Project Horse Podcast

Approach and retreat is just the surface. Underneath it lies the real structure: Orientation. Attention. Engagement. In this episode, Jake unpacks the hidden behavioral code that governs how horses process fear, curiosity, and uncertainty. You’ll learn why most riders misread “the try,” how to spot the difference between attention and engagement, and how to avoid unintentionally training your horse to spook, stall out, or resist. If you want your horse to confidently navigate any unfamiliar situation—not just cross a bridge—this episode shows you how to build the mindset that makes it possible.

After a long silence, Jake returns with clarity, purpose, and a warning: the old horse training game is dead. In this raw, unscripted episode, he shares why he stepped back, what he's been building behind the scenes, and how the next era of horsemanship will be shaped—not by gurus or gimmicks, but by a new structural framework he calls the “ontology.” This is the beginning of something deeper, sharper, and more honest.

In this episode you'll learn the predictable, step-by-step formula we're using to help our Non Pro clients get wildly better results with their horses — going from "foundation" to "finesse" faster than they ever thought possible. We document our process with an owner who recently hauled to our facility for an Uplevel private lesson, then committed her reining horse to 30 days training with Lundahl Performance, and took another 3-day private lesson at the end of the program to experience and practice what her horse had learned. You'll discover what steps we followed, what exercises and concepts drove the biggest breakthroughs, the philosophy behind why they work, and how to get those results for yourself. Ready to dive deeper into our training philosophy and get to the next level? Start your journey with this free training video: The Ultimate Lead Change Formula. Lundahl Performance Horses Website: LundahlPerformance.com Find Us On Facebook: Facebook.com/LundahlHorses "Making Advanced Horsemanship Accessible"

In this podcast I share two stories which serve as important examples of what can happen when you miss this critical step in the process of starting a horse under saddle.  For a free masterclass on colt starting check out the following episodes:  Day 1:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lead-change-troubleshooting-dry-work-basics/id1345025627?i=1000463522073 Day 2: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lazy-horse-motivation-flag-work-intro/id1345025627?i=1000465614836 Day 3: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/stress-free-trailering-leading-by-the-feet/id1345025627?i=1000468145180 Days 4-6:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/introducing-live-cattle-horses-that-charge-humans/id1345025627?i=1000471914333 Colt Starting Secrets online course:  https://www.coltstartingsecrets.com Our website:  https://www.lundahlperformance.com  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/lundahl/message

Jennifer Osborne is a professional firefighter and owner/operator of Fire & Ice Horses, a thoroughbred rescue based in Las Vegas, Nevada. In this interview we discuss a wide range of topics including horsemanship education, and our reactions after the Along for the Ride Symposium in February 2022. Along For The Ride Website:  https://alongfortheride.pro/ Fire & Ice Horses on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FireAndIceHorses Lundahl Performance on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LundahlHorses Our Website (join our newsletter here): https://www.coltstarting.com/ Colt Starting Secrets: https://www.coltstartingsecrets.com/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/lundahl/message

Coaching call recap. Here's a voice memo I recorded after a 1-on-1 call with a client whose reined cowhorse was struggling with a sloppy, sucked-back, unbalanced spin. The primary exercise we used to get this horse confident and balanced again is the "Forward & Around" Exercise. The Forward & Around exercise is one of my favorites for teaching a horse to spin. You're working with the horse's psychology (instead of against it) by building the release of pressure into the maneuver itself, and building desire in the horse to stay in the turn and maintain their balance independently, with minimal input from the rider. See the video: https://youtu.be/m2JoMl5to0k Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/lundahl Our Website (join our newsletter here): https://www.coltstarting.com/ Colt Starting Secrets: https://www.coltstartingsecrets.com/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/lundahl/message

Confusion is both a barrier and an accelerator for learning. In this voice memo, Jake answers a question from an Academy member who's experienced a communication breakdown between herself and another horseman.  ColtStartingSecrets.com  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/lundahl/message

Just a quick voice memo to share something that's been working well on a couple horses I have in training: Using certain exercises as mental "anchors" to encourage better habits.  ColtStartingSecrets.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/lundahl/message

Timestamps:  0:00:00 - Training a Pushy Foal/Weanling  0:16:35 - Colt Starting Days 4 thru 6  0:56:26 - Introduction to Live Cattle  1:17:39 - Horses that Charge at Humans    ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ Welcome to Season 2 Episode 4 of the Horseman's Academy Podcast! We lead off the episode with our thoughts on training pushy, cantankerous foals and weanlings; and teaching these young horses to handle pressure. During the Foundation segment, we walk through Days 4 thru 6 of our colt starting program, including saddling for the first time. For the Advanced segment, we continue our cowhorse series with an in-depth breakdown on how we first introduce a horse to cattle. Finally, we wrap up with a question about a horse that's aggressive and charging the handler; how we would address this behavior, and how we would handle the situation overall from a professional's perspective.     ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/lundahl/message

Timestamps: 0:00:00 - Building Good Trailering Habits 0:22:57 - Colt Starting Day 3 & Leading by the Feet 1:11:07 - Flag Work Problems & Solutions 1:47:08 - The True Meaning of Leadership ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ Welcome to Season 2 Episode 3 of the Horseman's Academy Podcast! In our Q&A segment, we take a deep dive into horse behavior in and around the trailer: How bad habits develop, how to instill good habits, and how to achieve quiet and confident hauling. During the Foundation segment, we walk through Day 3 of our colt starting program and lay out the step-by-step process for Leading by the Feet. For the Advanced segment, we expand our discussion on flag work with common training issues and mistakes you should expect, and the tactics to fix them. Finally, we wrap up the episode with our thoughts on true leadership and riding with confidence.  ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/lundahl/message

In this bonus segment, we tackle two problem scenarios recently submitted to our Facebook inbox: A horse that's constantly leaning, and a horse that's constantly over-reacting and getting easily distracted.  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/lundahl/message

Timestamps: 0:00:00 - Getting a Lazy Horse to Respect Leg Pressure 0:27:51 - Colt Starting Day 2  0:46:42 - Introducing the Flag to Young Cowhorses 1:05:38 - Horses That Are Hard to Catch ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ Welcome to Season 2 Episode 2 of the Horseman's Academy Podcast! In our Q&A segment, we answer a question about a lazy reining horse that doesn't want to run hard. During the Foundation segment, we dive into Day 2 of our colt starting program with Desensitizing, Round Penning, Yielding the Hindquarters, and preparing to handle the horse's feet. For the Advanced segment, we discuss how to translate the dry work fundamentals we've established to the flag for the first time. Finally, we wrap up the episode with a note on hard-to-catch horses.  ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/lundahl/message

Timestamps:  0:00:00 - Lead Change Troubleshooting 0:25:42 - Colt Starting Day 1 Round Penning & Desensitizing 0:52:25 - Dry Work Preparation for Young Cow Horses 1:04:20 - "Smell the Leather" Challenge ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ Welcome to Season 2 Episode 1 of the Horseman's Academy Podcast! In our Q&A segment, we provide answers for horses that are jittery and have a bad attitude about lead changes. During the Foundation segment, we dive into Day 1 of our colt starting program with the Round Penning and Desensitizing exercises. For the Advanced segment, we discuss the dry work fundamentals we want to instill in a young cow horse before moving on to the flag. Finally, we wrap up the episode with a note on rider self-esteem and our "Smell the Leather" challenge!  ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/lundahl/message