# Stacey Westfall!!



## paintluver (Apr 5, 2007)

She is just amazing! And that horse is just gorgeus and so well trained. I love the bond they have! Just a beautiful video.


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## ShutUpJoe (Nov 10, 2009)

Rugged Lark was a much better mover under her.


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## Nita (May 24, 2007)

I also love her!!! I got to go to a clinic with her this year... It was really fun, and she's a great clinician! She really knows how to teach, but also how to train. =) I have all her DVDs and some day I hope to be able to go bareback and bridleless. SOME DAY!!!


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## Tophandcowgirl (Jun 23, 2007)

I love Stacy Westfall too! She is very professional and a good trainer. Since I perform at a lot of equine expos, I have performed at 2 with her. The first was the Can-Am (like Equine Affair only in Canada) back in 2006. The last one was the 2008 Ohio Equine Affair in the Pfizer Fantasia. That last performance was the one where she retired Roxy, her black mare. I wish I could have seen it but I was in the shoot waiting to go in and perform.


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## nrhareiner (Jan 11, 2009)

ShutUpJoe said:


> Rugged Lark was a much better mover under her.




She is not the one who showed RL.


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## nrhareiner (Jan 11, 2009)

equiniphile said:


> I just want to share my equestrian idol's 2006 Freestyle Reining video. It is absolutely amazing!! Her name is Stacey Westfall, and she rides bareback and bridleless most of the time. In shows, she competes like that. Full gallops to insane stops without a saddle or bridle....she's an amazing rider. Enjoy!
> 
> YouTube - Stacy Westfall Congress Freestyle 06


Actually she only show Bareback and bridleless in free style. She also shows quite a bit at the affiliate level in the open. She competes quite a bit in the different affiliates I show at. 


Nice lady good rider but I most enjoy the way she teaches. She has a nice way of braking it down. Shawn is a better trainer and rider but his teaching style leaves something to be desired.


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## SorrelHorse (Apr 9, 2009)

She is amazing.

I loved her freestyle to "Live like we're dying" on Wizard's Baby Doll. (AKA Roxy)

I dunno if what vid this is, as my computer isbeing stupid and not loading, but I'm sur eit's awesome


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## Bubbles101 (Aug 15, 2009)

^ yah thats what it is. Makes me all emotional :roll:


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## StormyBlues (Dec 31, 2008)

I saw her at Breyerfest this year with Roxy, she kinda taught a little about her training folocifies and such, and while other people got bored, I was on the edge of my seat sucking it all in! I LOVED the way she trained and even aplied a little of what she does to my eventing! Now that's what I call a good trainer


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

ShutUpJoe said:


> Rugged Lark was a much better mover under her.


Lynn Palm was his rider. He was a wonderful mover.





 
To the OP: I do love watching Stacey Westfall, she is pretty amazing.


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## StormyBlues (Dec 31, 2008)

^ I met her too!!! She's an AMAZING rider!


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

equiniphile said:


> I and she rides bareback and bridleless most of the time. In shows, she competes like that.


Sorry - no she doesn't.

The ride at Congress was a tribute to her father. It was not a normal circumstance.

She does NOT ride without tack 'most' of the time and does NOT encourage others to do so.

Yes - I know for a fact as she was a speaker at our expo and I spent three days with her.


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## ShutUpJoe (Nov 10, 2009)

lol my bad you are right


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## kevinshorses (Aug 15, 2009)

Somone must have Photoshopped that video. Everyone knows that a horse can't jump unless the rider is pulling on his mouth and the mouth is tied shut! How could anyone expect us to believe that video is unaltered.


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## StormyBlues (Dec 31, 2008)

^what are you talking about?


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## kevinshorses (Aug 15, 2009)

The Rugged Lark video.


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

kevinshorses said:


> Somone must have Photoshopped that video. Everyone knows that a horse can't jump unless the rider is pulling on his mouth and the mouth is tied shut! How could anyone expect us to believe that video is unaltered.


You made me choke on my mountain dew!!!!


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## StormyBlues (Dec 31, 2008)

Yes, I understand, but why are you saying that?


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

it was just a joke. He was just being silly.


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## StormyBlues (Dec 31, 2008)

he was insulting jumpers.


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## kevinshorses (Aug 15, 2009)

I was insulting people that think pulling on a horse constantly and tying thier mouths shut equals good horsemanship. If that applies to you then I guess I was insulting you. If it doesn't apply to you then look around and you will see plenty of people that it does apply to.


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

StormyBlues said:


> he was insulting jumpers.


It was a harmless comment that was not aimed at any one person on this forum. Please do not insist on turning this thread into an argument.


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## StormyBlues (Dec 31, 2008)

I don't see grouping all jumpers into that catagory as "harmless" I know far less people, acctually I can't think of one, that does that kind of thing. It offended me.


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## Brighteyes (Mar 8, 2009)

Please, please, _please _don't turn this into a fight, you two. So many good, fun threads have been ruined like that, and I am personally a little bit tired of it. Let's get back to the subject:

I really, really enjoy watching Stacy Westfall ride; she's amazing! The bridless she does really blows me away, and I can't figure out, no matter how much I watch the videos, how she does it. :-o


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## FGRanch (Feb 9, 2008)

I'd be on the ground during those spins! 

Kevin you have the best sense of humour!


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## BuckOff41570 (Nov 15, 2008)

kevinshorses said:


> Somone must have Photoshopped that video. Everyone knows that a horse can't jump unless the rider is pulling on his mouth and the mouth is tied shut! How could anyone expect us to believe that video is unaltered.


Well, I dunno. That's how I like em... usually I'll top off my hunter/jumper look with pumping them up on alfalfa and sweet feed. I love that bug eyed, scared $hitless, OMG I'm gunna die! look in a jumper. Real flashy.


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## kevinshorses (Aug 15, 2009)

Brighteyes said:


> I really, really enjoy watching Stacy Westfall ride; she's amazing! The bridless she does really blows me away, and I can't figure out, no matter how much I watch the videos, how she does it. :-o


She rides a horse that she trained impecably using a saddle and bridle. Given a little practice and a good rider most of the reining horses at the Congress could be ridden that way. It's not a secret it's not a magical bond between the two.* It is great horsemanship applied greatly.*


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## BuckOff41570 (Nov 15, 2008)

kevinshorses said:


> She rides a horse that she trained impecably using a saddle and bridle. Given a little practice and a good rider most of the reining horses at the Congress could be ridden that way. It's not a secret it's not a magical bond between the two.* It is great horsemanship applied greatly.*


Very true. Her cues can be a little different, though.
She constantly taps her spurs...the stronger the tap the more the horse picks up speed. As soon as the tapping stops, the horse stops. For turns, the tapping on the off side increases and the tapping on the inside lightens. (Still tapping on both side to encourage forward motion)
It's all about leg and seat communication.


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## StormyBlues (Dec 31, 2008)

Kevin- I do see what you are going at, but riding a horse with no tack does require a bond betwee the two, the horse has to understand the rider and vice versa you can't just say your a good horseman(even if you are) and go and jump on a horse with no tack and do the kinda stuff she's doing.


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## BuckOff41570 (Nov 15, 2008)

StormyBlues said:


> Kevin- I do see what you are going at, but riding a horse with no tack does require a bond betwee the two, the horse has to understand the rider and vice versa you can't just say your a good horseman(even if you are) and go and jump on a horse with no tack and do the kinda stuff she's doing.


Naturally, any type of competition requires a bond with a horse. That's inevitable. I think, what I got from it at least, is that what Kevin was saying is that, although she may have a bond with the horse...it isnt the bond that allows her to acheive the bridle/saddleless rides. It's hours and hours of hard work and training that go into each show. Her cues and training methods are what allows her to do that. I think it's safe to say that if I were to hop on one of her horses, I would also be able to navigate it through a pattern bridleless. If you know how to communicate using her cues, you'll be able to do it. At least that's my spin on it. 
There will always be a bond between horse and rider. It's really and truly an inevitable event when you put so many hours of blood, sweat, and tears into something. But it's the communication between the horse and rider that really shows what a true horseman is all about. JMO tho..


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## Rissa (Feb 10, 2009)

She kicked me and a Friesian mare out of an arena last April, lol.

Also her stuff is mad expensive.


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## BuckOff41570 (Nov 15, 2008)

Rissa said:


> She kicked me and a Friesian mare out of an arena last April, lol.
> 
> Also her stuff is mad expensive.


Eh, I don't think it's that bad. It's right up there with every other clinician's merchandise.


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## Rissa (Feb 10, 2009)

BuckOff41570 said:


> Eh, I don't think it's that bad. It's right up there with every other clinician's merchandise.



And I think it's all expensive. In her booth at the fair I was at she had a set of leather split reins for 298 dollars. 

Call me crazy, but that's expensive. Or maybe I'm just a poor *******? LOL.

All of that trendy stuff is beyond redic.

After the 300 dollar split reins I should have ordered myself a left handed lunge line by Parelli. I'm left handed after all. Just 106 bucks!
http://shop.parellinaturalhorsetraining.com/product.jsf?productId=41


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## BuckOff41570 (Nov 15, 2008)

Rissa said:


> And I think it's all expensive. In her booth at the fair I was at she had a set of leather split reins for 298 dollars.
> 
> Call me crazy, but that's expensive. Or maybe I'm just a poor *******? LOL.
> 
> ...


 
lol can't see why they'd price a set of split reins at that. I've seen several romal reins from there and up... but not split reins. 
My $45 ones were a stretch for me.
It does get rediculous...but there will always be little rich clinician groupies who are more than willing to blow the cash on a set of "PARELLI halters" n such. lol


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## StormyBlues (Dec 31, 2008)

I have all the parelli stuff and there's a reason it's priced so hihg, but that's another thread


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## BuckOff41570 (Nov 15, 2008)

lol...



lol


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## Rissa (Feb 10, 2009)

StormyBlues said:


> I have all the parelli stuff and there's a reason it's priced so hihg, but that's another thread


Haha, yeah. I can think of better things to do with my money than buy a 60 dollar "sport pole" painted orange.

It's priced that way for a reason, you're totally correct.


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

mls said:


> Sorry - no she doesn't.
> 
> The ride at Congress was a tribute to her father. It was not a normal circumstance.
> 
> ...


I meant "at freestyle shows." But yes, you are correct


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

About the communication and Stacey's methods....

She does have different cues. In her freestyle shows you can see her snapping her fingers to turn the horse one way or another


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

Rissa said:


> And I think it's all expensive. In her booth at the fair I was at she had a set of leather split reins for 298 dollars.
> 
> Call me crazy, but that's expensive. Or maybe I'm just a poor *******? LOL.


Wow. My reins were about 20! And they're nice reins, too!


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## StormyBlues (Dec 31, 2008)

With the Parelli stuff, it's all made of special materials.


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

StormyBlues said:


> With the Parelli stuff, it's all made of special materials.


I figured as much lol. What's in them?


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## nrhareiner (Jan 11, 2009)

equiniphile said:


> I figured as much lol. What's in them?



Must be gold. 

They are not special material. It is yachting line. It is a bit more expensive then regular rope but not what they have it priced at.


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## StormyBlues (Dec 31, 2008)

It's special types of cotten rope to be soft to the touch, and the rope is like micro woven so it's even softer. It's all about the materials being able to transfer your touch through them. other ropes and such can't do that


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## nrhareiner (Jan 11, 2009)

StormyBlues said:


> It's special types of cotten rope to be soft to the touch, and the rope is like micro woven so it's even softer. It's all about the materials being able to transfer your touch through them. other ropes and such can't do that



Like I said Yachting line.


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

equiniphile said:


> I figured as much lol. What's in them?


Magic.


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## Rissa (Feb 10, 2009)

StormyBlues said:


> With the Parelli stuff, it's all made of special materials.



Magical unicorn hair right?


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## equus717 (Aug 20, 2009)

I fell in love with Rugged Lark when I was a child. My dream is to breed to his paint son Painted Rugged Lark. Just like his father he has accomplished a lot in his life as well.


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## BuckOff41570 (Nov 15, 2008)

Rissa said:


> Magical unicorn hair right?


 
LOL LOL LOL

Y'all are great.


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## BuckOff41570 (Nov 15, 2008)

equus717 said:


> I fell in love with Rugged Lark when I was a child. My dream is to breed to his paint son Painted Rugged Lark. Just like his father he has accomplished a lot in his life as well.


Both of them are put together fantastically! Besides... his son is one pretty pony. I wouldnt think twice about breeding to them if I wanted an all arounder.


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## equus717 (Aug 20, 2009)

Your right but I am not sure how much it is to breed to him. They were only breeding to their mares a couple of years ago but things might have changed. I want to show my mare Cutter for a while and get some points on her then I will probably breed her to him. Will probably get a black and white Dee Cutter's dam is homozygous for the black gene.


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## my2geldings (Feb 18, 2008)

farmpony84 said:


> Lynn Palm was his rider. He was a wonderful mover.
> 
> YouTube - Unforgettable Rugged Lark
> 
> To the OP: I do love watching Stacey Westfall, she is pretty amazing.


That was actually really neat. Never heard of her or seen this video. Thanks for sharing!


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## 1dog3cats17rodents (Dec 7, 2007)

Amazing horsemanship! I agree with kevinhorses- yes there's a bond, but it's the cues that are telling the horse what to do, not some magical connection. I'd be willing to bet any good reiner who knew her cues could get on her horse and do well.


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## StormyBlues (Dec 31, 2008)

equus717 said:


> Your right but I am not sure how much it is to breed to him. They were only breeding to their mares a couple of years ago but things might have changed. I want to show my mare Cutter for a while and get some points on her then I will probably breed her to him. Will probably get a black and white Dee Cutter's dam is homozygous for the black gene.


 It's a couple hundrad, but they do send frozen semen for AI. I wanted to breed my mare Blue to him but she never went back into heat....... grrr.


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

StormyBlues said:


> It's a couple hundrad, but they do send frozen semen for AI. I wanted to breed my mare Blue to him but she never went back into heat....... grrr.


 
$1250. That's not a bad price at all...


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

1dog3cats17rodents said:


> Amazing horsemanship! I agree with kevinhorses- yes there's a bond, but it's the cues that are telling the horse what to do, not some magical connection. I'd be willing to bet any good reiner who knew her cues could get on her horse and do well.


She trained her own horse


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## equus717 (Aug 20, 2009)

I might breed to him in a couple of years when Cutter becomes a 6 or 7 year old.


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## 1dog3cats17rodents (Dec 7, 2007)

equiniphile said:


> She trained her own horse


What's your point? I know she trained the horse. But that doesn't change the fact she's telling the horse what to do with cues. Put a good reining rider on her horse, give him/her some time and tell him/her the cues and that person could do everything she does.


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

1dog3cats17rodents said:


> What's your point? I know she trained the horse. But that doesn't change the fact she's telling the horse what to do with cues. Put a good reining rider on her horse, give him/her some time and tell him/her the cues and that person could do everything she does.


Maybe so, but not everyone can train a horse like that.


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## 1dog3cats17rodents (Dec 7, 2007)

equiniphile said:


> Maybe so, but not everyone can train a horse like that.


Oh I agree! I hope you don't think I'm bashing her:shock: She is an amazing trainer and rider, very few people could get the results and level of training she does. I disagreeing with people who say it's all about the "bond" It's great training and great horsemanship, not some magical bond. It's the greatest trainer who can train a horse so well not only they, but any good rider can get the horse to perform wonderfully.


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## nrhareiner (Jan 11, 2009)

equiniphile said:


> Maybe so, but not everyone can train a horse like that.



That is why she is the trainer and getting paid to train horses. She is good at what she does which is training free style horses. If I wanted a aged event horses I would probable not use her. If I wanted a well trained free style horse I probably would if she was still training out side horses.

However she is NOT the the only trainer out there who can train bridleless horses. She was not the first to do it nor will she be the last.


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## StormyBlues (Dec 31, 2008)

I really don't thin $1250 is bad if you want the truth. We're in the racing buisness so that's low on the spectrum of breeding prices.

And I agree with the above.


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

1dog3cats17rodents said:


> Oh I agree! I hope you don't think I'm bashing her:shock: She is an amazing trainer and rider, very few people could get the results and level of training she does. I disagreeing with people who say it's all about the "bond" It's great training and great horsemanship, not some magical bond. It's the greatest trainer who can train a horse so well not only they, but any good rider can get the horse to perform wonderfully.


Oh okay I misunderstood. Sorry lol!


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

StormyBlues said:


> I really don't thin $1250 is bad if you want the truth. We're in the racing buisness so that's low on the spectrum of breeding prices.
> 
> And I agree with the above.


I wasn't being obnoxiuos. I meant that it was not a bad price.


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## StormyBlues (Dec 31, 2008)

^oh sorry! I'm so used to people being sarcastic to me, that I can't tell the difference!


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

StormyBlues said:


> ^oh sorry! I'm so used to people being sarcastic to me, that I can't tell the difference!


Lol same! Some people on here, while most are really nice, that just always want to argue


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

I kind of like Art I sweet.... Sorry, off topic I know....


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

Lol that's k


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## StormyBlues (Dec 31, 2008)

lol off topic is my middle name!  And i totally agree with the whole people wanting to start a fight thing


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## Honeysuga (Sep 1, 2009)

Hehe Kevin you are a lark! I totally agree with your first few posts... And the stuff about the products from clinicians, I agree totally with that too, I mean geez the price of some of that stuff, youd think a unicorn pooped it out and a fairy sprinkled gold on it to make it worth so much.... But, at the same time, I also understand why people buy it, the same reason I prefer Hollister and American eagle to Walmart clothes... Its just how it makes us feel when we have a "Parelli" halter we think, like "oooh it is more expensive and has a name brand, it MUST be better or more special" when really you are buying a name and maybe a little more quality for much more that it is worth... Especially when you can take a fiber glass rod, add a cheap rubber grip and end to it and call it a carrot stick(for about 10 bucks) instead of spending $67 bucks for the same thing from Parelli... 


I get all googly eyed watching great trainers and riders like her, I think im good, but no where in the same arena as her, but hopefully someday!...


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