Diversifying Your Training
02 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Sometimes, we become so laser-focused on our goals that we forget about keeping things fun for ourse...
Dealing with Frustration
26 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is inspired by a question from one of our listeners: Phil, I would like to know your op...
You Are Worth It
19 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Do you ever catch yourself in a routine of taking care of everyone and everything… but yourself? W...
Maintaining Speed & Momentum in Your Turns
12 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I am breaking down the process of overcoming two common issues in the barrel racing...
How to be More Efficient with Your Time
05 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Do you ever wake up feeling behind? Do you ever get the feeling like you have more to do than you co...
Being Proactive About Your Goals
28 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Having goals is important, but having a system in place to support these goals is even more importan...
Thoughts About the Current Horse Market
21 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We are in the midst of an exciting time in the equine industry. Whether you are raising horses, buyi...
Winning the Day
14 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Every morning when I wake up, my goal is to win the day. To me, winning the day means being in a bet...
Using Roping to Establish Feel, Timing & Balance
07 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
When I first started out as a trainer, the only thing I trained was rope horses. While I still train...
How to Handle a Horse that Pulls Back
31 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Pulling back is a topic that is important to discuss for your safety and the safety of others. The f...
How to Seamlessly Transition to the Next Level of Speed
24 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
"My horse works great at slower speeds, but when I ask for a little more, everything falls apart." H...
Reframing Your Mindset About Reactive Responses
17 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
I believe that there are varying degrees of reactive responses. And, I truly don’t think that hors...
Debunking Perceptions of Where Your Horse “Should” Be
10 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In my part of the world, I think most people consider a ‘colt’ to be 2-3 years old. However, in ...
Positioning Your Body Properly for a Turn
03 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
One of the most common body position errors I see is uneven weight distribution. This shows up frequ...
Establishing Better Control of Your Horse's Ribcage
27 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Two very powerful parts of the horse's body--the shoulders and the hindquarters--are connected by th...
Taking Control of Your Insecurities
20 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In my experience as a clinician, insecurities, doubt, and lack of self-confidence are the #1 issues ...
The Significance of Small Gestures
13 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A few weeks ago, my family and I took a trip to North Dakota to celebrate the 2021 North Dakota Cowb...
Breaking Down the 1% Rule
06 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
If you’ve been listening to this podcast for very long, you’ve probably heard me reference the “...
Using Triggers to Your Advantage
29 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“Triggers” are certain occurrences or exercises that dictate which state of mind your horse is i...
Managing Speed and Reactive Responses
22 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Speed is a reactive response. When horses are faced with dangerous situations, their first line of d...
Less is More
15 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Horsemanship is the reflection of excellent communication between horse and rider. Excellent communi...
Using the Release to Your Advantage
08 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Understanding a horse’s self-preservation instincts is a key part of the horsemanship journey. Rea...
What It Takes to Make a Great Horse
01 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Over time, there have been truly great horses in every era. One thing that sets the current era apar...
Dealing with the Pressure of Deadlines
25 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Many of us are training under some sort of deadline--whether that is a self-imposed deadline or a de...
Taking Time to Provide a Release Point
18 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Every horse owner, rider, and trainer goes through a similar process on their journey to better hors...
How the Fear of Success May Be Holding You Back
11 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Setting goals is easy. Achieving these goals, on the other hand, can be more challenging. Sometimes,...
The Signal Before the Signal
04 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
One of the biggest limiting factors I see in performance horses is a lack of collection. And, I beli...
Overcoming Impatient Tendencies
27 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Our horses are very forgiving. Given the opportunity to find the right answer, they will find it. Th...
Enhancing Effort and Potential
20 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
I believe that effort is a learned response. And, I believe this principle holds true for both horse...
Conversations About Great Horses
13 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The work that it takes to develop a horse’s physical and mental ability is a continual process. Th...
Enhancing Your Value as a Trainer
06 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It took me many years to become comfortable with the idea of investing in myself. In fact, for the b...
Developing Patience with Anxious Horses
30 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
When you come across an anxious horse, it is easy to become frustrated both with yourself and with t...
Survival Mode
23 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What if we could be assured that all of our hard work would pay off? What if we knew without a doubt...
Strengths and Struggles
16 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It is easy to become obsessed with our weaknesses. However, when we constantly work on the areas we ...
Building Confidence & Preparing for Competition
09 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
As a competitor, my confidence comes from knowing that I have my horse prepared. When I know that my...
Preparing Your Horse for More Speed
02 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Horses are wired with a “flight” instinct, which causes them to react in high-pressure situation...
Every Repetition is for a Purpose
23 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
As human beings, we are naturally wired to seek an end point. When we start a project, we want to fi...
How My Personal Development Journey Has Impacted My Horsemanship
16 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
I feel like I have grown more in the past 5 years than I have in the rest of my years combined. And ...
Preparing a Colt for the First Ride
09 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Over the years, I’ve gotten a lot more patient about putting the first ride on a horse. Before tha...
Overcoming Discomfort to Improve Understanding
02 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Horsemanship is not about the mechanical manipulation of our horses. We can use our hands, feet, or ...
Rebuilding Your Horse's Foundation After Time Off
26 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
During the winter months, it gets more difficult to devote adequate time to our horsemanship. The da...
Horsemanship is Leadership
19 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
As trainers, we have a responsibility to help our horses reach their full potential. And, this...
Making the Most of Your Time When Training
12 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Horsemanship is a continual learning process. It’s a process that takes a significant amount of ti...
The Cowboy Mentality
05 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The western industry is built upon the cowboy mentality -- that commitment, grit and never-give-up a...
Why You Should Be Softening Your Horse's Ribcage
29 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
For many years in my training career, I only focused on training the parts of the horse’s body tha...
The Value of Your Horse's Confidence
22 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
As trainers, we cannot underestimate the value of a horse’s confidence. Each time I swing my leg o...
Staying Faithful in the Process
15 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In the horse training business, there are ample opportunities throughout the day to get frustrated a...
Effort, Courage and Confidence
08 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
How many good things have you missed out on because you didn’t have the courage to move forward? A...
Keeping Realistic Expectations When Working with Multiple Horses
01 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
One of the most common mental blocks I run into as a trainer is maintaining realistic expectations w...
Taking Control of Your Perception
24 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
One common perception that causes many trainers to get stuck has to do with a horse’s age. It is e...
Balancing Entrepreneurship and Horsemanship with Emma & Gracie Pearson
17 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
What do horsemanship and entrepreneurship have in common? In both in ventures, hard work pays off. I...
Overcoming the Pressure to Prove Yourself
10 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
One of the biggest limiting factors to success is the feeling of needing to prove yourself to others...
Overcoming the Need for Instant Gratification
03 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Our human instinct for instant gratification often causes us to rush our training. When we rush our ...
Taking a Step Back to Move Forward
27 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
My dad always used to say, “you can’t see the forest from the trees.” For years, I never under...
Deactivating Your Horse's Defense Mechanism
20 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Horses are naturally programmed with a defense mechanism that kicks in when they sense fear. As trai...
Overcoming Anxiety in the Trailer
13 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Hauling in a trailer can be a very stressful experience for a horse, especially if the horse has enc...
Working with Young Horses Safely
06 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Safety has to be your number one priority when training. In this episode, Phil Haugen focuses on saf...
Creating Muscle Memory with Feel, Timing, and Balance
29 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Horsemanship is nothing more than how effective your communication is with the horse you are current...
Lessons Learned Through Failure
22 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
My entire training program is based off of failures. Or, rather, the lessons I’ve learned through ...
Managing Customer Expectations as a Trainer
15 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
As a horse trainer, one of the most challenging parts of managing a business is managing customer re...
How My First Horsemanship Clinic Changed My Life
08 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
26 years ago, we were living on 10 acres with a 14x80’ trailer house. When we moved in, it was a f...
Maintaining Perspective During Tough Competition
01 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This year in particular, the rodeo industry has evolved tremendously in the level of competition at ...
Advice to My 20-Year-Old Self
25 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Last weekend, my daughter Hannah got married. As the father-of-the-bride, I was asked to say a few w...
Why You Need to Slow Your Hands Down
18 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Training horse is like trying to solve a puzzle with thousands of pieces. Over time, we slowly put t...
3 Exercises to Improve Timed Event Performance
11 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Running hard is a reactive response for a horse. This is the same response that is triggered when a ...
Clinic Recap: Hermosa, SD
04 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Our recent clinic in Hermosa, South Dakota was one for the books. We had an extremely advanced set o...
Make Commitments, Not Excuses
28 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
“I just haven’t had time.” How many times have we used this excuse? Maybe we were referring to...
Winning the Mental Game of Horsemanship
21 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The mental game of horsemanship is arguably the most difficult part of the journey. Most of you have...
Clinic Recap: Denison, Iowa
14 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
On this week’s episode, I’m covering some of the key training philosophies we focused on during ...
On the Trail with Kelsie Chace
08 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In this week’s episode, I had a chance to sit down with Kelsie Chace to recap our breakaway clinic...
Clinic Recap: Breakaway School in Dickinson ND
30 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
As a whole, the roping industry is stronger now than ever before. The opportunities for ropers conti...
Rising to the Challenge
23 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
As you progress a horse in its training, it is inevitable that you will be challenged. When you are ...
The Progression of Training
16 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
“How fast should my horse progress?” I get this question a lot from my clients, but in a way, it...
Simplifying the Training Process
09 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Horsemanship is not about the horse—it is about the rider. Building the one-on-one relationship be...
Building Momentum
02 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Sometimes, you will run into training a horse where it seems like every day is a challenge. In those...
On the Road with Phil Haugen
26 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Jump on the road with Phil Haugen as he shares some thoughts about horses, travel, and training whil...
Clinic Recap: Horsemanship & Barrel Racing with Ashley Schafer
19 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
When you get together with someone else in the training business and listen to their philosophies, y...
Building Mental Maturity as a Trainer
12 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
One of the biggest mental challenges we run into as trainers is a lack of time. Most of us are faced...
Developing Feel, Timing & Balance with Your Horse
05 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We often underestimate how much our horses rely on our feel, timing, and balance. I’ve touched on ...
Building Trust with an Insecure Horse
28 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
I think we often underestimate how much our horses rely on our feel, timing, and balance. Horses are...
The Power of a First Impression
21 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
When I meet someone who has a big smile, I never forget that person’s name. Why? Because, that per...
Teaching the Release
14 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week, I worked with two small groups of trainers—barrel racers and team ropers—on some tune...
Now, More Than Ever, is the Time to Be Your Best
07 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Indefinite. This word has really resonated with me lately. The word indefinite leaves a huge unknown...
Clinic Recap with Carrie Arntson
31 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Clinic Recap: Advanced Horsemanship Clinic in Sebeka, MN Dates: March 13-15, 2020 Featured Trainer: ...
Renewed Perspective During the Pandemic
24 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This period of time that we’re going through right now is tough. Life has caught us taking things ...
How to Successfully Transition from Riding Colts to Finished Horses
17 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
One of the toughest situations I have encountered as a trainer is switching back and forth from ridi...
Get Out of Your Own Way
10 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
When someone comes to my facility to pick up their horse after it has been training, I see a common ...
Advice for the Young Horse Trainer
03 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Horse training is an unpredictable business. There is no telling how many horses you will have in tr...
How to Get the Most Value Out of Your Clinic Experience
25 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Between high-performing genetics and the advancement of horsemanship knowledge, the horse industry h...
How to Handle an Overreactive Horse
18 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
If you spend long enough in the horse training business, you will likely encounter some situations t...
Overcoming Insecurity & Getting Out of Your Comfort Zone
11 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
As human beings, we all have our insecurities. In the horsemanship world, insecurities happen when w...
Changing Your Standards
04 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In our previous episodes, we have talked about activating the thinking side of your horse’s brain....
Good Enough Isn't Good Enough
28 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
“My horse is good enough.” I can’t tell you how many times I have heard this phrase over the y...
Advancing Your Horse's Performance
21 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
When I was younger, I came from a “horse” family, but not necessarily a “rodeo” family. So, ...
The Power of Repetition
14 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Every time you repeat something, you are at the beginning stage of establishing a habit. This is tru...
Activating the Thinking Side of Your Horse's Brain: Part II
07 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The way your horse acts is a direct reflection of you. Even if you are working with just one horse, ...
Activating the Thinking Side of Your Horse's Brain: Part I
31 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
When you have a weak link in your foundation, there will come a time where progress becomes incredib...
Working Through Frustrations and Challenges
24 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
All of us are on a horsemanship journey where we learn a lot about horses and a lot about life. I re...
How to Create Softness in Your Horse's Ribcage
17 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
If you attend one of my clinics, you’ll hear me talk a lot about keeping your horse soft in the fa...
How Your Attitude Impacts Your Horse's Performance
10 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Early on in my training career, I realized that the success of my day is heavily dependent upon my a...