Train Your Own Horse with Stacy Westfall

Stacy Westfall teaches riders to understand their own mindset before interpreting their horse's viewpoint, focusing on the rider's mind quadrant.

Stacy Westfall focuses on the 'horse's body' quadrant of her four-square model, teaching riders to separate observation from interpretation.

Stacy Westfall discusses the similarities and differences between training a horse in the arena versus on the trail, sharing her approach to leading and riding her new horse Luna.

Stacy Westfall answers a listener question about riding in groups of horses, explaining how to manage a horse's personal space and dynamics with multiple riders.

Stacy Westfall teaches how a rider's physical state affects communication with a horse, using the analogy of learning to float in water.

Stacy Westfall explains the rider's body quadrant of the four square model, focusing on mechanical skills and cue systems for clear communication with horses.

Stacy Westfall wraps up her series on the four-square model by discussing the balance between foundation and flow in horsemanship as an art.

Stacy Westfall explains how to prepare horses for being tied by teaching them to respond to halter pressure alone.

Stacey Westfall explains how a horse’s cue system can become a physical conversation when handlers interpret unexpected movements as feedback.

Stacy Westfall defines “survival riding” as barely managing an escalating horse when the rider lacks the skills or confidence to respond.

Stacy Westfall examines why riders remain dissatisfied with safety, communication, or show results when their horse is “kind of working.” She describes three rider patterns: avoiding exercises that might upset a horse, searching for one technique to fix rushing or slowing, and resisting repetitive show-training homework.

Willow stopped when Stacy Westfall fell on a trail because random events had become part of normal training.

Weekly riding practice and video review help small efforts become momentum and reveal progress after several months.

Stacy Westfall teaches the rider's body quadrant of the four square model, focusing on mechanical cues like legs and reins for clear communication with horses.

Stacy Westfall teaches how to diagnose horse behavior by focusing on the horse's body and body language.