Basics; Stopping of Forward Motion 

Last episode we continued a new series titled Nothing Beyond the Basics and spoke about forward motion and the control of forward motion as we talked about establishing aworking relationship by working on speed control. Today we will focus on the control of forward movement by focusing on directional control. Directional Control- left and right and turns. Turns or change of directions using turns. Inside turns and outside turns. I personally prefer outside turns initially. Why? Preparing for what comes next and having faith that what in my opinion too many focus on; hooking on or joining up or whatever term you want to put on it. Not that it’s not important it’s just not on my priority list in front of preparing for where I’m going to be, in the saddle. Eye to eye transitions better prepare a horse for a rider to be behind them. As I work on these things and the other important priorities the horse soon craves the hooking on... it just happens anyway. It’s not something I have to work on. I have faith it will come. I know it will come. Next episode we will discuss more about speed control and preparing the horse for further success

Last episode we continued a new series titled Nothing Beyond the Basics and spoke about forward motion and the control of forward motion as we talked about establishing aworking relationship by working on speed control. Today we will focus on the control of forward movement by focusing on directional control. Directional Control- left and right and turns. Turns or change of directions using turns. Inside turns and outside turns. I personally prefer outside turns initially. Why? Preparing for what comes next and having faith that what in my opinion too many focus on; hooking on or joining up or whatever term you want to put on it. Not that it’s not important it’s just not on my priority list in front of preparing for where I’m going to be, in the saddle. Eye to eye transitions better prepare a horse for a rider to be behind them. As I work on these things and the other important priorities the horse soon craves the hooking on... it just happens anyway. It’s not something I have to work on. I have faith it will come. I know it will come. Next episode we will discuss more about speed control and preparing the horse for further success

Nothing Beyond the Basics; Control of Forward Motion-Directional & Speed (Part 4)

Today we will focus on the control of forward movement. Directional Control- left and right and turns. Turns or change of directions using turns. Inside turns and outside turns. I personally prefer outside turns initially. Why? Preparing for what comes next and having faith that what in my opinion too many focus on. Hooking on or joining up, or whatever term you want to put on it - Not that it’s not important it’s just not on my priority list in front of preparing for where I’m going to be, in the saddle. Eye to eye transitions. Better prepare a horse for a rider to be behind them. As I work on these things and the other important priorities the horse soon craves the hooking on… it just happens anyway. It’s not something I have to work on. I have faith it will come. I know it will come.

Today we will focus on the control of forward movement. Directional Control- left and right and turns. Turns or change of directions using turns. Inside turns and outside turns. I personally prefer outside turns initially. Why? Preparing for what comes next and having faith that what in my opinion too many focus on. Hooking on or joining up, or whatever term you want to put on it - Not that it’s not important it’s just not on my priority list in front of preparing for where I’m going to be, in the saddle. Eye to eye transitions. Better prepare a horse for a rider to be behind them. As I work on these things and the other important priorities the horse soon craves the hooking on… it just happens anyway. It’s not something I have to work on. I have faith it will come. I know it will come.

Nothing Beyond the Basics; Control of Forward Motion-Directional & Speed (Part 3)

Today as we progress on the forward motion and obtaining it via the path of least resistance I'd like to address the use of the round pen for a moment. I'm certainly not gonna dog any other credible tools such as no pen at all or a square pen, rectangular pen, or any other shape. Yes, a tool can assist greatly if you know what project you're working on and the purpose. What tool one uses might, just might, depend on one's experience and the exact purpose being attempted. Here we will discuss a bit about a Facebook post I interacted in regarding a guy bashing round pens in favor of square pens. Forward motion; for the sake of discussion we are going to be referring to horses that make up the vast majority of horse's world wide and not necessarily gaited horse's. Please note that I have absolutely nothing against gaited breeds at all. Just for the sake of simplicity I'll refer a lot to a walk, trot, canter, and perhaps a gallop. In the beginning, on any horse at any training or trained level I ask them to go forward by offering the path of least resistance and I couldn't care less what gait they choose as long as they are going forward. Of course I'd like them to ease off at a walk, but as long as they are going forward then I know all the other things I desire from them wil come. I just want forward motion when I ask for it. Next episode we will discuss control of forward motion

Today as we progress on the forward motion and obtaining it via the path of least resistance I'd like to address the use of the round pen for a moment. I'm certainly not gonna dog any other credible tools such as no pen at all or a square pen, rectangular pen, or any other shape. Yes, a tool can assist greatly if you know what project you're working on and the purpose. What tool one uses might, just might, depend on one's experience and the exact purpose being attempted. Here we will discuss a bit about a Facebook post I interacted in regarding a guy bashing round pens in favor of square pens. Forward motion; for the sake of discussion we are going to be referring to horses that make up the vast majority of horse's world wide and not necessarily gaited horse's. Please note that I have absolutely nothing against gaited breeds at all. Just for the sake of simplicity I'll refer a lot to a walk, trot, canter, and perhaps a gallop. In the beginning, on any horse at any training or trained level I ask them to go forward by offering the path of least resistance and I couldn't care less what gait they choose as long as they are going forward. Of course I'd like them to ease off at a walk, but as long as they are going forward then I know all the other things I desire from them wil come. I just want forward motion when I ask for it. Next episode we will discuss control of forward motion

Nothing Beyond the Basics; Forward Motion (Part 2)

Welcome back to Ride Every Stride. It's been quite a while since our last episode. Thank you all for your patience, continued encouragement and support. You all may have noticed a change in the voice on the introduction piece. Well, let me formally introduce the new Ride Every Stride co-host, my lovely wife Melanie Hargis. For those of you that visit our website, join theTop Hand Club, or see us on the road at speaking engagements, clinics, or expo appearances chances are you may have already met Miss Melanie either directly or indirectly. I'd also like to give a shot out to our former host, Miss Laura McClellan. She was a huge inspiration to me starting Ride Every Stride and I'll forever be grateful to her for all she's done to help me on countless projects, but most of all for being a great friend. We wish her continued success on her podcast The Productive Woman. Today we are going to take a trip back... we are going to restart by focusing on a series... this series is going to take us back to THE one thing that has lead to most of my successes both in horseemanship and humanship; Nothing Beyond the Basics. Nothing Beyond the Basics... a) the path of least resistance b) forward movement c) control of forward movement d) stopping of forward movement Today; part one of this series: The Path of Least Resistance

Welcome back to Ride Every Stride. It's been quite a while since our last episode. Thank you all for your patience, continued encouragement and support. You all may have noticed a change in the voice on the introduction piece. Well, let me formally introduce the new Ride Every Stride co-host, my lovely wife Melanie Hargis. For those of you that visit our website, join theTop Hand Club, or see us on the road at speaking engagements, clinics, or expo appearances chances are you may have already met Miss Melanie either directly or indirectly. I'd also like to give a shot out to our former host, Miss Laura McClellan. She was a huge inspiration to me starting Ride Every Stride and I'll forever be grateful to her for all she's done to help me on countless projects, but most of all for being a great friend. We wish her continued success on her podcast The Productive Woman. Today we are going to take a trip back... we are going to restart by focusing on a series... this series is going to take us back to THE one thing that has lead to most of my successes both in horseemanship and humanship; Nothing Beyond the Basics. Nothing Beyond the Basics... a) the path of least resistance b) forward movement c) control of forward movement d) stopping of forward movement Today; part one of this series: The Path of Least Resistance

Nothing Beyond the Basics; The Path of Least Resistance (Part 1)

You’ve probably heard me say this before, “Horses aren’t people.” You may have also rolled your eyes at me, because it seems obvious. Doesn’t it? Yet you’d be surprised how often people misinterpret horse behavior as being the same as human behavior, with the same emotions and causes involved. But the truth of the matter is different. Horses are a different species, with different instincts and social hierarchies. This episode goes in depth into the herd dynamic, and most importantly, where you fit into that dynamic. Spoiler alert, your position is to be the leader.  Key takeaways  If I could leave you with one clear message about herd dynamics it would be to observe your horses objectively. How can you be the leader of an organization you don’t know anything about? We have to watch our horses and see how they interact. Sure, a calf may be nudging against their mother because there is a mother-offspring bond, or the calf could have a spur on its neck. Humans can be very selfish in our love. However, horses are different—they care more about the survival of their species, something that drastically sets them apart from the human mindset in most cases. If you are going to be leading more than one horse, you need to figure out where all of the horses sit in your herd as well—they can’t all be equal. Figuring this out will help you communicate with them better while using body language and pressure they already understand. You have to learn to emulate their behavior in order to do this.   And the humanship aspect of all this? Just know and respect those in our lives for who they really are, don’t twist your perception and assumptions about a person. When we know that and accept our role for what that is, and we can earn that role of respect with them as their leader – that makes the working relationship with our horse that much better.

You’ve probably heard me say this before, “Horses aren’t people.” You may have also rolled your eyes at me, because it seems obvious. Doesn’t it? Yet you’d be surprised how often people misinterpret horse behavior as being the same as human behavior, with the same emotions and causes involved. But the truth of the matter is different. Horses are a different species, with different instincts and social hierarchies. This episode goes in depth into the herd dynamic, and most importantly, where you fit into that dynamic. Spoiler alert, your position is to be the leader. Key takeaways If I could leave you with one clear message about herd dynamics it would be to observe your horses objectively. How can you be the leader of an organization you don’t know anything about? We have to watch our horses and see how they interact. Sure, a calf may be nudging against their mother because there is a mother-offspring bond, or the calf could have a spur on its neck. Humans can be very selfish in our love. However, horses are different—they care more about the survival of their species, something that drastically sets them apart from the human mindset in most cases. If you are going to be leading more than one horse, you need to figure out where all of the horses sit in your herd as well—they can’t all be equal. Figuring this out will help you communicate with them better while using body language and pressure they already understand. You have to learn to emulate their behavior in order to do this. And the humanship aspect of all this? Just know and respect those in our lives for who they really are, don’t twist your perception and assumptions about a person. When we know that and accept our role for what that is, and we can earn that role of respect with them as their leader – that makes the working relationship with our horse that much better.

Herd and Herd Dynamics | Ride Every Stride 078

Don’t know what you can do unless you let go of comfort zone. It’s easy to hold onto what we know and stay in one spot, but unless you branch out, you’ll never know what is just beyond our reach. So there a lot of things that can hold us back in both our humanship and horsemanship. Most of these are in our mind—like a stake in the ground that keeps an elephant from running off from a circus. They could easily tug it free, but they’ve been conditioned since birth to believe that can’t yank that thing out of the ground. So we will be talking about how to not be that elephant, and how we can let go and let our horses grow with us. Key Takeaways So how do you ride every stride if you let go of the reins? Well, I like to look at the reins as a last resort steering wheel. There I so much other communication to learn between you and your horse, your body, voice, and weight. And 9 times out of 10 if you do let go, your horse isn’t going to bolt. Thinking your horse is a ticking time bomb is detrimental to your growth and the horse’s too. More often than not, what we are holding our horses back from doing is just based on our own fears. Getting over that fear can come in steps, but one of the key tickets to letting go is visualizing what you want to happen. Like a batter see’s hitting a ball, let your imagination go first and let your body follow through.    Something I like to say about both us and our horses is that we need to be willfully guided. But to be guided, we have to be moving first. After all, how are you going to ride every stride if you’re not riding! Just take a step, even if it’s in the wrong direction. You have to be moving in order to guide the horse and be guided by what the horse makes you feel. 

Don’t know what you can do unless you let go of comfort zone. It’s easy to hold onto what we know and stay in one spot, but unless you branch out, you’ll never know what is just beyond our reach. So there a lot of things that can hold us back in both our humanship and horsemanship. Most of these are in our mind—like a stake in the ground that keeps an elephant from running off from a circus. They could easily tug it free, but they’ve been conditioned since birth to believe that can’t yank that thing out of the ground. So we will be talking about how to not be that elephant, and how we can let go and let our horses grow with us. Key Takeaways So how do you ride every stride if you let go of the reins? Well, I like to look at the reins as a last resort steering wheel. There I so much other communication to learn between you and your horse, your body, voice, and weight. And 9 times out of 10 if you do let go, your horse isn’t going to bolt. Thinking your horse is a ticking time bomb is detrimental to your growth and the horse’s too. More often than not, what we are holding our horses back from doing is just based on our own fears. Getting over that fear can come in steps, but one of the key tickets to letting go is visualizing what you want to happen. Like a batter see’s hitting a ball, let your imagination go first and let your body follow through. Something I like to say about both us and our horses is that we need to be willfully guided. But to be guided, we have to be moving first. After all, how are you going to ride every stride if you’re not riding! Just take a step, even if it’s in the wrong direction. You have to be moving in order to guide the horse and be guided by what the horse makes you feel.

Just Letting Go | RES 077

This episode wrangles with a topic brought up on Facebook by a great friend of mine, Steve Stevens up in North Texas. Now Steve asked over Facebook if his followers thought that organization played a role in their horsemanship. The way they hang up bridles and saddles and lead ropes, could that at all impact their horsemanship. A lot of people said no. They drag their ropes, leave stuff on the ground till the next day, and so on and so forth. But professionals chimed in and said that this kind of organization was a key component of their horsemanship. I agree with this. Organization can definitely play a role in how you approach your horsemanship, and this episode dives right into why that is.   Key Takeaways  So what’s the connection between how you hang your tack and your horsemanship? For one, I use organization as a teaching tool. When I know exactly where everything is in my barn, I can say ‘Hey Laura, go grab me a Snapple bit – the second one on the left.” Now Laura may not know what a snapple bit is, but because my organization is tight I can still lead her right to that bit and she can start learning more about it.  One of the main benefits of organizing tack is the overflow into our thoughts—when we organize our gear we are also organizing what we’re thinking about. I believe everyone should have a plan for their horse each day, but not be attached to that plan. Horses can change what you need to do in a heartbeat, as well as what you need. Organizing your gear can help you preemptively plan for diversions in your day and help keep an even flow when plans change on the fly. Of course, if you are still having a blast with your tack looking like a tornado organized it—don’t feel like you have to change just because I told you to! Everyone’s path through horsemanship is different. As long as your organization method keeps you motivated to ride and lets you spend more time with your horse, I’m all on board. We also want to give a big thanks to Equi-racks who’ve been helping us out with the podcast and we’ve been using all their products on our new facilities on the ranch. ****Also, if you’re a fan of the show please take time to head over and leave us an Itunes Review to give Laura and myself a glimpse of how we’ve helped you or what we could do better to help you ride every stride.

This episode wrangles with a topic brought up on Facebook by a great friend of mine, Steve Stevens up in North Texas. Now Steve asked over Facebook if his followers thought that organization played a role in their horsemanship. The way they hang up bridles and saddles and lead ropes, could that at all impact their horsemanship. A lot of people said no. They drag their ropes, leave stuff on the ground till the next day, and so on and so forth. But professionals chimed in and said that this kind of organization was a key component of their horsemanship. I agree with this. Organization can definitely play a role in how you approach your horsemanship, and this episode dives right into why that is.   Key Takeaways So what’s the connection between how you hang your tack and your horsemanship? For one, I use organization as a teaching tool. When I know exactly where everything is in my barn, I can say ‘Hey Laura, go grab me a Snapple bit – the second one on the left.” Now Laura may not know what a snapple bit is, but because my organization is tight I can still lead her right to that bit and she can start learning more about it. One of the main benefits of organizing tack is the overflow into our thoughts—when we organize our gear we are also organizing what we’re thinking about. I believe everyone should have a plan for their horse each day, but not be attached to that plan. Horses can change what you need to do in a heartbeat, as well as what you need. Organizing your gear can help you preemptively plan for diversions in your day and help keep an even flow when plans change on the fly. Of course, if you are still having a blast with your tack looking like a tornado organized it—don’t feel like you have to change just because I told you to! Everyone’s path through horsemanship is different. As long as your organization method keeps you motivated to ride and lets you spend more time with your horse, I’m all on board. We also want to give a big thanks to <a href="https://equiracks.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Equi-racks</a> who’ve been helping us out with the podcast and we’ve been using all their products on our new facilities on the ranch. ****Also, if you’re a fan of the show please take time to head over and leave us an<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ride-every-stride-horsemanship-personal-growth-van/id1161557321?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Itunes Review</a> to give Laura and myself a glimpse of how we’ve helped you or what we could do better to help you ride every stride.

Organization and Horsemanship | RES 076

As you all know, we love getting listener questions. By far the most common questions we get revolve around confidence, anxiety, and a slew of other mental barriers that get in the way of our horsemanship. Everyone experiences these kinds of roadblocks, even me. At every clinic I’m at I tell folks the only difference between them and me is that I’ve had more practice, I’ve just screwed up more than them. And that’s it. Everyone at times feels like they aren’t normal—like they aren’t failing by doing X or Y. But the truth is that’s completely natural, we are all trying to figure this out together, although a lot of people don’t want to talk about it. But that’s the focus of this episode—the three roadblocks between you and your horsemanship and humanship. Key Takeaways Our Past: often times we let what’s happened to us completely dictate what we do in the here and now. People get sucked into dwelling on their past, and it puts a damper on the present. But you shouldn’t do that—you should reflect on the past to learn, not to mope. Especially with our horses. Plenty of people have told me, “Ah well my old horse did this” or “So-and-so’s horse did this to me.” But that was a different horse. Don’t let your baggage from the past interfere with a new horse, it’s a different animal! Judgement from Others: we have to learn to know when to take advice and when to reject it. We shouldn’t do something, buy this saddle or this horse just because we are afraid of what people will think of us if we don’t. For example, a horse very near and dear to my heart passed away tragically one day. I considered that horse one of my best friends—and immediately people told me what I should do about it. Oh, bury him in a pretty place—or move on Van, just go get another horse and get back on that saddle. No one understands my experience with that horse, I couldn’t let their judgement of my grieving process get in the way of what I needed to experience. Don’t let other’s judgement become a wall you are afraid to pass. Restricting our Beliefs: what I mean by this is that you shouldn’t be afraid to believe in yourself. To believe in your dreams, goals, and success. If you limit yourself to what others tell you you can and can’t accomplish or focus too much on the obstacles, you will draw those negative things to you. But if you believe in the unlimited you’ll find that every stride of the journey comes with its own success and beauty, and the more you appreciate those moments in the here and now, the more that dream of yours will peer over the horizon at you. If you’re a fan of the show please take time to head over and leave us an Itunes Review to give Laura and myself a glimpse of how we’ve helped you or what we could do better to help you ride every stride.

As you all know, we love getting listener questions. By far the most common questions we get revolve around confidence, anxiety, and a slew of other mental barriers that get in the way of our horsemanship. Everyone experiences these kinds of roadblocks, even me. At every clinic I’m at I tell folks the only difference between them and me is that I’ve had more practice, I’ve just screwed up more than them. And that’s it. Everyone at times feels like they aren’t normal—like they aren’t failing by doing X or Y. But the truth is that’s completely natural, we are all trying to figure this out together, although a lot of people don’t want to talk about it. But that’s the focus of this episode—the three roadblocks between you and your horsemanship and humanship. Key Takeaways Our Past: often times we let what’s happened to us completely dictate what we do in the here and now. People get sucked into dwelling on their past, and it puts a damper on the present. But you shouldn’t do that—you should reflect on the past to learn, not to mope. Especially with our horses. Plenty of people have told me, “Ah well my old horse did this” or “So-and-so’s horse did this to me.” But that was a different horse. Don’t let your baggage from the past interfere with a new horse, it’s a different animal! Judgement from Others: we have to learn to know when to take advice and when to reject it. We shouldn’t do something, buy this saddle or this horse just because we are afraid of what people will think of us if we don’t. For example, a horse very near and dear to my heart passed away tragically one day. I considered that horse one of my best friends—and immediately people told me what I should do about it. Oh, bury him in a pretty place—or move on Van, just go get another horse and get back on that saddle. No one understands my experience with that horse, I couldn’t let their judgement of my grieving process get in the way of what I needed to experience. Don’t let other’s judgement become a wall you are afraid to pass. Restricting our Beliefs: what I mean by this is that you shouldn’t be afraid to believe in yourself. To believe in your dreams, goals, and success. If you limit yourself to what others tell you you can and can’t accomplish or focus too much on the obstacles, you will draw those negative things to you. But if you believe in the unlimited you’ll find that every stride of the journey comes with its own success and beauty, and the more you appreciate those moments in the here and now, the more that dream of yours will peer over the horizon at you. If you’re a fan of the show please take time to head over and leave us an<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ride-every-stride-horsemanship-personal-growth-van/id1161557321?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Itunes Review</a> to give Laura and myself a glimpse of how we’ve helped you or what we could do better to help you ride every stride.

3 Obstacles to Horsemanship and Humanship | RES 075 

Welcome to Ride Every Stride with Van Hargis, a podcast about horsemanship . . . and more. Our goal is to educate, motivate, inspire, and entertain you through an exploration of everything horsemanship and the intersection of horsemanship and humanship. We want to give you practical tools that you can use in the arena or on the trail and teach you the principles of great horsemanship, while also inspiring you to apply those same principles to help your personal growth and success.

I love the show and am excited to have both Hargises on the mike. Thanks for the wisdom you share on every episode. Go wide legged and loose handed through the spook is my favorite take away. I’d love to hear more about staying off the forehand.

Welcome Ms. Melanie!

Van Hargis is brilliant but gets the point across so smooth and easy that it’s addictive. immediately applicable, I’ve grown as a rider and trust his mind and experience. Life lessons too. Thank you VH, glad you share your beautiful genius so generously.

Glad you’re back!

Ride Every Stride | Horsemanship and Personal Growth with Van Hargis

It’s easy to get wrapped up in negative thinking, even if it doesn’t seem like that big a deal. We might complain about the weather, it being too hot or too cold. We might say, “Well my mare is in heat right now and you know how that goes.” We find it so easy to fall into negative thinking, and I think a lot of it has to do with the media we take in. There’s always bad news in the paper and people arguing online, over the radio, and on T.V. Being positive is a practice, one where you take a negative and see the bright side of it. When we do that we’re able to visualize a better road forward for ourselves and our horses.   Key Takeaways Positivity is ultimately a conscious choice we have to make. It may come easier to some than others, but all of us have to work at it in order to find the positive in every situation. Not just in life, but directly with our horses as well. When our horses do something we don’t want, like buck or turn the wrong way or won’t load on the trailer—it’s easy to get wrapped up in the negative side of the situation. But if you take a moment and step back, you can see that both you and the horse are learning. Learning what triggers the horse to buck, and the horse is on its way to learning that bucking is a waste of energy—it will be easier in the long run for them not to. Another key is that our thoughts control our actions. I like to do an exercise at my clinics where I give all the riders a task, and then bring in a large cone to the arena without saying anything. Riders will start gravitating towards it without knowing why. Even after I tell them to leave the cone alone riders will still drift to it—it’s occupying so much of their mind that their body is telling the horse to wander that way. Use your thoughts to focus on the positive, and your body and actions will follow.   Committing to better thoughts can be difficult. We can’t forget about all the bad things that have happened to us, but we can choose to acknowledge that we’ve grown from them and move forward. We can choose to learn how to cope and be happy. And if you can’t find a way to think positive all the time, learn to not think negatively. Let other things occupy your mind and learn to accept that things are perfect for now—that everything in this particular stride is okay, and just a step on a journey to something better.   Also, if you’re a fan of the show please take time to head over and leave us an Itunes Review to give Laura and myself a glimpse of how we’ve helped you or what we could do better to help you ride every stride.

It’s easy to get wrapped up in negative thinking, even if it doesn’t seem like that big a deal. We might complain about the weather, it being too hot or too cold. We might say, “Well my mare is in heat right now and you know how that goes.” We find it so easy to fall into negative thinking, and I think a lot of it has to do with the media we take in. There’s always bad news in the paper and people arguing online, over the radio, and on T.V. Being positive is a practice, one where you take a negative and see the bright side of it. When we do that we’re able to visualize a better road forward for ourselves and our horses. Key Takeaways Positivity is ultimately a conscious choice we have to make. It may come easier to some than others, but all of us have to work at it in order to find the positive in every situation. Not just in life, but directly with our horses as well. When our horses do something we don’t want, like buck or turn the wrong way or won’t load on the trailer—it’s easy to get wrapped up in the negative side of the situation. But if you take a moment and step back, you can see that both you and the horse are learning. Learning what triggers the horse to buck, and the horse is on its way to learning that bucking is a waste of energy—it will be easier in the long run for them not to. Another key is that our thoughts control our actions. I like to do an exercise at my clinics where I give all the riders a task, and then bring in a large cone to the arena without saying anything. Riders will start gravitating towards it without knowing why. Even after I tell them to leave the cone alone riders will still drift to it—it’s occupying so much of their mind that their body is telling the horse to wander that way. Use your thoughts to focus on the positive, and your body and actions will follow. Committing to better thoughts can be difficult. We can’t forget about all the bad things that have happened to us, but we can choose to acknowledge that we’ve grown from them and move forward. We can choose to learn how to cope and be happy. And if you can’t find a way to think positive all the time, learn to not think negatively. Let other things occupy your mind and learn to accept that things are perfect for now—that everything in this particular stride is okay, and just a step on a journey to something better. Also, if you’re a fan of the show please take time to head over and leave us an <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ride-every-stride-horsemanship-personal-growth-van/id1161557321?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Itunes Review</a> to give Laura and myself a glimpse of how we’ve helped you or what we could do better to help you ride every stride.

The Practice of Being Positive | RES 073

Dictator Approach

Welcome back to Ride Every Stride—Laura and I know that it has been a while since we stepped behind the microphone, but we’re glad to be back and at it. We’re coming back on this episode to talk about something that straddles the line between horsemanship and humanship. Are you a leader or an authority figure? What’s the difference? Well, for starters, we’ve all had a boss or two that seems to be more of a dictator than a leader. Sure, they give instructions and force you to carry them out—but the difference between a leader and this bad boss is in the why of why you, or your horse, are carrying out these orders.    Key Takeaways  I see some people raising their children in a way that they are more of their friend than a parent. The parent worries about being “liked” by their kids more than anything else. Well, when it comes time to put their foot down there is often resistance. The same goes for our horses. In being a leader we can’t just be a friend, we have to set our horses up for success and help them make the right decisions in our relationships with them. Now the other extreme is the dictator approach. This is when we don’t care if the horse understands why it needs to perform an action. We just care about the result. But when we take this dictator approach the horse still performs differently—mainly out of fear or anxiety. And we don’t want that at all. What we want to do is keep our promises to our horses. Let them know that if they do X, you’re going to ask them to do Y again. And setting them up so that doing Y is the easy thing helps them learn this. Being consistent and keeping that promise to the horse helps them feel secure—and when they feel secure, there isn’t any room left for them to be anxious. Again, all of this requires us to make the active choice to be a leader. Or at least to make the choice to learn how to be a better leader. And as time goes on, our communication with the horse can become more subtle and understood.    Consistency and persistence is much more effective than dominance. That’s the key take away. And the results of that are commitment, trustworthiness, security, and confidence. The main ingredients for a leader on any stage, saddle, or workplace. 

Welcome back to Ride Every Stride—Laura and I know that it has been a while since we stepped behind the microphone, but we’re glad to be back and at it. We’re coming back on this episode to talk about something that straddles the line between horsemanship and humanship. Are you a leader or an authority figure? What’s the difference? Well, for starters, we’ve all had a boss or two that seems to be more of a dictator than a leader. Sure, they give instructions and force you to carry them out—but the difference between a leader and this bad boss is in the why of why you, or your horse, are carrying out these orders. Key Takeaways I see some people raising their children in a way that they are more of their friend than a parent. The parent worries about being “liked” by their kids more than anything else. Well, when it comes time to put their foot down there is often resistance. The same goes for our horses. In being a leader we can’t just be a friend, we have to set our horses up for success and help them make the right decisions in our relationships with them. Now the other extreme is the dictator approach. This is when we don’t care if the horse understands why it needs to perform an action. We just care about the result. But when we take this dictator approach the horse still performs differently—mainly out of fear or anxiety. And we don’t want that at all. What we want to do is keep our promises to our horses. Let them know that if they do X, you’re going to ask them to do Y again. And setting them up so that doing Y is the easy thing helps them learn this. Being consistent and keeping that promise to the horse helps them feel secure—and when they feel secure, there isn’t any room left for them to be anxious. Again, all of this requires us to make the active choice to be a leader. Or at least to make the choice to learn how to be a better leader. And as time goes on, our communication with the horse can become more subtle and understood. Consistency and persistence is much more effective than dominance. That’s the key take away. And the results of that are commitment, trustworthiness, security, and confidence. The main ingredients for a leader on any stage, saddle, or workplace.

Leader vs. Dictator Approach | RES 068

In the early episodes of Ride Every Stride we’re working on laying a foundation for what comes later. As I’ve said many times over the years, when it comes to horsemanship (and maybe life?), there’s nothing beyond the basics. For horsemanship, those basics are what I call the Absolute Basic Criteria. Picking up where we left off last time, in this episode of Ride Every Stride we’re talking about the secondÂ of those ABCs.The Absolute Basic Criteria of Horsemanship, part 2 — Control of Forward MovementAs we said last week, even the most complex, sophisticated maneuvers on horseback are refinements of the basics. Understanding those basics–the ABCs of horsemanship–will equip us to work with our horses to accomplish whatever our horsemanship goals might be.What Are the ABCs of Horsemanship? forward movementÂ (we discussed this in episode 2) control of forward movement stopping of forward movement (we’ll discuss this next time)    Once we’ve achieved the first of the ABCs–forward movement–we want to be able to control that forward movement, both its direction and its speed. In this episode we talk about what cues we use, when, and why.Directional ControlOne component of controlling forward movement is controlling its direction. We want to be able to turn our horses and get them to go where we want them to go. In learning theÂ techniques for doing this, remember:  our hands control what happens from our horse’s shoulders (withers) forward, and our legs control what happens from the withersÂ back.    There’s no magic spot where your hands should be–you need to pay attention to your horse and make small adjustments as needed to get the response you want. Both by instinct and, hopefully, by good training, the horse will be inclined to move away from pressure, so think: what do I need to do to create an opening for my horse to go where I want him to go? We use the image of a river flowing from the horse’s hindquarters (where all the power comes from), through your legs (“big rocks on the banks of the river”) forward to the bit. You can control the horse’s movement–the flow of the river–by moving the rock out of the way on the side you want the horse to go. In other words, if you want the horse to go right, it’s not that you push from the left, but that you take the pressure away from the right, opening a pathway for the horse to go where you want it to go.Speed ControlAlthough beginning riders are concerned about a horse running off with them, I’m more concerned about a horse that won’t move, in part because of safety issues (like the story I tell about a confrontation between a well behaved, but a bit lazy, horse I was riding and a cow). I want my horses to be calm and well behaved, but when I signal that it’s time to go, they need to respond immediately. To train that habit, I use the approach I call “squeeze, bump, kick, and kill.” For your safety’s sake, you need to understand the concepts of speed (and directional) control we talk about in this episode.  Use the horse’s instinctive desire to conserve energy to help her learn to follow your cues (make it harder for her to go at the pace she wants to go if it’s faster than you want her to go) Learn how to make sureÂ you are the one establishing the rhythm, which helps set the pace  Â What do you think?We want to hear your questions, comments, and suggestions. Share them in the comments section below, reach out to us on theÂ Van Hargis Horsemanship Facebook page, orÂ email me! We want your suggestions for topics we can address in future episodes, so if there’s a particular area where you’re struggling, let us know!We’d Love to Have Your Help Spreading the WordIf you enjoy this podcast and think others would like it too, please considerÂ rating and reviewing Ride Every Stride in iTunes. It helps make the show more visible, so more people can find it, and the feedback lets us know if we’re on the right track. Thank you–your support is so appreciated.Next Time on Ride Every StrideWe’ll talk about the next component of the Absolute Basic Criteria of Horsemanship: stoppingÂ of forward movement. If you don’t want to miss it, be sure toÂ subscribe in iTunesÂ or on Stitcher. Thank you for listening. Until next time . . . remember toÂ Ride Every Stride! Van Van Hargis Horsemanship Â  Â  Â 

In the early episodes of Ride Every Stride we’re working on laying a foundation for what comes later. As I’ve said many times over the years, when it comes to horsemanship (and maybe life?), there’s nothing beyond the basics. For horsemanship, those basics are what I call the Absolute Basic Criteria. Picking up where we left off last time, in this episode of Ride Every Stride we’re talking about the secondÂ of those ABCs.The Absolute Basic Criteria of Horsemanship, part 2 — Control of Forward Movement As we said last week, even the most complex, sophisticated maneuvers on horseback are refinements of the basics. Understanding those basics–the ABCs of horsemanship–will equip us to work with our horses to accomplish whatever our horsemanship goals might be.What Are the ABCs of Horsemanship? <ol> <li>forward movementÂ (we discussed this in episode 2)</li> <li>control of forward movement</li> <li>stopping of forward movement (we’ll discuss this next time)</li> </ol> Once we’ve achieved the first of the ABCs–forward movement–we want to be able to control that forward movement, both its direction and its speed. In this episode we talk about what cues we use, when, and why.Directional Control One component of controlling forward movement is controlling its direction. We want to be able to turn our horses and get them to go where we want them to go. In learning theÂ techniques for doing this, remember: <ul> <li>our hands control what happens from our horse’s shoulders (withers) forward, and</li> <li>our legs control what happens from the withersÂ back.</li> </ul> There’s no magic spot where your hands should be–you need to pay attention to your horse and make small adjustments as needed to get the response you want. Both by instinct and, hopefully, by good training, the horse will be inclined to move away from pressure, so think: what do I need to do to create an opening for my horse to go where I want him to go? We use the image of a river flowing from the horse’s hindquarters (where all the power comes from), through your legs (“big rocks on the banks of the river”) forward to the bit. You can control the horse’s movement–the flow of the river–by moving the rock out of the way on the side you want the horse to go. In other words, if you want the horse to go right, it’s not that you push from the left, but that you take the pressure away from the right, opening a pathway for the horse to go where you want it to go.Speed Control Although beginning riders are concerned about a horse running off with them, I’m more concerned about a horse that won’t move, in part because of safety issues (like the story I tell about a confrontation between a well behaved, but a bit lazy, horse I was riding and a cow). I want my horses to be calm and well behaved, but when I signal that it’s time to go, they need to respond immediately. To train that habit, I use the approach I call “squeeze, bump, kick, and kill.” For your safety’s sake, you need to understand the concepts of speed (and directional) control we talk about in this episode. <ul> <li>Use the horse’s instinctive desire to conserve energy to help her learn to follow your cues (make it harder for her to go at the pace she wants to go if it’s faster than you want her to go)</li> <li>Learn how to make sureÂ you are the one establishing the rhythm, which helps set the pace</li> </ul> Â What do you think? We want to hear your questions, comments, and suggestions. Share them in the comments section below, reach out to us on theÂ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/VanHargisHorsemanship" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Van Hargis Horsemanship Facebook page</a>, orÂ <a href="mailto:info@vanhargis.com">email me</a>! We want your suggestions for topics we can address in future episodes, so if there’s a particular area where you’re struggling, let us know!We’d Love to Have Your Help Spreading the Word If you enjoy this podcast and think others would like it too, please considerÂ <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ride-every-stride-horsemanship/id975672309?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rating and reviewing Ride Every Stride in iTunes</a>. It helps make the show more visible, so more people can find it, and the feedback lets us know if we’re on the right track. Thank you–your support is so appreciated.Next Time on Ride Every Stride We’ll talk about the next component of the Absolute Basic Criteria of Horsemanship: stoppingÂ of forward movement. If you don’t want to miss it, be sure toÂ <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ride-every-stride-horsemanship/id975672309?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">subscribe in iTunes</a>Â or <a href="http://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=62691&amp;refid=stpr" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">on Stitcher</a>. Thank you for listening. Until next time . . . remember toÂ Ride Every Stride! Van <a href="http://www.VanHargis.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Van Hargis Horsemanship</a> <a href="https://blubrry.com//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Â </a> <a href="https://blubrry.com//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Â </a> <a href="https://blubrry.com//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Â </a>

Control of Forward Movement (The ABCs of Horsemanship, Part 2) - RES003

Though we may own horses for the pleasures of riding them, most of our time with them is spent with our feet on the ground. Every minute you spend with your horse you're training him. Remembering that, and being intentional about it, can help you make the best use of your time to help your horse be a pleasure for both you and others to be around

Groundwork Basics - RES006

After a brief update on my condition following an incident on a young horse, this episode is our response to a common question about which leg cues to use to get the desired response from a horse.

Which Leg Cue Should I Use? – RES016

If fear interferes with your achievement of your horse-related goals, you're not alone. In this episode we begin a conversation about overcoming fear through developing relationships of trust, which leads to confidence. These are concepts that apply both in horsemanship and in life.

Fear, Trust, & Confidence – RES017

We've been talking about the ABCs of Horsemanship, laying a foundation for what's to come in future episodes. Picking up where we left off last time, in this episode of Ride Every Stride we're talking about the third (and last) of those ABCs

Stopping Forward Movement (The ABCs of Horsemanship, Part 3) - RES004

Over the years I've heard a lot of questions, but high on the list of the most frequent questions are things like, "Why does my horse buck?" and "How do I get my horse to quit rearing up?" These are two of the horse's behaviors that scare us the most, and with good reason. But understanding why horses do these things will help us understand how to prevent these behaviors in the first place.

Why Horses Buck or Rear, and What to Do About It - RES010

What are the reasons why a horse becomes herd bound, and how do we address and overcome those tendencies? In this episode we address a listener’s question about the herd-bound horse.  Dealing with the Herd Bound Horse When you’re dealing with a horse that resists being taken away from its barn- or pasture-mates, it’s important to understand the source of the resistance. A horse’s desire to be with other horses is part of its instinct for self-preservation. As a prey animal, a horse instinctively knows there is safety in numbers and, conversely, there’s danger in isolation. In developing a plan for resolving this issue, start from the understanding that the horse’s lack of cooperation with you is a sign of its lack of respect for you as a leader. If you can establish yourself as the leader in your horse’s eyes, over time it will trust you to take it away from the herd. The process The tools and techniques you’ll use will vary depending on the horse and the situation, but the starting point is to do whatever it takes to get the horse to focus its attention on you. Once you have the horse’s attention–no matter where you are or what the surroundings are–you can begin to develop that relationship of trust. We can’t control the horse’s environment, but by maintaining a position of leadership we can help our horses stay calm and confident regardless of the situation, so they’ll willingly follow us where we want them to go. Listen to the episode as we talk about specific suggestions for how to do this. Thank you, Scott, for your question. I hope this episode helps you and others in similar situations. What do you think? We want to hear your questions, comments, and suggestions. Share them in the comments section below, reach out to us on theÂ Van Hargis Horsemanship Facebook page, orÂ email me! We want your suggestions for topics we can address in future episodes, so if there’s a particular area where you’re struggling, or just curious, let us know! We’d Love to Have Your Help Spreading the Word If you enjoy this podcast and think others would like it too, please considerÂ rating and reviewing Ride Every Stride in iTunes. It helps make the show more visible, so more people can find it, and the feedback lets us know if we’re on the right track. Thank you–your support is so appreciated. Next Time on Ride Every Stride We’ll discuss why horses buck, and what we can do about it. If you don’t want to miss it, be sure toÂ subscribe in iTunesÂ orÂ on Stitcher. Thank you for listening. Until next time . . . remember toÂ Ride Every Stride! Van Van Hargis Horsemanship

What are the reasons why a horse becomes herd bound, and how do we address and overcome those tendencies? In this episode we address a listener’s question about the herd-bound horse. Dealing with the Herd Bound Horse When you’re dealing with a horse that resists being taken away from its barn- or pasture-mates, it’s important to understand the source of the resistance. A horse’s desire to be with other horses is part of its instinct for self-preservation. As a prey animal, a horse instinctively knows there is safety in numbers and, conversely, there’s danger in isolation. In developing a plan for resolving this issue, start from the understanding that the horse’s lack of cooperation with you is a sign of its lack of respect for you as a leader. If you can establish yourself as the leader in your horse’s eyes, over time it will trust you to take it away from the herd. The process The tools and techniques you’ll use will vary depending on the horse and the situation, but the starting point is to do whatever it takes to get the horse to focus its attention on you. Once you have the horse’s attention–no matter where you are or what the surroundings are–you can begin to develop that relationship of trust. We can’t control the horse’s environment, but by maintaining a position of leadership we can help our horses stay calm and confident regardless of the situation, so they’ll willingly follow us where we want them to go. Listen to the episode as we talk about specific suggestions for how to do this. Thank you, Scott, for your question. I hope this episode helps you and others in similar situations. What do you think? We want to hear your questions, comments, and suggestions. Share them in the comments section below, reach out to us on theÂ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/VanHargisHorsemanship" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Van Hargis Horsemanship Facebook page</a>, orÂ <a href="mailto:info@vanhargis.com">email me</a>! We want your suggestions for topics we can address in future episodes, so if there’s a particular area where you’re struggling, or just curious, let us know! We’d Love to Have Your Help Spreading the Word If you enjoy this podcast and think others would like it too, please considerÂ <a href="http://vanhargis.com/itunes" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rating and reviewing Ride Every Stride in iTunes</a>. It helps make the show more visible, so more people can find it, and the feedback lets us know if we’re on the right track. Thank you–your support is so appreciated. Next Time on Ride Every Stride We’ll discuss why horses buck, and what we can do about it. If you don’t want to miss it, be sure toÂ <a href="http://vanhargis.com/itunes" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">subscribe in iTunes</a>Â orÂ <a href="http://vanhargis.com/Stitcher" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">on Stitcher</a>. Thank you for listening. Until next time . . . remember toÂ Ride Every Stride! Van <a href="http://vanhargis.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Van Hargis Horsemanship</a>

Working with the Herd-Bound Horse - RES009

A clinic participant asked a great question: “What do you do about a horse that ‘sets back’ when tied?” In this episode we talk about this from the perspective of safety and understanding the horse’s instincts, and offer specific suggestions about how to avoid the problem, and how to address it in a horse that’s already developed the habit.  Preventing–or Curing–the Horse that “Sets Back” When Tied Some horses react badly to being tied up, using all their strength to pull against the restraint. Can this be prevented? Can it be “cured”? Why does a horse pull back when tied? It’s because the horse doesn’t respect the halter, so it all starts with proper halter training. Flight or fight response The key to understanding this problem is understanding the horse’s instincts. By evolutionary development, a horse is a prey animal whose first, preferred response to any threat is to flee–get away first, check it out later. When we tie up our horses, we take that defensive option away, leaving them only with their second choice: to fight. The objective of early training is to teach the horse to overcome that instinct to flee in response to the pressure they feel when tied. Prevention is best The keys to preventing this habitual response are: 1.Â Due diligence (understanding the horse’s natural, instinctive responses) and careful training. In this episode we outline the process of training the horse to respect the halter. 2.Â Don’t provoke the flight or fight instinct by tying too hard and fast (use a knot with some give). It’s a safety issue This response of setting back, or pulling back, is dangerous for us, for our equipment, and for our horses. We discuss some safety tips: 1. Â Use a knot that can easily be untied.Â Check back here for a short instructional video that demonstrates how to tie the knot I recommend. 2. Â Use a halter and lead rope with no metal fittingsÂ that can break.  3. Â Always carry a safe type of knife that can quickly be used to cut the rope if necessary.Â Check back here for a photo of what I carry for this purpose. Â  What do you think? We want to hear your questions, comments, and suggestions. Share them in the comments section below, reach out to us on theÂ Van Hargis Horsemanship Facebook page, orÂ email me! We want your suggestions for topics we can address in future episodes, so if there’s a particular area where you’re struggling, or just curious, let us know! We’d Love to Have Your Help Spreading the Word If you enjoy this podcast and think others would like it too, please considerÂ rating and reviewing Ride Every Stride in iTunes. It helps make the show more visible, so more people can find it, and the feedback lets us know if we’re on the right track.Â Thank you–your support is so appreciated. Next Time on Ride Every Stride We’ll begin talking about the most important element of training: ground work.Â If you don’t want to miss it, be sure toÂ subscribe in iTunesÂ orÂ on Stitcher. Thank you for listening. Until next time . . . remember toÂ Ride Every Stride! Van Van Hargis Horsemanship

A clinic participant asked a great question: “What do you do about a horse that ‘sets back’ when tied?” In this episode we talk about this from the perspective of safety and understanding the horse’s instincts, and offer specific suggestions about how to avoid the problem, and how to address it in a horse that’s already developed the habit. Preventing–or Curing–the Horse that “Sets Back” When Tied Some horses react badly to being tied up, using all their strength to pull against the restraint. Can this be prevented? Can it be “cured”? Why does a horse pull back when tied? It’s because the horse doesn’t respect the halter, so it all starts with proper halter training. Flight or fight response The key to understanding this problem is understanding the horse’s instincts. By evolutionary development, a horse is a prey animal whose first, preferred response to any threat is to flee–get away first, check it out later. When we tie up our horses, we take that defensive option away, leaving them only with their second choice: to fight. The objective of early training is to teach the horse to overcome that instinct to flee in response to the pressure they feel when tied. Prevention is best The keys to preventing this habitual response are: 1.Â Due diligence (understanding the horse’s natural, instinctive responses) and careful training. In this episode we outline the process of training the horse to respect the halter. 2.Â Don’t provoke the flight or fight instinct by tying too hard and fast (use a knot with some give). It’s a safety issue This response of setting back, or pulling back, is dangerous for us, for our equipment, and for our horses. We discuss some safety tips: 1. Â Use a knot that can easily be untied.Â Check back here for a short instructional video that demonstrates how to tie the knot I recommend. 2. Â Use a halter and lead rope with no metal fittingsÂ that can break. 3. Â Always carry a safe type of knife that can quickly be used to cut the rope if necessary.Â Check back here for a photo of what I carry for this purpose. Â  What do you think? We want to hear your questions, comments, and suggestions. Share them in the comments section below, reach out to us on theÂ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/VanHargisHorsemanship" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Van Hargis Horsemanship Facebook page</a>, orÂ <a href="mailto:info@vanhargis.com">email me</a>! We want your suggestions for topics we can address in future episodes, so if there’s a particular area where you’re struggling, or just curious, let us know! We’d Love to Have Your Help Spreading the Word If you enjoy this podcast and think others would like it too, please considerÂ <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ride-every-stride-horsemanship/id975672309?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rating and reviewing Ride Every Stride in iTunes</a>. It helps make the show more visible, so more people can find it, and the feedback lets us know if we’re on the right track.Â Thank you–your support is so appreciated. Next Time on Ride Every Stride We’ll begin talking about the most important element of training: ground work.Â If you don’t want to miss it, be sure toÂ <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ride-every-stride-horsemanship/id975672309?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">subscribe in iTunes</a>Â orÂ <a href="http://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=62691&amp;refid=stpr" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">on Stitcher</a>. Thank you for listening. Until next time . . . remember toÂ Ride Every Stride! Van <a href="http://www.VanHargis.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Van Hargis Horsemanship</a>

What About a Horse that Pulls Back When Tied? RES005

While it may be fun to ride a loping horse, there's nothing fun about being on the back of a horse that's startled and bolted and is running out of control. A listener asked for some tips on how to deal with a horse that bolts.

Runaway! Handling the Horse that Bolts - RES011

What areÂ the 4 questions we should ask ourselves each time we work with our horses, and how can they help us become better horsemen and horsewomen? (And these questions are incredibly useful in everydayÂ life as well.)  TheÂ 4 Questions 1. Â What do you want? 2. Â Is what you want fair? 3. Â Can you communicate what you want in a way your horse can understand? 4. Â How will you measure the results? Listen to the episode to hear how these questions apply both to horsemanship and humanship. What do you think? We want to hear your questions, comments, and suggestions. Share them in the comments section below, reach out to us on theÂ Van Hargis Horsemanship Facebook page, orÂ email me! We want your suggestions for topics we can address in future episodes, so if there’s a particular area where you’re struggling, or just curious, let us know! We’d Love to Have Your Help Spreading the Word If you enjoy this podcast and think others would like it too, please considerÂ rating and reviewing Ride Every Stride in iTunes. It helps make the show more visible, so more people can find it, and the feedback lets us know if we’re on the right track. Thank you–your support is so appreciated. Next Time on Ride Every Stride We’ll answer a listener’s question about dealing with a herd-bound horse. If you don’t want to miss it, be sure toÂ subscribe in iTunesÂ orÂ on Stitcher. Thank you for listening. Until next time . . . remember toÂ Ride Every Stride! Van Van Hargis Horsemanship

What areÂ the 4 questions we should ask ourselves each time we work with our horses, and how can they help us become better horsemen and horsewomen? (And these questions are incredibly useful in everydayÂ life as well.) TheÂ 4 Questions 1. Â What do you want? 2. Â Is what you want fair? 3. Â Can you communicate what you want in a way your horse can understand? 4. Â How will you measure the results? Listen to the episode to hear how these questions apply both to horsemanship and humanship. What do you think? We want to hear your questions, comments, and suggestions. Share them in the comments section below, reach out to us on theÂ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/VanHargisHorsemanship" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Van Hargis Horsemanship Facebook page</a>, orÂ <a href="mailto:info@vanhargis.com">email me</a>! We want your suggestions for topics we can address in future episodes, so if there’s a particular area where you’re struggling, or just curious, let us know! We’d Love to Have Your Help Spreading the Word If you enjoy this podcast and think others would like it too, please considerÂ <a href="http://vanhargis.com/itunes" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rating and reviewing Ride Every Stride in iTunes</a>. It helps make the show more visible, so more people can find it, and the feedback lets us know if we’re on the right track. Thank you–your support is so appreciated. Next Time on Ride Every Stride We’ll answer a listener’s question about dealing with a herd-bound horse. If you don’t want to miss it, be sure toÂ <a href="http://vanhargis.com/itunes" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">subscribe in iTunes</a>Â orÂ <a href="http://vanhargis.com/Stitcher" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">on Stitcher</a>. Thank you for listening. Until next time . . . remember toÂ Ride Every Stride! Van <a href="http://vanhargis.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Van Hargis Horsemanship</a>

The 4 Important Questions - RES008

LEAD

Listen to our discussion about the things you need to understand and do to get your horse into the proper lead.

Getting the Proper Lead – RES012

The coming episodes are going to be tackling a trend I’ve seen lately from our listener questions and the clinics I’ve been hosting–and it has to do with the mental side of horsemanship. Often times our brain gets in the way of our ride more than the horse does. And one of the key parts of our brain to exercise is our imagination. When Laura first came to me she told me that she rode horses as a kid but fell out of it later on in life. She told me she was dreaming of riding horses, and that dream was incredibly important. We’re going to talk about those dreams and the imagination to make them happen. Key Takeaways We’ve all been caught in daydreams before—imagining riding down a beach, through pasture, or by a herd of mooing cows. Often times this can be seen as unproductive or a waste of time. We’re adults, right? We live in reality. But the only way to change that reality, move forward and grow, is to dream and then take action on those dreams. As kids our imagination can get us in trouble. We might climb a tree and jump on a cow’s back just to see what happens. But there’s nothing wrong with that in a certain sense—visualizing new things, trying them out, and even when failing—learning how to grow and move forward. I think we all still need to dream like kids dream—big and bold. We can let our experience as adults help out with the logistics of that dream, but you have to imagine it first. My grandma used to say “Yard by yard life is hard, but inch by inch it’s a cinch.” Take small steps to your dreams, because often times we have to overcome obstacles to get there. It takes a lot of time and effort, but taking it one step at a time makes the journey much easier and enjoyable. Worrying about how you’ll get to your dream is creating obstacles that don’t exist yet. Worry about the why, then just take a step. The how is going to change all the time.  Let us know what your dream is over on our Facebook page—and just as important, what you’re gonna do to take a step towards it Remember—dream big and dream like a kid.   *Also, if you’re a fan of the show please take time to head over and leave us an Itunes Review to give Laura and myself a glimpse of how we’ve helped you or what we could do better to help you ride every stride.

The coming episodes are going to be tackling a trend I’ve seen lately from our listener questions and the clinics I’ve been hosting–and it has to do with the mental side of horsemanship. Often times our brain gets in the way of our ride more than the horse does. And one of the key parts of our brain to exercise is our imagination. When Laura first came to me she told me that she rode horses as a kid but fell out of it later on in life. She told me she was dreaming of riding horses, and that dream was incredibly important. We’re going to talk about those dreams and the imagination to make them happen. Key Takeaways We’ve all been caught in daydreams before—imagining riding down a beach, through pasture, or by a herd of mooing cows. Often times this can be seen as unproductive or a waste of time. We’re adults, right? We live in reality. But the only way to change that reality, move forward and grow, is to dream and then take action on those dreams. As kids our imagination can get us in trouble. We might climb a tree and jump on a cow’s back just to see what happens. But there’s nothing wrong with that in a certain sense—visualizing new things, trying them out, and even when failing—learning how to grow and move forward. I think we all still need to dream like kids dream—big and bold. We can let our experience as adults help out with the logistics of that dream, but you have to imagine it first. My grandma used to say “Yard by yard life is hard, but inch by inch it’s a cinch.” Take small steps to your dreams, because often times we have to overcome obstacles to get there. It takes a lot of time and effort, but taking it one step at a time makes the journey much easier and enjoyable. Worrying about how you’ll get to your dream is creating obstacles that don’t exist yet. Worry about the why, then just take a step. The how is going to change all the time. Let us know what your dream is over on our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/VanHargisHorsemanship/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook page</a>—and just as important, what you’re gonna do to take a step towards it Remember—dream big and dream like a kid. *Also, if you’re a fan of the show please take time to head over and leave us an <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ride-every-stride-horsemanship-personal-growth-van/id1161557321?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Itunes Review</a> to give Laura and myself a glimpse of how we’ve helped you or what we could do better to help you ride every stride.

Dreaming of Horses | Ride Every Stride 072

I get a lot of questions about bits, which is understandable because of the wide variety of styles and types of bits sold in the horsemanship market. In this episode we talk about the different types of bits, why and when they're used, and what the "right" bit can (and more important, what it can't) do.

Bits and Bitting – RES014

Could a retired Thoroughbred racehorse be the right horse for you? In this episode we consider some things you should consider in deciding whether to buy or adopt an off the track Thoroughbred. We’ve summarized a few of the main points below, but be sure to listen for more specifics!  The Thoroughbred Athlete According to the Thoroughbred Adoption Network, a thoroughbred’s racing career typically begins at age 2 and may continue until age 10, depending on its success and soundness. But the breed’s average lifespan is 25 to 28 years, leavingÂ the potential for many productive years after retirement from the racetrack. Rehabilitating the Off the Track Thoroughbred A horse that’s spent its life on and around the track may present some particular challenges to the horseman or horsewoman who wants to bring it home. We look at some of the issue that you might need to consider, including bad manners and the consequences of a high-octane diet and daily confinement to a stall, and talk about how to address them. What’s the Process? The first thing I’d do is put the horse on a normal equine diet (instead of the high-energy diet typically fed to racehorses). Then if possible I’d put the Thoroughbred out with other horses and give it the chance to learn how to be a horse again–the socialization that comes with being part of a herd can be invaluable. As I began to establishÂ my own role as the horse’s leader, I would simply start from ground zero, working with the horse as if it had never been touched by human hands and laying the same foundation by the same methodical process I’d use with any horse. To Keep in Mind When Considering an Off the Track Thoroughbred  Look at its personality and temperament–not all off the track Thoroughbred’s reflect the stereotype of a high-energy, hard to manage “spoiled brat,” but you need to be aware of the natural bent of the horse you’re looking at Be aware of the potential effects of long-term confinement while being fed a high-energy diet–it can do things to the horse’s mind Have a thorough pre-purchase exam done by a veterinarian you trust  For more info  Check out the Frequently Asked Questions on the Thoroughbred Adoption Network‘s site  What do you think? We want to hear your questions, comments, and suggestions. Share them in the comments section below, reach out to us on the Van Hargis Horsemanship Facebook page, or email me! We want your suggestions for topics we can address in future episodes, so if there’s a particular area where you’re struggling, or just curious, let us know! We’d Love to Have Your Help Spreading the Word If you enjoy this podcast and think others would like it too, please consider rating and reviewing Ride Every Stride in iTunes. It helps make the show more visible, so more people can find it, and the feedback lets us know if we’re on the right track. Thank you–your support is so appreciated. Next Time on Ride Every Stride We’ll begin talking about the four questions I ask every time I work with a horse–and they’re incredibly helpful in everyday life as well. If you don’t want to miss it, be sure to subscribe in iTunes or on Stitcher. Thank you for listening. Until next time . . . remember to Ride Every Stride! Van Van Hargis Horsemanship

Could a retired Thoroughbred racehorse be the right horse for you? In this episode we consider some things you should consider in deciding whether to buy or adopt an off the track Thoroughbred. We’ve summarized a few of the main points below, but be sure to listen for more specifics! The Thoroughbred Athlete According to the <a href="http://www.thoroughbredadoption.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Thoroughbred Adoption Network</a>, a thoroughbred’s racing career typically begins at age 2 and may continue until age 10, depending on its success and soundness. But the breed’s average lifespan is 25 to 28 years, leavingÂ the potential for many productive years after retirement from the racetrack. Rehabilitating the Off the Track Thoroughbred A horse that’s spent its life on and around the track may present some particular challenges to the horseman or horsewoman who wants to bring it home. We look at some of the issue that you might need to consider, including bad manners and the consequences of a high-octane diet and daily confinement to a stall, and talk about how to address them. What’s the Process? The first thing I’d do is put the horse on a normal equine diet (instead of the high-energy diet typically fed to racehorses). Then if possible I’d put the Thoroughbred out with other horses and give it the chance to learn how to be a horse again–the socialization that comes with being part of a herd can be invaluable. As I began to establishÂ my own role as the horse’s leader, I would simply start from ground zero, working with the horse as if it had never been touched by human hands and laying the same foundation by the same methodical process I’d use with any horse. To Keep in Mind When Considering an Off the Track Thoroughbred <ul> <li>Look at its personality and temperament–not all off the track Thoroughbred’s reflect the stereotype of a high-energy, hard to manage “spoiled brat,” but you need to be aware of the natural bent of the horse you’re looking at</li> <li>Be aware of the potential effects of long-term confinement while being fed a high-energy diet–it can do things to the horse’s mind</li> <li>Have a thorough pre-purchase exam done by a veterinarian you trust</li> </ul> For more info <ul> <li>Check out the <a href="http://www.thoroughbredadoption.com/Policies-and-FAQs-c67.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Frequently Asked Questions on the Thoroughbred Adoption Network</a>‘s site</li> </ul> What do you think? We want to hear your questions, comments, and suggestions. Share them in the comments section below, reach out to us on the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/VanHargisHorsemanship" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Van Hargis Horsemanship Facebook page</a>, or <a href="mailto:info@vanhargis.com">email me</a>! We want your suggestions for topics we can address in future episodes, so if there’s a particular area where you’re struggling, or just curious, let us know! We’d Love to Have Your Help Spreading the Word If you enjoy this podcast and think others would like it too, please consider <a href="http://vanhargis.com/itunes" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rating and reviewing Ride Every Stride in iTunes</a>. It helps make the show more visible, so more people can find it, and the feedback lets us know if we’re on the right track. Thank you–your support is so appreciated. Next Time on Ride Every Stride We’ll begin talking about the four questions I ask every time I work with a horse–and they’re incredibly helpful in everyday life as well. If you don’t want to miss it, be sure to <a href="http://vanhargis.com/itunes" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">subscribe in iTunes</a> or <a href="http://vanhargis.com/Stitcher" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">on Stitcher</a>. Thank you for listening. Until next time . . . remember to Ride Every Stride! Van <a href="http://vanhargis.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Van Hargis Horsemanship</a>

Off The Track Thoroughbreds - RES007

This week we are talking about setting your horse up for success, but really offering them a decision to make and being prepared for the result—be it what we wanted or not. I’m talking about the Controlled Wreck. This is a training tool that works a bit like a pop quiz for your horse, and often times the rider and trainer too. The Controlled Wreck highlights what to do when you get a “wrong answer” from your horse and how to correct them.  Key Takeaways An example of a Controlled Wreck would be to walk your horse around in a circle over and over again, stopping each time at the same spot. Then, on the next circle, keep walking past that spot and see how the horse reacts. Do they try and stop again out of anticipation, or do they keep moving? You have to be extra prepared when seated on the horse as well. In case anything goes wrong you need to know how to regain control or take away their ability to buck. And along these lines, we need to know not have to telegraph what we are trying to test our horse. You need to be thinking “go right” without your body following through. The preparation comes in when something does go wrong. You have to be able to guide the situation from being negative, to positive. Things can escalate quickly. People often lost it when their horse goes from walking to bucking, but they don’t when they go from a walk to a trot—even though that is still showing you’re not in control. Make sure you correct the smallest behaviors before things get out of your control.   Like always, make sure you know what you’re asking of your horse. Giving a pop quiz without knowing the answer is a recipe for disaster. And when your horse passes the Controlled Wreck remember—where we release is what we teach.   Links GreatOakEquine.com

This week we are talking about setting your horse up for success, but really offering them a decision to make and being prepared for the result—be it what we wanted or not. I’m talking about the Controlled Wreck. This is a training tool that works a bit like a pop quiz for your horse, and often times the rider and trainer too. The Controlled Wreck highlights what to do when you get a “wrong answer” from your horse and how to correct them. Key Takeaways An example of a Controlled Wreck would be to walk your horse around in a circle over and over again, stopping each time at the same spot. Then, on the next circle, keep walking past that spot and see how the horse reacts. Do they try and stop again out of anticipation, or do they keep moving? You have to be extra prepared when seated on the horse as well. In case anything goes wrong you need to know how to regain control or take away their ability to buck. And along these lines, we need to know not have to telegraph what we are trying to test our horse. You need to be thinking “go right” without your body following through. The preparation comes in when something does go wrong. You have to be able to guide the situation from being negative, to positive. Things can escalate quickly. People often lost it when their horse goes from walking to bucking, but they don’t when they go from a walk to a trot—even though that is still showing you’re not in control. Make sure you correct the smallest behaviors before things get out of your control. Like always, make sure you know what you’re asking of your horse. Giving a pop quiz without knowing the answer is a recipe for disaster. And when your horse passes the Controlled Wreck remember—where we release is what we teach. Links <a href="http://www.greatoakequine.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">GreatOakEquine.com</a>

The Controlled Wreck | RES 070

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