Julie Goodnight established a connection with horses at a young age, and after a successful run as a youth
hunter-jumper competitor in Florida,she galloped her way through college riding race horses, graduating from
the University of New Mexico, magna cum laude, in 1984.


photo credit Melissa Arnold

Founding her horse training business in southern Colorado in 1985, Julie’s reputation as a trainer grew far and
wide, while conducting horsemanship clinics from coast to coast and on many continents. In 2008, she began
producing Horse Master with Julie Goodnight, a popular how-to horse training series broadcast weekly for eleven years, with 270 episodes. Full of practical, ever-green advice for horse owners, this series remains popular today, streaming on-demand from her website.


photo credit Melissa Arnold

For nearly four decades, she’s been at home in the Colorado Rockies, pursuing wilderness sports and riding
cow-horses. She produces educational media in the form of a monthly blog, an award-winning podcast about
horse training, and informative video shorts. Goodnight enjoys a massive following on social media, and she
educates horse owners internationally through her online training programs at JulieGoodnight.com/Academy

 

Theme for the Weekend: Clarity → Confidence → Longevity
 

Day 1 — Clarity & Controls (Foundation Day)

Coliseum Arena    11:00am-11:55am
Cue With Clarity: Install the Easy Buttons
The fastest way to improve any horse is to improve the rider’s timing and clarity. Julie demonstrates the cueing “language” horses understand—pressure/release, reinforcement and reward—then shows you how to install the core buttons: go, stop, turn, back, yield, and bend.


Coliseum Arena   1:20pm-2:20pm
Canter Basics: From Cues to Collection
Julie shows the canter checklist: cueing, leads, departures, smooth riding, control, bending and collection, with special attention to the most common mistakes riders make.


DNR Building Seminar   4:00pm-5:00pm
The New Era of Horsemanship: Equitation Science in Plain English
Equitation science studies the behavior of the ridden horse and low-stress, science-based training techniques. It’s about clarity, timing, consistency, humane pressure, fast releases and training the emotional state—not just the movement.


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Day 2 — Troubleshooting & De-Escalation (Problem-Solving Day)

Coliseum Arena   10:00am-10:55am
Canter Troubleshooting: Fix Rushing, Breaking & Wrong Leads
Julie demonstrates the “why” behind common canter issues and applies simple, repeatable fixes—without over-riding or drilling. Focus: straightness, rate, and transitions that rebalance.

Props: cones + poles

DNR Building Seminar  Noon – 1:00pm
Equine Behavior: Why They Do That (and What to Do About It)
Description: A behavior decoding session: fear vs. confusion vs. learned evasion. Julie explains how to read arousal levels, spot trouble early, and respond in ways that build calmness, confidence, and compliance.


Coliseum Arena  3:30pm-4:30pm
De-Escalating Behavior Under Saddle: Calm the Brain, Then Train the Body
When horses escalate (spook, brace, rush, freeze), riders often escalate too. Julie teaches riders how to “bring the horse back” by riding proactively, using patterns, redirection, and softer focus—then return to the task.
 

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Day 3 — Confidence & Longevity (Take-Home Day)

Coliseum Arena 10:00am-10:55am
Converting Fear to Curiosity: De-Spooking that Actually Sticks
Spooking is a confidence gap. Julie demonstrates progressive exposure (approach/retreat), confidence patterns, and how to reward bravery and encourage curiosity without “babying” or trapping the horse.


DNR Building Seminar     Noon -12:45pm
Leadership: The Kind Horses Trust
Leadership isn’t force—it’s clarity, consistency, and direction. Julie connects herd dynamics to everyday handling and riding so riders can set boundaries, build trust, and create willing partnership.

Compeer Arena  1:00pm-2:00pm
The Forever Rider: How to Stay Safe in the Saddle for Decades
In this mounted clinic, Julie shares the real secrets to riding for a lifetime: balance over strength, strategy over speed, and training habits that keep horses quieter and riders safer. Learn the small, high-impact adjustments that reduce wear-and-tear on your body, improve communication, and prevent the “little problems” that turn into big wrecks. Riders of every age will leave with practical exercises, safety systems, and a confidence-first plan to keep riding for decades. Ride for life… without scaring your family!