Ben was recently interviewed for Best Horse Practices Podcast with Maddy Butcher and we share it here with permission.   This will make a third visit for Ben on the show. In past interviews, he’s had great insight to bitless options as well as nervous horse help. In this episode, we talk about the evolution of horsemanship and different directions people are taking the horse-rider partnership. He often sees the extreme ends of a spectrum but notices a lot of interesting developments in the middle. It’s a really nice interview we hope you’ll enjoy.   About "Life in the Saddle ..read more

I hope you enjoy this fun conversation as much as I did! Jess and I followed each other on social media for a couple of years before finally meeting face to face last October on my way through Burns, Oregon for this 'in person' podcast. She and her family have an interesting story to tell and adventures we can all learn something from. About Jessica Hedges:  Jess is a cowboy’s wife, mama and homeschool teacher to two buckaroos in training, a day working cowboy every chance she gets, and a business woman running Branded In Ink (marketing) and Hitching Post Supply (western e-commerce). Jes ..read more

Is it difficult to mount your horse? This can be a common issue but is not the actual problem. Tune into this episode as we dive deeper into the roots of this symptom and address key communication and principles as well as looking at the bigger picture. About "Life in the Saddle" Podcast:  Join horseman Ben Longwell as he shares stories & adventures and interviews extraordinary men and women in the equine and ranching industries to gain insight into horsemanship and life itself. As part of his mission to help people and their horses achieve more together, through his business True We ..read more

Are you just a trail rider? I hear this statement all the time in my clinics and on social media - "I'm just a trail rider..." As if to set the expectation low right out the gate. In this episode, we discuss the need for great communication and proper riding no matter what you intend to be doing in the future with your horse. The need for a trust-based partnership to deal with the 'unexpected' when it happens and the importance of gymnastic development of the ridden athlete - all this and more make up the responsibility we have toward the horse regardless of how simple our riding may be. Abou ..read more

It was fascinating to catch up with Michelle earlier in the year and hear more about her history with horses, a wreck breaking her back, and the journey to ride again which she writes about in her books. About Michelle: Michelle R Scully is an avid horsewoman and animal lover. Michelle and her husband live in northern California where they are part of a multi-generational farming operation. A bad wreck years ago spurred her to share her journey back into the saddle in her first book Broken, Tales of a Titanium Cowgirl in the hope of encouraging others and helping horses get a better deal ..read more

It is an honor to have caught up with Colton Woods recently! We haven't met in person yet, but have enjoyed getting to know one another through social media and visiting on one another's podcasts. It is always enjoyable to visit with a like-minded student of the horse! Colton is an evolving horseman who is dedicated to teaching his students a progressive horsemanship approach built on practical application and understanding of the horse on a mental, physical, emotional and spiritual level. Colton has a deep passion for bringing together the similarities and uniqueness, whi ..read more

In this episode I cover some of the details of 'body language' when it comes to horses. This catch phrase in the horsemanship world is often misunderstood or poorly defined. What does it actually look like and how can we become more effective in our communication? About American Cowboy In New Zealand Podcast: Join horseman Ben Longwell, an American Cowboy living in New Zealand, as he shares stories & adventures and interviews extraordinary men and women in the equine and ranching industries to gain insight into horsemanship and life itself. As part of his mission to help people and their ..read more

In this episode I cover what I call the "Three R's" -the differences between what these look like and how we set our horses up to truly be responsive, which is based in trust and understanding. About American Cowboy In New Zealand Podcast: Join horseman Ben Longwell, an American Cowboy living in New Zealand, as he shares stories & adventures and interviews extraordinary men and women in the equine and ranching industries to gain insight into horsemanship and life itself. As part of his mission to help people and their horses achieve more together, through his business True West Horsemansh ..read more

In this episode I discuss some of the pitfalls of the traditional approach, which teaches us to work with our horses almost entirely with our horses on the left side. But does this fit the way a horse sees the world? About American Cowboy In New Zealand Podcast: Join horseman Ben Longwell, an American Cowboy living in New Zealand, as he shares stories & adventures and interviews extraordinary men and women in the equine and ranching industries to gain insight into horsemanship and life itself. As part of his mission to help people and their horses achieve more together, through his busine ..read more

In this episode, we are going to discuss some communication keys for preparing your horse to be haltered with trust and understanding. These principles apply not only to young horses/foals (starting to halter) and problem-solving cases (where a horse has developed evasive ideas), but also may help you think about your approach to simple tasks, even if you don't have a problem. About "Life in the Saddle" Podcast:  Join horseman Ben Longwell as he shares stories & adventures and interviews extraordinary men and women in the equine and ranching industries to gain insight into horsemansh ..read more