Phil Haugen is a professional trainer and horsemanship clinician born and raised in North Dakota and currently residing in Weatherford, Oklahoma. With more than 40 years of horse training experience, Haugen has become recognized as a valuable resource in foundational horse training and colt starting. Raised in western North Dakota, Phil grew up knowing the value of a well-trained equine partner and the importance of creating a foundation built on trust and respect.
Phil competed in calf roping, team roping, and saddle bronc riding in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) for 20 years, and is now a PRCA Gold Card member. He has qualified for the PRCA Badlands Circuit Finals and the Prairie Circuit Finals in these respective events. Winning at both ends of the arena led Phil to earn the coveted Linderman Award in 1989. He was inducted into the North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame in 2021 and nominated for Western Horseman’s Best of Trainers & Clinicians in 2023.
Phil has developed a unique training style based on his experiences in and out of the competitive arena. His philosophy of “Training Through Understanding” starts with a simple, common sense approach that keeps the horse in a trusting, secure, and confident state of mind. His approach centers around the concept of helping the horse “think” and “understand” the responses you are asking for and teaching trainers how to enhance their communication and leadership with the horse(s) they are working with. Phil believes that meaningful communication and proper horsemanship can allow any horse and rider to achieve their optimal individual potential.
His training philosophies has produced more than $1 million in EquiStat earnings from performance horses that have been through his program. He is the host of the globally recognized podcast “Be Your Best Horsemanship” and connects with trainers worldwide through his clinics, events and online training programs. Learn more about Phil Haugen at PhilHaugenHorsemanship.com.
“I’m excited and honored to be chosen as one of the competitors for Road to the Horse 2025. I look forward to the challenge of building confidence through communication with a young horse in a setting that is going to be challenging for both me and my equine partner. At the end of the day, it’s all about the horse and the progress we make together. I appreciate the opportunity and look forward to this awesome event.” Phil Haugen
