Ask Carson James

In this episode, Dr. Peters and I go into what's actually happening in your horse's brain.What if "stubborn" isn't stubborn? What if the horse that stiffens up the second you swing a leg over isn't being difficult, but doing exactly what biology built him to do?I sat down with Dr. Steve Peters, the equine neuroscientist whose research has quietly rewired everything I think about horsemanship. We went deep on the nervous system most horse owners never see: homeostasis, allostasis, pendulation, the difference between a reactive brain and a thinking brain, and what each of those actually means for how you train.Steve lays out the science in plain language. I connect every concept back to real horse work. By the end of this one, you're not going to look at your horse the same way again.If this conversation hits you the way it hit me the first time I dug into Steve's work, then join me on my free webinar this Sunday, May 10th at 7pm Eastern. I'm going to take everything you learn from Steve and show you exactly what to do with it. Sign up at https://www.carsonjames.com/rewire

Sara Wedel joins me for an inside look at BLM wild Mustangs - their future, their fate, and what's really happening behind the scenes. Support the show

In this podcast, I’m gonna talk about desensitization and why it may not work in every situation. Go to http://carsonjames.com  for more information. Support the show

What is the most proper head position for a horse? It depends on who you ask. In this podcast, we dive into this controversial subject and explore several different schools of thought.Get more horse training at http://carsonjames.com Support the show

This podcast is gonna involve talking about your horse’s physical balance and his mental balance. I’m gonna go over a few exercises you can do to help your horse have optimal balance through a turn.Get more horse training at http://carsonjames.comSupport the show

For this week's podcast, I want you to meet a great man by the name of Tom Pannell. I had the pleasure of meeting him while I was in Bozeman MT. He shared some amazing stories with me. Some about Tom Dorrance, one about how he became recognized for having an incredible ability around Mules (which gave him the nickname, The Mule Sniffer), and much more. I hope you enjoy this interview as much as I did. Get more horse training at http://carsonjames.comSupport the show

This podcast covers the why and how the term “respect” is horribly misinterpreted and how to get all of this headed in the right direction. Get more horse training at http://carsonjames.com Support the show

For this week’s podcast, we’re gonna talk about how you can find the balance with your horse if he has a tendency to be lazy or hot. Get more horse training at http://carsonjames.com Support the show

Riders often feel they are ensuring their safety by holding the horse back, but it’s actually the opposite. A horse will not feel safe unless he knows he can naturally and freely move without interference from the rider. For this week’s podcast, I’m gonna talk about why a little speed is important and how to get you and your horse to that point. Get more horse training at http://carsonjames.com Support the show

For this week’s podcast, I’m gonna talk about how a young Colt was able to get past all his buddy sour magnets while only at a walk. Get more horse training at http://carsonjames.com Support the show

For this week’s podcast, I want to talk about a question that we recently got asked. When leading a horse that has a tendency to get spooky, would it be better to lead him by your shoulder or keep him behind you around 6ft? Get more horse training at http://carsonjames.com Support the show

High pressure situations are usually not the optimal time for fixing a problem. If he’s tipped too far the other way that your horse is a total basket case, then  get by the best you can for the current situation, but don’t fail to work on the problem and get your horse more sure before it surfaces again. Get more horse training at http://carsonjames.com Support the show

Just because a horse responds to something does not mean that he is scared. We often remove the natural lightness from our horse by accidentally making him dull and unresponsive. Get more horse training at http://carsonjames.com Support the show

For this week’s podcast, I'm gonna go over a question that was asked at one of our recent clinics. The question was, “my horse paws when I ask him to back up. Should I ignore it?” Get more horse training at http://carsonjames.com Support the show

Before trying to get your horse to back up, try this first. After about 5 or 6 rides, your horse will start to engage their hind feet to allow lightness when backing. Get more horse training at http://carsonjames.com Support the show

For this week’s podcast, I’m gonna go over a few handy tips that I like to use/do when saddling. 90% of you don’t know about these 5% of the time. Get more horse training at http://carsonjames.com Support the show

We have strayed so far from the definition of what a  “broke” horse is. It’s time to start doing more than circles. Get more horse training at http://carsonjames.com Support the show

I Just got a new horse, so I figured for this week’s podcast, I would tell you how it’s going so far. She came to me with a reputation of being hard to get a long with, but I found that she is just not a very big fan of having a leg on her. Making progress. Get more horse training at http://carsonjames.com Support the show

For this week’s podcast, I’m gonna talk about adding speed and the huge benefits this has for you and your horse. Would you believe that this actually can make your horse calmer? Get more horse training at http://carsonjames.com Support the show

It’s a pretty simple deal. Don’t think stop; they get braced if you do. Instead, teach them to rapidly slow down with proper balance in the body and feet. Get more horse training at http://carsonjames.com Support the show

When it comes to this issue, you have to ask yourself, “why is he not wanting to be caught?” It could be a number of reasons right? Whatever the reason might be, it can be accomplished using this method. The outcome will be a horse that loves to be caught.  Get more horse training at http://carsonjames.com Support the show

This is one of the single best things you can do to improve your feeling and timing. In this podcast, I’m gonna talk about how to get started and what you can expect when you stay consistent. Get more horse training at http://carsonjames.com Support the show

For this week’s podcast, I’m going to share what I have been working on with my horse. You would not believe (or maybe you will) how light you can get a horse by doing exercises only at a standstill or walk. The results have been amazing!  It’s easy and very attainable for anyone. Get more horse training at http://carsonjames.com Support the show

For this week’s podcast, we’re going to dive into the wonderful world of diagonals. This is an extremely beneficial exercise for your horse. Get more horse training at http://carsonjames.com Support the show

On this week’s podcast, I’m going to talk about a common problem that many horse owners encounter when round penning their horse. So many owners struggle to establish the main foundation of round pen work, and that is fluid consistency and balanced communication. Get more horse training at http://carsonjames.com Support the show

For this week’s podcast, I am going to talk about how to correct and strengthen a horse’s back that hollows out. One of the first things that needs to be tackled is making sure you are not contributing to this problem. Get more horse training at http://carsonjames.comSupport the show

For this week’s podcast, I’m going to go over a subject that can sound very counterintuitive. It may even be hard for many of us to wrap our head around; however, it’s very important for us to practice this so we don’t hinder our horse’s need to turn loose and fully trust us. Get more horse training at http://carsonjames.comSupport the show

For this week’s podcast, I’m gonna talk about the extended trot and what makes this gait so magical for you and your horse. Get more horse training at http://carsonjames.comSupport the show

For this week’s podcast, I’m gonna go over the 3 things you need to have in place in order to have a good, safe, reliable horse. Get more horse training at http://carsonjames.comSupport the show

For this week’s podcast, we're gonna talk about the top 3 mistakes that riders make. Get more horse training at http://carsonjames.comSupport the show

Does your horse feel like he needs way too much help from you?  Wouldn’t it be awesome if you felt like you and your horse were doing things TOGETHER instead of you having to micromanage? Today we're covering how to allow the horse to start being a partner instead of an employee. Get more horse training at http://carsonjames.comSupport the show

For this week’s podcast, I'm gonna talk about the amount of time someone should spend working with their horse. As you listen, I’m gonna go over the two things you should consider when figuring this out. Get more horse training at http://carsonjames.comSupport the show

For this week’s podcast, we’re gonna talk about how you should work with a horse that has a tendency to ignore most or all signals given to him. Get more horse training at http://carsonjames.comSupport the show

For this week’s podcast, I want to go over why it’s important not to overexpose your horse and why it’s necessary to work at the grade level your horse is at. Get more horse training at http://carsonjames.comSupport the show

Should you stall your horse or keep them in the pasture? The purpose of this podcast is not to pass judgment, but simply to explore the advantages and disadvantages of the possible scenarios. Get more horse training at http://carsonjames.comSupport the show

Have you ever had a horse push through your hands/reins when you ask him to back, turn, etc while riding?  How about when you’re working on groundwork exercises? This can easily be fixed in a few short sessions using the right approach. Learn how by listening now! Get more horse training at http://carsonjames.comSupport the show

Lynn asks, “Hey Carson, my neighbors have a dog pen on their property line and it borders my property. If we get anyway near the vicinity of the dogs, when I go to ride my horse outside or take him away, he loses all focus and locks his attention on them and I can not get him to calm back down until we get far away from the dogs. Please help!” Get more horse training at http://carsonjames.comSupport the show

For this week’s podcast, I’m going to talk about the mental aspect of slowing down. Get more horse training at http://carsonjames.comSupport the show

For this week’s podcast, we’re gonna talk about your horse’s emotions. More specifically, how to tell the difference between when your horse is angry or just confused when working with him. Get more horse training at http://carsonjames.comSupport the show

Any horse problem can be solved by going back to the basic fundamentals. For this week’s podcast, we are gonna dive into what this means and why this works so well. Get more horse training at http://carsonjames.comSupport the show

For this week’s podcast, I’m going to talk about the different ways you can get a horse to where he will start stopping nicely for you. Get more horse training at http://carsonjames.comSupport the show

For this week’s podcast, I'm going to talk about how you can get your horse better prepared for loud noises. With the holidays coming up, the 4th of July for example, a ton of horses will be exposed to the sound of fireworks. This could be a great way to help with any horses that might get anxiety when around that. Get more horse training at http://carsonjames.comSupport the show

For this week’s podcast, I’m going to talk about the importance of straightness in your horse. I’m gonna go over what this means and give several examples of exercises you can do to help your horse with this. Get more horse training at http://carsonjames.comSupport the show

For this week’s podcast, I’m gonna tell you the three rules that you should never break when working with your horse. Of course, there are more than three, but these are the most common that I see happen. Get more horse training at http://carsonjames.comSupport the show

For this week’s podcast, I'm going to talk about why horses pull back and how you can fix it and prevent it from happening. Get more horse training at http://carsonjames.comSupport the show

For this week’s podcast, I want to talk about a huge problem in the horse world and how to fix it. Get more horse training at http://carsonjames.comSupport the show

To solve any horse ‘problem’ or to build a solid, good mindset, it’s essential that you listen to your horse. A horse will always tell you where he needs improvement and help. In order for this to work though, you must become aware of the signals your horse is giving you. If you don’t pay attention to this and end up pushing past his limits, it could cause a wreck. In this podcast, I’m gonna talk about this subject in more depth and go over several examples explaining signals and what they might look like coming from your horse. Get more horse training at http://carsonjames.comSupport the show

For this week’s podcast, I want to talk about creating lightness. Now I’m not talking about your horse doing everything you want with a light amount of pressure. I’m talking about where he does whatever you want before you even make contact with him. As similar as they sound, there is a difference, and I will talk about it in-depth in this episode with examples. Get more horse training at http://carsonjames.comSupport the show

For this week’s podcast, I’m gonna answer a question that I get asked at almost every clinic. How can my horse be really good at groundwork, but act like he is in kindergarten in the saddle? Get more horse training at http://carsonjames.comSupport the show

For this week’s podcast, I’m going to talk about fencing. This is a pretty important exercise that everyone should do with their horse regardless of age, breed, experience, etc. Get more horse training at http://carsonjames.comSupport the show