Stephanie W. on NOËLLE FLOYD+

Stephanie W.

Vancouver, Canada

NOËLLE FLOYD team member who loves groundwork, positional tips, and wholehearted training. Connect with me at stephanie@noellefloyd.com.

All

41 posts

49 comments

Posted

21 Oct 13:42

Have you watched the first episode of UNBRIDLED yet? It’s free on YouTube!

We put together a viewing guide to help you keep learning with Josh Nichol after the episode. It links to Noëlle’s podcast conversation with him from filming during the episode and highlights Josh’s NF+ courses and clinic case studies, including horses dealing with rearing, biting, and fear of saddling. As members, you can explore those resources right here on NF+!

Read the UNBRIDLED Episode 1 viewing guide

Posted

02 Oct 14:38

A little NF+ catch-up 👀

There’s been a LOT happening around here lately, and if you haven’t had time to poke around everything yet, we made you a cheat sheet.

New Masterclasses from Will Coleman, Steffen Peters, Tik Maynard, and Ian & Amy Millar, exclusive cuts from FAULTLESS, new additions to Tik’s training collection, some seriously good podcast conversations, plus UNBRIDLED coming October 19 (more on that soon!).

Basically, your watchlist may be about to get a little longer.

We rounded up what’s new, what you may have missed, and a few places we’d start exploring.

CATCH UP ON WHAT’S NEW → Read the full What's New on NF+ post

P.S. Team Mare and Team Gelding have officially made their way onto sweaters too, because apparently horse people needed one more thing to have strong opinions about. 😏

Posted

03 Sep 10:36

Have you been keeping up with The NOËLLE FLOYD Podcast?

This week Noëlle is joined by filmmaker Ashley Avis, writer and director of Disney’s Black Beauty remake.

They get into the horse stories we grow up with, Ashley’s work around horse slaughter and the SAFE Act, and why she believes storytelling can help people care enough to act.

If you haven’t listened yet, add this one to your week.

48:52

She Remade Black Beauty. Now She's Fighting To Save America's Wild Horses - Ashley Avis

Filmmaker Ashley Avis, director of Disney+’s Black Beauty and founder of the Wild Beauty Foundation, joins The NOËLLE FLOYD Podcast to discuss horse slaughter and the SAFE Act.In 2025, approximately 25,000 American horses were exported to Canada and Mexico for slaughter, affecting horses from across the industry, including show jumpers, Thoroughbreds, ponies, and wild horses rounded up from federal land.Avis’s Lost Horses campaign uses short films and a letter-writing microsite to push Congress toward passage of the SAFE Act.In This Episode You’ll LearnWhat Ashley saw with a button cam sewn into her shirt inside a Texas auction where kill buyers wait for the last horses standing.Why the people who love horses most can find this subject the hardest to watch, and how a 90-second film can get them to look anyway.How two minutes, one zip code, and one letter can land on a Congressional desk where someone actually reads it.How a 14-year-old named Casey ended up reading her letter on the Capitol lawn.How Billie Eilish came to give “What Was I Made For?” to a campaign about horses.The story of the black colt with pneumonia Ashley talked out of a kill buyer’s pasture, and the economics that allowed the man to dramatically increase his price.What Anna Sewell risked when she published Black Beauty in 1877, and why Ghost, a gray Lusitano with advanced melanoma, taught Ashley something no film could.Chapters0:00 The 25,000 horses no one talks about5:00 Showing the hard truth without making people look away7:49 Two minutes that reach Congress10:39 When a kid writes to Congress13:05 Billie Eilish, celebrity voices & the Lost Horses anthem17:00 Lady: the wild mare who almost rode the truck20:56 Kill buyers, the black colt & a broken economics23:23 Remaking Black Beauty and why Anna Sewell mattered30:11 New horse stories, Ghost, and horses as medicine39:02 Every way to help pass the SAFE ActMake the Call to Congress to Pass the SAFE ActCall the U.S. Capitol Switchboard to be directed to your Senators and Representative:202-224-3121Once connected, all you have to say is:“Hi, my name is [NAME], and I am calling from [CITY/STATE] to ask that the Senator/Representative support passage of the SAFE Act (H.R. 1661, S. 775) to protect American horses, both domestic and wild, from being exported out of the United States for slaughter. Thank you.”Share the Lost Horses PSAThe Lost Horses campaign and legislation to stop horse slaughter are gaining momentum, and continued awareness is critical. Please share the PSA on social media and with your friends and family.Watch and share on Vimeo, YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook.Donate to the Lost Horses CampaignHelp the campaign continue reaching people so that no horse is lost again.losthorses.org/supportEpisode Sponsor: YETIMade for early mornings in the barn and long days in the saddle. Whether you’re hauling feed, chasing daylight on the trail, or loading up for a weekend on the road, YETI coolers and drinkware are built to handle it.No shortcuts. No compromise.Just gear that works as hard as you do.Explore more at YETI.com | @YETI | facebook.com/YETIGo Deeper with NF+For even more expert-led workshops, in-depth courses, and exclusive lectures designed to elevate your riding and horsemanship, visit NoelleFloydPlus.com and use code DHW for 15% off annual memberships.NF+ brings you direct access to top equestrian professionals, training insights, and a community of riders dedicated to learning and improving.

Posted

03 Sep 08:09

Steffen Peters’ new Flying Changes masterclass is now live on NF+ 🐴

If you’re working on changes, getting ready to introduce them, or just trying to figure out why they’re not quite coming together, this is a great one to watch.

Steffen walks through what he wants in place first, how he prepares the horse for the change, and what he does when the horse anticipates, gets late behind, gets excited, or needs to take a step back.

You’ll also see practical riding sessions with horses at different stages of the process.

Click below to watch the first lesson and let us know what you think!

04:55

Ch 1. - Understanding the Flying Change with Steffen Peters | Presented by Perfect Products

Flying changes begin long before the rider actually asks for one. In this opening chapter, Steffen Peters introduces his approach to developing flying changes and explains why the quality, balance, and natural characteristics of the canter determine how easily a horse will be able to perform the movement.Steffen discusses the difference between horses with naturally large, ground-covering canters and those with a greater natural ability to collect, and why a bigger canter can require significantly more balance and time to organize for a clean change. He also introduces one of the central ideas that carries throughout the masterclass: the aid for the flying change should build on communication the horse already understands from the canter depart.Key Takeaways:Learn what qualities Steffen looks for in the canter before beginning flying changes.Understand why a bigger canter isn't necessarily an easier canter for teaching changes.Recognize the role balance and collection play in creating enough time for the horse to change.Learn Steffen's “what to do, then when to do it” approach to the canter and flying-change aid.Understand why the foundation for flying changes begins with skills the horse already knows.Thank You to Our Course Sponsor:Perfect Products are the supplement choice that Shannon and Steffen Peters use for their horses to keep them feeling their best. You can view their full range by visiting their website: https://perfectproductseq.com/

Posted

06 Aug 10:25

🤩 New Masterclass: The Truth Behind Riding Leg to Hand with Will Coleman

"Ride your horse from leg to hand." It's one of those phrases we've all heard countless times. In this new Masterclass, 2026 Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event champion Will Coleman unpacks what it really means, sharing the feel, communication, and principles behind one of riding's most important concepts.

Before you dive in, download the companion workbook (see how to). It includes chapter summaries, illustrations, key takeaways, and ride reflections, making it an incredible resource to keep on your phone or print for the barn.

Posted

29 Jul 08:53

🐴 It's here!

The replay of Tik Maynard's webinar is now available inside NF+, along with the new companion training collection.

If you joined us live, this is a great way to revisit the conversation. If you missed it, now's your chance to dive in.

The collection includes 58 hand-picked lessons from across Tik's Masterclasses, plus a guided workbook that follows the webinar step by step.

You can find everything here:
https://noellefloydplus.com/programs/12-steps-calmer?category_id=220345

When you watch it, come back and let us know your biggest takeaway! 💙

Posted

20 Apr 07:39

Have you checked out The Millar Method yet? I finally sat down with it and… it kind of made me rethink how much is actually going on in the background of a “good round.”

One of my favorite parts was just watching Ian on the flat. I didn’t expect to be thinking about neck reining, but the level of responsiveness he gets is wild. It’s one of those things that looks simple until you realize how much is behind it.

I also liked how much they focus on everything outside of riding. Stuff in the barn, on the ground, all the little interactions that usually get overlooked. The way they use lunging to actually relax the horse—not just “get energy out”—was a bit of a lightbulb moment for me.

I haven’t even really gotten into the grids yet, but you can already see how they’re meant to build confidence instead of just testing it.

And honestly, it was refreshing hearing them talk about when things don’t go to plan. How often it changes, how much the horse decides the timeline… it just felt honest.

Curious if anyone else has watched it—what did you take away?

08:02

[Theory] Episode 1: The Millar Method Training System

The Millar Method presented by Perfect Products and Prestige Italia.What if your riding had a clear system behind it, one that connects every ride, every exercise, and every decision you make with your horse?In this opening lesson, Ian Millar and Amy Millar introduce the foundation of the Millar Method, a program developed over more than 50 years at the highest levels of the sport. This is not a collection of tips or isolated exercises. It is a complete training system designed to produce consistent performance while developing confident, rideable horses at every stage.You’ll learn how each piece of the program fits together, from horse management and groundwork to flatwork, pole work, gymnastics, course riding, and mental preparation, so that nothing in your training exists in isolation.A key focus of this lesson is understanding how both horses and riders learn. The Millars break down why effective training isn’t just about what you teach, but how you communicate it. Adjusting your approach based on how your horse receives information is what turns good training into real progress.In this lesson, you’ll learn:What makes the Millar Method a complete and connected training systemHow to structure your riding so each phase builds on the nextWhy understanding how your horse learns changes everythingHow small adjustments in communication can create immediate improvementThis lesson sets the foundation for everything that follows, giving you a clear framework to move forward with purpose in your riding.Thank You to Our Course Sponsors:Perfect Products are the supplement choice that the Millars use for their horses to keep them feeling their best. You can view their full range by visiting their website: https://perfectproductseq.com/Prestige Italia makes the Renaissance Saddles that both Amy and Ian Millar ride. You can view their full product line up at their website: https://www.prestigeitalia.com/en/renaissance/SSG Gloves are long-time supporters of the Millars. They make gloves for the barn, schooling, and the show ring. You can view the entire product line-up on their website https://ssgridinggloves.com/

Posted

29 Jan 08:29

Have you taken our quiz to discover how confident your horse really is? It’s a great way to check in before diving into Tik’s new Confidence Course.

https://noellefloydplus.com/pages/en-confidence-course#inline-embed-iframe

Posted

26 Jan 07:20

Hi friends! The Groundwork Guys Office Hours webinar is now available to watch.

In this session, Tik and Nick answered questions around:
• Tension showing up as shutdown, dullness, or reactivity
• How to tell if an issue is emotional, physical, or foundational
• When a training problem isn’t a riding problem
• How groundwork builds clarity, confidence, and willingness
• The role of choice, environment, and daily handling in horse behavior
• Why labelling horses as “lazy,” “naughty,” or “difficult” often misses the root cause

Watch the replay here.

01:06:51

Groundwork Guys Live: NF+ Office Hours (January 21, 2026)

This Office Hours webinar is a deep, practical conversation about why horses do what they do — and how riders can respond with more clarity, empathy, and effectiveness.Rather than focusing on rigid systems or quick fixes, this session explores how many common training struggles are not discipline-specific problems, but signals of mental, emotional, or physical stress that often go unnoticed. Through real rider questions and thoughtful discussion, we unpack how tension can show up as resistance, dullness, shutdown, or reactivity, and how groundwork can help restore curiosity, confidence, and connection.Attendees will learn how to:Identify whether a problem is foundational, emotional, or biomechanicalRecognize when “laziness,” “spookiness,” or “attitude” are signs of unresolved tensionUnderstand how choice, environment, and daily management affect a horse’s behaviorUse groundwork to support confidence, communication, and willingness under saddleMake better training decisions by reading the horse’s responses in real timeThis webinar is especially valuable for riders who feel stuck in their training, unsure why things aren’t improving, or concerned that their horse is trying but struggling. It offers a horse-first lens that helps riders step back, see the bigger picture, and work with the horse instead of against them.Whether you’re navigating reactivity, lack of motivation, anxiety, or inconsistent performance, Office Hours with Groundwork Guys provides insight you can apply immediately — on the ground, in the saddle, and in your everyday interactions with your horse.

Posted

23 Jan 07:44

🚨 NEW Masterclass: The Confidence Advantage

Hey members! We’re so excited to share Tik Maynard’s latest masterclass with you, and it’s all about confidence. I think we all know that “fake it till you make it” doesn’t really work, especially with horses who feel everything.

This masterclass offers a real framework for how to build and develop confidence in your horses (and in yourself too), so you can step into new environments feeling prepared instead of tense.

You might notice someone familiar in this series as well. Our very own Noëlle Floyd works through herdboundness with her two horses as part of the case studies.

We hope you enjoy it and find it helpful in your own riding and training.

Stream it here: https://noellefloydplus.com/programs/the-confidence-advantage