Bridging the Gap

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Bridging the Gap is a collaboration between good friends Mikal Robinson and Noel Clark. Collectively with decades of experience having worked with thousands of horses and riders, Mikal and Noel share some of their conversations exploring all things horses. Mikal operates Robinson equine out of Bowie, Texas and is a horseman who develops young horses to performance horses and everything in between. Noel calls Two Jack Farm home outside of Cremona, Alberta focusing on sport horses as well as traveling extensively as a clinician. Mikal and Noel also offer joint clinics working together with any horse with four legs and any human with an open mind. Enjoy!

Noel Clark


    • Jan 11, 2023 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 35m AVG DURATION
    • 48 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Bridging the Gap

    Let your gadgets get rusty, not your tools

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 11, 2023 35:39


    Connecting tools to our skills and limiting our indulgence with gadgets can help us orient ourselves on where to devote our energies. Honing our skills is investing in our abilities to become better for our horses. Horsemanship.

    Adversity at a Show

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 8, 2022 61:06


    If you show, things are not always going to go according to plan A. Often things out of our control will cause our horses to struggle. A big topic and Mikal and Noel chat through some of their thoughts.

    Be Realistic with Expectations

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 3, 2022 29:02


    Life with horses and their learning process do not follow a linear path. Part of horsemanship is listening to the horse and supporting them accordingly. Having expectations on our horses can be an important element of growth however if we are too rigid in our expectations it can be detrimental for all involved.

    Guiding the Deviation

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 28, 2022 42:17


    Horses, having their own minds, often have some of their own ideas of what they feel they should be doing, whether it be a spook or loss of alignment. The sport world gives us fairly clear ideas of what is “correct” but how we deal with the deviations on our way to creating correctness is an important piece of horsemanship.

    Quirky horses

    Play Episode Listen Later May 22, 2022 45:12


    While all horses may be a bit quirky at some point in their lives, some horses tend to be that way all the time. While that quirkiness may be frustrating occasionally, with the right approach these horses often offer us the most. Another intriguing conversation between good friends and fellow horsemen Mikal Robinson and Noel Clark.

    Nature and Nurture

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 4, 2022 33:46


    Often thought of as nature vs nurture, maybe horses help us see that both are important and are deeply interconnected. Another interesting conversation with good friends Mikal Robinson and Noel Clark.

    Take Ownership

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 1, 2022 36:43


    A life with horses comes with its ups and downs. Mikal and Noel discuss the value of taking ownership and how horses can be our best teachers, if we're willing.

    Don't Move the Mounting Block

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 27, 2021 39:58


    Don't move the mounting block; while it has value in the literal sense, it also has great value as a mindset. After a little time away another thought provoking conversation about becoming a better horse person.

    Pre-Ride Prep

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 7, 2021 42:13


    Whether we are consciously communicating to our horses before our ride or not, the horse is receiving input. This can play a valuable role in the outcome of our ride. Regardless of what our pre-ride entails, the why might be the most important.

    Don’t Linger

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 2, 2021 31:46


    Having a great deal of information on horses, it can be easy to get stuck looking for perfection. Remembering progress with horses takes time can help us work through bit size pieces each day and move on. Building in those little bite sized progression add up to big change over time.

    Discipline Brings You Freedom

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 14, 2021 39:58


    Far from an association with punishment, Mikal and Noel talk largely about self discipline and how it relates to time with horses.

    Quiet Confidence

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 23, 2021 38:16


    Time with horses is not just a physical endeavour, it is also cerebral. Sharpening our mental game is an important element for improvement. Quiet confidence may be a valuable thought point to help boost our mental game.

    That’s ok but how about this

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 23, 2021 43:47


    When we apply an aid, are we trying to tell the horse “no” or are we offering a redirection. While subtle, these two options tend to lead to lead to different results.

    Flexibility of Mind

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 27, 2021 37:15


    Horses, like humans, are individuals. Therefore, when educating, we must have a broad approach with a willingness to be flexible. Flexibility of mind helps to allow one to see the opportunities in every situation. It also gives the horse respect and empathizes with their struggles. This gives us the ability to recognize opportunities of growth.

    BTG great debate - Ripping the bandaid off

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 22, 2021 36:02


    Mikal and Noel try something different in the first “Bridging the Gap Great Debate” with each of them debating both sides of ripping the bandaid off. Should you just rip or should you take time pealing it off. An interesting conversation to force one to look at both sides of a concept.

    Being proactive

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 8, 2021 32:25


    Being proactive can play a big part in creating a more harmonious relationship with our horses. That leads to the horses offering us more of their athleticism through increased trust. Mikal and Noel discuss and try to better understand what being proactive looks like when it comes to leadership with horses.

    One brick at a time

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 10, 2020 39:46


    Learning about horse education is a life long pursuit. Once we recognize just how much there is to know and do, it can become daunting. Just as with most other arenas in life, chipping away and laying one brick at a time is how we work towards our dreams. Mikal and Noel discuss how this concept helps keep things in perspective and moving forward with their horses.

    The two sides of every coin

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 13, 2020 36:49


    In every situation that arises there are multiple directions it could go. If we only look at one side of a situation, we may be ill prepared for many possibilities. In one of their more free flowing discussions, Mikal and Noel start with the simple concept of the two sides of the coin and follow where the discussion leads.

    Stress and support

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 6, 2020 37:04


    Intitially, whenever we take a horse out of their environment or when we ask something new of them, there is some stress associated. Small stressors are an essential part of progress but require appropriate support. Mikal and Noel discuss how this relates to educating horses.

    Effective Patience

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 26, 2020 32:40


    More on the subject of patience. Recognizing that patience is far more than just waiting, Mikal and Noel discuss some components which help patience to produce change with horses and ourselves.

    Patience

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 22, 2020 31:08


    Mikal and Noel discuss why patience is so important with horses and some of the cost when we lose it. Horses can teach us patience but they also require patience.

    Responding and reacting

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 13, 2020 33:59


    Understanding the thought, or lack there of, behind an action goes a long way in helping to educate a horse. Mikal and Noel explore the benefits and the costs of horses responding and reacting in an attempt to better understand the responsibility of the human. (There is reference to a podcast on “patience” however there has been trouble uploading that episode)

    Emotion in riding

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 24, 2020 30:03


    While riding is an emotional endeavour for most people, managing our emotions with horses is crucial. Mikal and Noel discuss why they feel it’s important and how they work to better manage their emotions.

    Expectations

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 11, 2020 42:01


    Applicable to all areas of horses and life and worth some reflection. Mikal and Noel discuss how expectations help shape their time with horses.

    Indirect rein

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 7, 2020 31:04


    With the frequency of lesson taking, we often hear our coaches repeating themselves. Taking a deeper look into those ideas from time to time can shed further light. Mikal and Noel have a conversation starting with the indirect rein.

    Lengthening

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 28, 2020 37:24


    Another seemingly small concept until Mikal and Noel explore the many connections of lengthening.

    Form and Function

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 3, 2020 32:29


    An idea brought from architecture, “form follows function”. Mikal and Noel discuss this intriguing idea and how it may apply to life with horses.

    In front of and behind the leg

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2020 31:19


    Mikal and Noel chat about what in front of and behind the leg means to them. They explore how this concept plays into their work with horses and how they attempt to educate horses about this agreement.

    Feel

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 11, 2020 36:10


    Building on their discussions around contact and timing, Mikal and Noel discuss the idea of feel. A somewhat elusive idea however it’s value is profound.

    Timing

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 5, 2020 34:29


    Continuing on a three episode progression, Mikal and Noel discuss timing as a follow up from contact. Understanding what a crucial role timing plays in the communication with horses is a key element to creating clarity.

    Contact

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 30, 2020 33:23


    Mikal and Noel attempt another three episode progression starting with contact. Certainly high on the list of most important topics, their discussion starts from the basic idea of the physical contact and work from there.

    The golden rule

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 25, 2020 31:28


    Mikal shares one of the insights he’s acquired over the years. A few things are great, most are okay, and a few things are undesirable. Mikal and Noel talk about how this idea helps them with horses.

    The spur

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 18, 2020 32:07


    Some of the most common things with horses often receive the least discussion. Mikal and Noel discuss the importance and responsibilities of using a spur.

    Self Carriage

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 12, 2020 31:31


    Being one of the more important concepts, Mikal and Noel explore the idea of self carriage. It’s one of those topics which deserves frequent contemplation.

    Bracing

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 10, 2020 32:50


    Progressing from riding back to front, Mikal and Noel take those ideas forward into bracing. Continuing to advance ones understanding of how braces are created and how to help a horse work through them is important for the wellbeing of our horses.

    Riding back to front

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 5, 2020 37:11


    A concept not uncommon but what does it mean and how do we implement it? Mikal and Noel see if they can discover a little bit more about riding back to front.

    Learning days

    Play Episode Listen Later May 26, 2020 27:42


    Not every day is going to be what we’d hoped. We’re told that. We know that. Knowing doesn’t always make it any less desirable. Mikal and Noel discuss what we’re calling “learning days” with our horses.

    Your horse noticed, even if you didn’t

    Play Episode Listen Later May 23, 2020 32:51


    Mikal and Noel discussion the superior awareness of horses and how we need to acknowledge that as a part of our process. Horses store and remember things differently than humans. For us to better help them, we need to better understand them.

    Show jitters

    Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2020 39:47


    Horse showing is seen as a test of your preparation with your horse. A culmination of what we have been working on and something to be proud of. So often, our nerves get the best of us. Mikal and Noel discuss show jitters and how they work to cope.

    Do we need a bit?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 7, 2020 33:11


    Taking things as truth simply because someone presented them as such, limits our learning of the deeper meanings and values. We almost all ride with a bit, do we need it?

    Aim small miss small

    Play Episode Listen Later May 3, 2020 36:36


    Mikal and Noel discuss a question that came in regarding a comments Mikal made that he didn’t pull on the reins to stop. They transition that into aim small miss small, an idea that appears to offer many rewards.

    Dominant response hierarchy

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 28, 2020 35:58


    While the title sounds complicated, the theory is profound. Mikal and Noel explore how this concept is so valuable to help in educating horses.

    Leadership

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 24, 2020 33:34


    Good leadership is essential for the successful functioning of and team. Mikal and Noel discuss what horses have taught them about leadership and the ways in which they attempt to present positive leadership to their horses.

    Fail Forward

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 21, 2020 31:49


    Failure seems to have been labeled as something to avoid in life. Mikal and Noel touch on the value of failure as well as answer a listeners question. Failure happens, how can we find value in failure and give support to horse and rider in these situations.

    Experimentation

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 18, 2020 37:10


    Mikal and Noel look into not only the importance of experimentation but the necessity. In order to learn, the horse and rider must experiment to find the desired path.

    Exercises

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 15, 2020 31:59


    Mikal and Noel do their best exploring the idea of exercises with horses. Far from a list of exercises, they try to dig a little deeper into the essence and purpose behind exercises.

    Trust and Respect

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 11, 2020 34:03


    Mikal and Noel explore how trust and respect apply to horses. As a fundamental idea they discuss the values and potential detriments in the balancing act with trust and respect.

    What does Bridging the Gap mean to us?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 11, 2020 31:18


    Mikal and Noel delve into what Bridging the Gap means to them. Sharing some experiences and insights into how BTG has helped them be better horsemen.

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