Newsdate: Wenesday, July 5, 2023 - 11:00 am
Location: SALIDA, Colorado

Riders everywhere train, condition and practice for months to achieve their goals, only to get sidelined by unexpected–yet preventable–circumstances. Julie Goodnight shares strategies to help listeners go into their next event without blinders on in the latest episode of the “Horse Goals or Bust!” series of her podcast, Ride On with Julie Goodnight.

Wide-eyed black horse responding to new surroundings.

In the event your world is not perfect, and your horse is not a robot, it is good to be prepared to handle emotional overload in horses.
© 2014 by Christine Sweet New window.

“Often people are surprised that their horse is excited, nervous, or downright disobedient when they get to a new place or large event, because the horse never acts that way at home,” says Goodnight. “A horse’s calm, confident behavior at home–with familiar horses and people–sometimes has little or nothing to do with their behavior in an unfamiliar setting.”

Goodnight shares five important lessons she has learned, so riders aren’t caught off-guard by their horse’s uncharacteristic behavior in a new place, or under different circumstances.

“In a perfect world, a horse is always calm, focused and steady,” says Goodnight. “But in the event your world is not perfect, and your horse is not a robot, it is good to be prepared to handle emotional overload in horses.”

“Horse Goals or Bust!” is a 9-part series of the Ride On with Julie Goodnight podcast that guides riders on a step-by-step journey to achieve their dreams. Goodnight provides complementary downloadable resources for goal-setting, fitness assessment, conditioning, training plans, and more–free for everyone. Find “Horse Goals or Bust!” episodes, blog posts, and resources all in one place at JulieGoodnight.com/horsegoals.

“When it comes to riding horses, nothing gives you more confidence than knowledge and the right skills,” says Goodnight. “Remember, it’s the journey, not the destination, that often brings us the greatest satisfaction and sense of accomplishment. And with horses, the journey lasts a lifetime.”

Listen to this episode and subscribe to Ride On with Julie Goodnight at JulieGoodnight.com/Podcast, or any podcast app.

About Ride On with Julie Goodnight

The 2022 EQUUS Film & Arts Festival “Winnie” Award-winning podcast, Ride On with Julie Goodnight, gives listeners an informed, entertaining perspective on horse training, equestrian sports and having a greater connection with your horse. With over 250,000 downloads and more than 70 episodes to date, the podcast continues to grow in popularity with horse enthusiasts worldwide. Each episode inspires, informs and motivates listeners to achieve new heights in their horsemanship–no matter their level. In the What the Hay? Q&A segment of each episode, Goodnight answers listener-submitted questions with candor, humor and practical advice based on her lifetime of experience with horses.

About Julie Goodnight

Goodnight is the popular host and producer of Horse Master, a successful how-to TV series on handling, riding, and training horses. Goodnight travels extensively sharing her no-nonsense horsemanship with riders of all disciplines. Goodnight is experienced with many kinds of riding—she grew up on the hunter-jumper circuits in Florida and is now at home in the West. She and her husband, Rich Moorhead, live in the mountains near Salida, Colorado, where they enjoy riding the trails and training cow-horses.

Explore Goodnight’s training library of articles, videos and more at JulieGoodnight.com/Academy.

Press release by Megan Fischer