3 Groundwork Exercises to Train Your Horse

2022-10-31

Just last week, I noticed a rider literally dragging their horse from the stables towards the arena. The rider was about a meter in front of the horse's head. Her face was red with effort! And her horse was literally going nowhere slowly. It occurred to me that so many riders make things really difficult for themselves by not having a few ground rules in place when it comes to their horse and their expectations. And what better place to work on ground rules than on the ground? Beside your horse. Groundwork is an essential part of training your horse. It...

It occurred to me that so many riders make things really difficult for themselves by not having a few ground rules in place when it comes to their horse and their expectations.

And what better place to work on ground rules than on the ground? Beside your horse. Groundwork is an essential part of training your horse. It is where you can set expectations, create boundaries, explain 'rules', and develop partnerships.

Groundwork exercises also help you to refine your own skills as a rider. By simply having to figure out a slightly different way to 'say' something to your horse, you get to explore your own knowledge of the subject.

So, all of that being said, here are 3 groundwork exercises you can use this week when working with your horse...