In the latest episode of her award-winning podcast Ride On with Julie Goodnight, internationally renowned horse trainer Julie Goodnight tackles one of the most common—and complex—questions horse owners face: Should you let someone else ride your horse?
Young rider on a well-conditioned galloping horse in a large field.
)f you’ve ever wondered about sharing your horse with a friend, trainer, or less-experienced rider—this episode will help you think through the decision from every angle.
© 2017 by Jim Noetzel New window.
“There’s no one-size-fits-all answer,” says Goodnight. The key is knowing your horse, knowing the rider, and making the decision that keeps everyone safe—while protecting the horse’s training and confidence.”
This content-rich episode begins with a glimpse into life at Goodnight’s ranch, where a new colt is changing herd dynamics. In her “Long Story Short” segment, she shares a personal story about one of the best horses she ever owned—and the lesson she taught her about discretion, trust, and rider suitability.
From there, Goodnight dives into the main topic, weighing the pros and cons of letting others ride your horse. Listeners will learn:
- When sharing your horse can be beneficial—for the horse, the rider, or both
- The hidden risks of liability, setbacks in training, and lost trust
- Practical guidelines for making safe, horse-first decisions
- How to supervise and protect your horse if you do choose to share the reins
The expanded “What the Hay? Q&A” mailbag segment features listener questions on a wide variety of issues, including:
- Clicker training without hand-feeding treats
- Staying physically fit for riding into your senior years
- Trailer loading challenges: ramps vs. step-ups
- Fearfulness in older horses
- Bit selection, tongue relief, and going behind the vertical
- Herd hierarchy, foal dominance, and more
If you’ve ever wondered about sharing your horse with a friend, trainer, or less-experienced rider—this episode will help you think through the decision from every angle.
Ride On with Julie Goodnight is available on all major podcast platforms. Listen now at https://signin.juliegoodnight.com/audios/ride-on-podcast/ or wherever you get your podcasts.
Press release by Amy Sales