GROUND TRAINING

Page Update: 29th April 2008

In General

GROUND training is what it says - training from the ground.  Thus is encompasses a huge range of activities and skills from both horse and trainer.  In its earliest and simplest form ground training commences with all the initial handling that a foal receives and then throughout its adolescent and adult life; in its most advanced form ground training is teaching Grand Prix dressage horses their 'high school' moves.

BELOW we have set out the basic elements incorporated into our ground training programmes.

THERE is is no such thing as a short cut in the world of proper horse training!  Training is all about time - working consistently to produce the required mental and physical development of the horse.


We will not be governed by set time constraints; horses can come for an assessment period, if necessary, after which a suitable programme can be determined.

Ground Manners and Ground Control

A HORSE should be sociable, polite and respectful whilst of course retaining his character and individuality, otherwise the most simple of tasks becomes difficult and when training proper begins there is little or no foundation on which to build. So it is important that certain ground rules and boundaries are put in place.  This is not done by way of domination but by letting a horse learn which behavioural options are the most comfortable to live with; a horse should be encouraged to follow the right path with correct, positive and confident direction from his trainer.

TRAINING or teaching really commences the day baby is born but we constantly have horses here that lack basic courtesy and social skills (Ground Manners) both in the stable and the field they will not tie up happily, they snatch their feet when asked to pick them up, they do not lead well, they will not stand still, they cannot manoeuvre around a handler, and so the list goes on. These basic skills need to be in place and the horse confident in their execution before the real work can begin.

AN ill-mannered horse has the potential to be a dangerous one. It is is vitally important that a horse responds to what is asked of it as there may be a fire or some other hazard and his obedience and co-operation are vital it could be the saving of his life!


STALLIONS in particular need to have good ground control manners in place as a matter of safety not only for themselves but for those around them too as they can readily become a bit headstrong when the testosterone kicks in!

THIS 3 year old  Warmblood Stallion has learnt that being tied in the stable is nothing to worry about.

HE soon learnt that whatever fuss he created, no-one was going to untie him, so the sooner he stood quietly the sooner he would be let down.

WORKING with a horse to put the basics in place (or reinforcing them if the horse already is familiar with such requirements) enables the horse and us to become better acquainted and for the horse to build his trust and confidence in us, to realise that we are no threat and mean no harm. This we do by teaching horses to respond to cues from our body language and steps as well as working with the natural lines of influence and energy contained in the human and equine body.

ESTABLISHING what we call Ground Control and Ground Manners teaches horses to give us their full attention, respond to the cues given, be respectful, builds their confidence, establishes us as the one to follow and is the foundation upon which further training is based.

THE filly pictured here with Fred is giving him her full attention.


HOWEVER basic or simple some ground  exercises appear to be, for the young horse they require a lot of concentration so we keep "working" periods short to begin with. Also, young horses tire very quickly.

DURING training sessions we constantly reward and reassure horses, whatever their age (remember ground training is not just the preserve of the young horse; often the older horse needs reminding of his manners.

THE filly has responded to the cue to walk to  Fred and he is rewarding and praising her accordingly.


ONCE basic ground control and manners are in place the progression to other stages of training follow much more easily.

Lungeing

WORK on the lunge contradicts much of the what we initially teach the young horse regarding ground manners and control as the exercise not only 'sends it away' but also the horse loses guidance from our step cues as he is required to work around us instead of using our body motion as his instruction as to what direction to go in and at what speed. Consequently we introduce lunge work when a horse is totally at ease and responsive to basic ground control cues.

CONSTANTLY winding a horse around on the lunge line not only places undue strain on the unfit or unbalanced horse, but done incorrectly it is all too easy for muscles to be built up and set in the wrong places.  How many times do you see horses flying around on the end of a lunge line, often cantering disunited with their helds up in the air - what good is that doing? A horse needs to be responsive to the aids and cues from the trainer in order for lunge work to be effective. 

HOWEVER, correct and efficiently executed lunge work does have benefits in that a horse can be encouraged to go forwards with impulsion, rhythm and pace can be established and balance and co-ordination can be improved.

WITH young horses or those that need specialist rehabilitative or schooliong work, we "walk lunge" i.e work in an oval rather than a circle, until such time as the horse is settled, confident and more balanced within its movement. And of course it has a full understanding of directional cues.

Introducing Saddlery

PUTTING  a bridle on the young horse for the first time should not present any problems so long as the exercise is carried out quietly and patiently plus of course he must be allowed time to adjust to the feel of this strange "contraption" before being expected to carry out any form of training exercise. However bridling difficulties do manifest from rough and insensitive handling of the young horse.

THE introduction of a roller and then the saddle is where difficulties can arise as the young horse will often object to something being fastened around him; his instinct is to rid himself of what he sees as  threat to his safety but of course he is only reacting to what his natural instincts are telling him.


THIS 3 year old Stallion has been well handled and is accustomed to rugs so the introduction of the saddle has not really caused him any problems; he is just having a bit of a play and showing some natural exhuberance.

THROUGHOUT their lives some horses will always "bend their backs" a bit if they have not had a saddle on for a while.

THE role of the trainer is very important at this stage as there must be no restraint merely encouragement for forward movement. The experience for the young horse must not be turned into a negative one by having someone pulling him about, shouting at him or chasing him with a whip.

Loosework

WORKING a horse loose is an invaluable aspect of ground training as the horse works independently taking his directional cues for direction, pace, etc. from voice, body language and step cues.  It is important that the horse has already completed some basic ground control training so that he is comfortable and familiar with the directional cues given but most importantly is not confused or stressed by being asked to do something he does not fully understand. Loosework builds so much confidence in any horse as he is working all by himself) or at least he thinks he is!).

OBVIOUSLY in the early lessons a horse cannot be expected to act immediately to the directional cues given until he has been guided into making the correct responses as with all training it is a gradual journey, but with the more loosework that is undertaken the better the horse becomes at reacting to the subtlest of cues given.

THIS horse although distracted is moving forward well but he will soon learn to give his trainer more attention so that his skills can be developed and an improved way of going put in place.

Long Reining

IN our opinion  a horse cannot be taught and trained properly without being long-reined. Yes, it is one of the so-called traditional methods of working a horse but there really is no other training method by which horses can be taught so much, everything in fact, and indeed it is the only way to 'make a mouth'.  It is nothing to be wary of in terms of being overtly bossy or dominant over a horse - the same 'rules' of mutual trust, understanding, co-operation and communication apply as with all aspects of training. Sadly though, it is an increasingly neglected part of the training and development of the young horse as it is considered by some to be 'old fashioned' but possibly the truth of the matter is that many people get into difficulties with long reining because they really do not have the appropriate skill to undertake it properly. Long reining is far more than just walking behind a horse with the reins in loops especially if the horse is to be taught proper rein contact, lateral movements, hock engagement, piaffe and so on.

LONG REINING is also an exercise of the mind as the horse has to concentrate in just the same way as he does when ridden and that is why it plays such an important role in the re-schooling of horses that have become soured, nappy and so on. Hence long reining is not just for the young horse - it is an integral part of the training of all horses, irrespective of their age and physical development.

A 4 YEAR OLD eventing prospect, working prior to backing.

LONG REINING work is teaching this gelding to carry himself in a balanced manner, introducing him to the aids as well as helping build muscle and strength prior to taking the weight of a rider.

FOR his stage of development, this youngster has a good outline and is readily moving forward.

THIS young horse is a year younger than the gelding pictured above - compare the outline.

THESE photographs illustrate the importance throughout all the stages of a horse's training, to take its breed, physical development and mental capacity into account.

THE horse pictured here is a stallion so this also has an effect on his way going.

WORKING a horse on long lines is an excellent way to 'observe'; to the trained eye much can be assessed and signs of potential resistances can be detected early on, as can any unsoundnesses. Most corrective training is carried out from the ground as is work towards more advanced dressage movements as the horse can be educated without the hindrance of a rider.

AS with riding the trainer needs a wonderfully soft, giving hand and this is why long reining is such an art that so few people can execute.

THIS wonderful horse (all 18.2hh of him) was extremely green, lacking the appropriate physical development for his size and age when he arrived with us. He was very stiff, taut and tense throughout his body.

THE photograph shows "Jazz" after a few weeks of loosework which encouraged him to stretch out and elongate his body. More muscle is still needed behind the saddle, but this is where long reining comes in.

A FEW weeks of long reining work, including polework, (combined with loosework)  has seen quite a change in his appearance.

NOT only is he now clearly more athletic and supple but he has the physique to match his size.

FURTHER pictures of "Jazz" can be seen in the Polework and Loose Jumping sections.

WORKING a horse on long lines is a skill - that is if you wish to teach your horse properly and improve not only its way of going but also muscle structure, outline, etc.

THIS gelding, whilst he is happily going forward and accepting both the bit and the lines around him, is not doing anything - HE IS JUST GOING THROUGH THE MOTIONS.

UNFORTUNATELY many people would be fooled by this horse but he is not learning a thing and he is not using his body at all and there is absolutely no engagement whatsoever. Work focuses on improving this horse's way of going so that he starts to really work!

NOW look at this photograph of the same horse.

WHILST there is still plenty to achieve he is now working better and presents a better picture.

THE HORSE needs to stretch down more in front in order to lengthen and soften his back muscles to improve engagement.

OF COURSE this will not happen overnight; patience must be executd to allow each horse time to develop - and remember each horse develops differently.

HOW long reins are positioned is of great importance, hence the reason why we have rollers with 13 rings. Sometimes long reins are not fed through the roller rings at all or, the lines are attached to the roller rings first and then fed through the bit ring and back to Fred's hand.  It all depends on the individual horse and what its training programme requires.

WE do not confine long reining work to the confines of the manege all horses are also worked in the open as it is important that they learn to keep their attention focused despite the presence of distractions.

WHEN training a horse his breed type must be borne in mind; compare this photograph with that of the coloured stallion - the horses are the same age, but look at the difference in outline.

THIS young friesian, Barrend (by Fabe), is already showing good paces.

AS aforesaid long reining is not just a tool for the training of the young or older horse or part of the re-training for horses off the track; it is the most effective way of correcting from the ground bad habits, improving balance and outline (building muscle, etc.) and suppling.

THIS horse was distinctly overbent. As can be seen from the photograph even with no contact on the lines he has dropped at both the withers and poll.

WHILST dropping and stretching during and at the end of schooling sessions is to be encouraged as much as possible, this horse is clearly "curling in"; although the hind legs are stepping under well the fore legs, given the size of the horse, are not covering any ground.

 

WITH correct guidance the horse has now opened through the neck considerably; his croup has lowered a little and the hind legs are still active. Although he is slightly behind the vertical, a big improvement on the first picture!

HE is still a little short in front (tight through the shoulders) but further training, including work over poles, will resolve this.

Pole Work

WE spend a considerable amount of time working horses over poles on long lines. It is a very beneficial exercise which encourages joint flexion and stride extension, helps establish balance and co-ordination and also aids concentration thus providing valuable training for horses in all equestrian spheres. The exercises can be varied so much that training can be kept interesting and stimulating for the horse; boredom must never be allowed to creep in.  For horses that are particulary responsive to the trainer's cues, polework can be executed as part of loosework.

WORK over ground poles can be done in 'collection' or in 'stretch' - both exercises are of equal important so are incorporated into our working programmes - and, as with long reining, is of benefit to all horses.


 

THE horse in this photograph is performing what is asked of him

HOWEVER the work lacks expression and activity but the poles are having the desired effect of increasing shoulder movement.

MOST importantly the horse is clearly relaxed and happy with what is being asked of him.


HAVING performed the exercise a few more times there is now more expression from the horse - there is spring to his stride.

WITH increased suppleness and confident in himself as the schooling session has progressed, the horse now maintains a better headcarriage as he is working through more from behind.

NOW greater elevation to the stride has been achieved and more activity through the hock but this at the expense of loosing the outline and expression.

HOWEVER as the horse becomes more confident and experienced in these sorts of exercises he will be able to "bring everything together" but for now he is performing well and is not stressed in any way - he makes for a happy picture.

AS a horse progresses in his training, future training sessions can see the introduction of raised poles to increase suppleness, co-ordination  and engagement.

AGAIN, this photograph of Fred working "Oscar" illustrates how a horse can do as he is asked but in a "just going through the motions" kind of way. Whilst many people would be pleased with this performance, there is much to be desiredas far as we are concerned.! The horse is not doing anything wrong, he just is not putting any "energy" into the job in hand.

COMPARE this photograph with the one below.

THIS photo taken a few minutes after the one above.

"OSCAR" is now thinking much more about the job in hand and is responding to the cues given.

CONSEQUENTLY "Oscar" is much more active and engaged over the poles. This training session is now of real benefit rather than just being a bit of exercise!

AS flexion and suppleness improve the nature of the exercises can be altered to take account of this in order to continue physical development and work towards full hock engagement.  "Oscar" has now been asked to negotiate raised poles. Although he is working actively and uniformly through the leg he is trying to ease himself over to the lower end of the pole (because it is easier to negotiate) as evidenced by the setting of the upper neck muscles.

AS with all training, a horse needs to work in a relaxed and rhythmic way, and proof of this is his breathing; when a horse does not breathe he is tense, when he is tense, he is not learning.

A HORSE must  be relaxed and at ease both at the commencement and end of his training sessions.  If a horse is tense before he even starts his work, then that he is not going to respond well during his lessons.

EQUALLY so, a horse that does not end a training session in a relaxed state of mind may not be so willing to want to work the next day - and that is when impolite behaviour may begin to show up!

In Conclusion

UNFORTUNATELY not everyone has the aptitude, patience, knowledge and understanding to work with their horses in this way and that is why there are so many horses in the world that are unhappy and distressed, resulting in misbehaviour and the development of behavioural abnormalities.  The knowledge of this concerns us greatly as horses are such magnificent animals deserving of our love, respect, trust and understanding.


HORSE LONGREINING

FROM reading the above it can be seen that we train horses in a way they can relate to, in a sympathetic manner, with patience and complete understanding of the equine psyche - what is termed today as 'natural horsemanship' - but it is not a new phenomenon; it is just that training in this way has been lost by so many over the years in order to get horses to be "obedient" and "submissive" - terms you will not hear in our training vocabularly.



WHATEVER YOUR TRAINING REQUIREMENTS, PLEASE CONTACT US FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

 

 


 


 

 

 

 

 

 
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