Be Your Best Horsemanship

Reframing Your Approach to Roping

15 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

One of the most common conversations that pops up in the roping pen has to do with how we approach practice. Oftentimes, when someone comes to me for ...

Approaching Training with a Growth Mindset

08 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

How do you deal with frustration? This was a question submitted by one of our loyal listeners, and it's a topic that has taken me years to find a good...

Preparation and Confidence with Paula Cooper

01 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If you’re a first generation horseman or horsewoman, this is an episode you won’t want to miss. On this episode, I’m joined by an ambitious youn...

Incorporating Fundamentals into Your Training Program with Rayne Grant

25 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If you’ve listened to our podcast for very long, you have probably heard me mention how much I love the western industry. I truly believe that I hav...

How It All Began

18 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we're throwing it back to the beginning. The audio in this episode is pulled from an introductory lesson in Phil's very first DVD ser...

The One Thing You Must Have to Make a Great Horse

11 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

After nearly 40 years as a professional horse trainer, I have come to the conclusion that there is one thing that I must have to make a great horse. I...

The Value of Reflection

04 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

I’ve said it many times over the years–horses have taught me far more than I will ever teach them. And, this still continues to hold true. As we m...

Getting Your Horse Comfortable at Faster Speeds

28 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

I would guess that many of you have had a horse that did everything great at a walk or trot. Then, when you applied more speed, that horse suddenly be...

Appreciating Each Opportunity

21 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In the horsemanship journey, there are moments when you win and moments when you learn. Even when the competitive outcomes aren't what we had planned,...

Creating Systems to Support Your Goals

14 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

When we set goals, it's easy for these goals to become overwhelming. Why does this happen? I believe it's because we make a commitment to the end resu...

Putting Yourself in the Driver's Seat

07 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Watching the National Finals Rodeo brings up a lot of emotions for me―while I have never made a run inside the Thomas & Mack, I still thrive on ...

Resistance and Release

30 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

When you ask your horse to do something, are you met with resistance or release? One of the most common issues I see in today's performance horses has...

Approaching Training with an Open Mind

23 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Everyone has a slightly different way of doing things when it comes to training horses. Yet, many of us experience the same challenges from day to day...

Stimulating Your Horse's Thought Process

16 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In everything we do, we are either creating good habits or bad habits. The horse using the thinking side of its brain is a learned habit. On this epis...

What Happens Outside Your Comfort Zone

09 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Jumping outside of your comfort zone is something that I believe we should all prioritize in our horsemanship journey. On this episode, I'm sharing a ...

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 ourselves and our horses. This year, I have made a poin...

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 opinion on 'frustration?' I believe if a horse or ri...

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? Whether it be a lack of time, lack of resources, or...

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 industry: Why is my horse stalling out on the bac...

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 could ever get done? Feeling like you are never caug...

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 important. Over the years, I've begun to take a more proac...

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, buying prospects to train, or searching for a rodeo-re...

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 better position when the day is over than when the da...

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 a lot of horses that go on to excel in various ro...

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 first step to overcoming the habit of pulling back ...

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." Have you ever asked for a little more speed from yo...

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 horses display undesirable responses just to spite us....

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 my barn, I would argue that 6 can very well still ...

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 frequently when a horse is entering a turn. Poor body p...

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 the horse’s ribcage. If the ribcage does not commu...

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 that come up for trainers. There are so many thing...

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 Cowboy Hall of Fame induction ceremony. I was honored ...

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 “1% rule” a time or two. This is the philosophy...

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 in. Triggers can work two different ways -- they ca...

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 defense is to run away. Every time we ask for our h...

Less is More

15 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Horsemanship is the reflection of excellent communication between horse and rider. Excellent communication is the understanding of how to get more res...

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. Reactive responses, such as anxiety in the trailer, p...

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 apart from others is access to knowledge. Now, more th...

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 deadline that is dictated by a certain event, such a...

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 horsemanship. Some may be in a season where they are j...

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, it’s not always the fear of failure that gets i...

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 believe this starts with a misconception of what colle...

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. The key to allowing your horse to find this answer c...

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 horses and people. While some people and horses natural...

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. Therefore, a horse is never truly “finished.” A ...

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 better part of my early training career, I would in...

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 the horse. The fact of the matter is--some horses a...

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 that all the time spent performing thousands of r...

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 struggle with, our strengths begin to diminish as ...

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 horse is where it needs to be, I know that I have...

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 situations. In the performance horse industry, we put our h...

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 finish it. The toughest thing to understand about th...

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 this is because over the past 5 years, I have made...

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 that first ride, I will spend a significant amount of...

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 bits as tools to communicate with our horses, but ...

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 days get shorter, the temperatures get colder, and i...

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 requires us to step into a leadership role. Horse...

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 time and patience.  Luckily, the level of acces...

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 attitude that so many of us seem to live by. As you...

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 that I could see. I focused on creating softness in t...

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 over my horse's back, my primary goal is the level ...

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 and throw in the towel. There are times when you’...

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? As human beings, our brains are wired to avoid situ...

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 when I’m working with multiple horses. After almo...

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 easy to get caught up in our own perceptions of wha...

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. In this episode, Phil is joined by two of his past ...

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. When you are in the public eye, it is common to ...

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 training, we often neglect the key fundamentals of...

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 understood what he meant by that. As I’ve progressed ...

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 trainers, we must constantly work to reprogram our hor...

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 encountered a negative experience in the trailer befo...

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 safety tips when working with colts and young horses ...

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 currently on. We tend to put so much emphasis on the hors...

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 failures. Every trial and error experience I’ve ...

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 relationships. One of the most common errors trainer...

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 fixer upper. We added a few pens and barns to make ...

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 each event. With the impact of the pandemic, the n...

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 words after the ceremony. Those who have met me bef...

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 the pieces together, but sometimes there is one par...

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 horse is afraid of something. Their natural instin...

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 of horses and trainers at this clinic, and there we...

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 riding our horses, or maybe we were thinking abou...

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 high goals for yourselves as trainers. You consta...

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 our recent horsemanship clinic series in Denison, ...

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 in Dickinson, North Dakota. Kelsie is an unbeliev...

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 continue to evolve, and the competition is becoming tou...

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 being challenged, how you perceive and react to th...

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 is a trick question. Your horse progresses at the...

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 between you and your horse takes time and patience. ...

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 situations, you have to find a way to gain moment...

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 while driving to his next clinic series. Listen closel...

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, you come away with a refreshed or even a brand new ...

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 with tremendously busy schedules, which makes it ...

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 this topic in previous episodes, but this week, I ...

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 prey animals, meaning their anatomy is structured...

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 person made a good first impression. The reason we te...

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 ups with their performance horses. Though they we...

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 at the end of every sentence, and I know it has r...

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: Carrie Arntson

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 for granted, going through the motions, and assumi...