On Groundwork

I am always caught off guard when I encounter equestrians who do not know or utilize groundwork. I've spent more time on the ground with my horses than I have riding! In fact, I enjoy a good groundwork session more than some rides. 

Try not to look at the tiny, muscle-less baby butt :P

I was first introduced to groundwork through Parelli Natural Horsemanship. However, as I researched and studied to learn how to train Gambler, I discovered that training horses from the ground, using certain methods, is not specific to any trainer or discipline. It is horse sense and a few basic exercises used to communicate with a horse. The exercises are the same; the execution is determined by the quality of the trainer. 

People who are not familiar with training exercises on the ground sometimes have a few misconceptions. 

Myth 1: Groundwork = trick training. Trick training can be fun and educational, but groundwork is not just for show. It builds trust, respect, and communication. That said, it's hard not to use liberty circles to show off your horse skills. I can't wait for Avalon and I to get to that point!

Myth 2: Groundwork is for trainers. While I would recommend getting a trainer to teach you groundwork exercises, you should be the one training your horse on a regular basis. The exercises exist to build trust, respect, and communication. What good does it do for your horse to trust, respect, and communicate with a trainer that it will only see for a few weeks or once a week for lessons? 

If you can't afford or find a trainer to teach you, you can still learn to train your horse from the ground. You can probably find other equestrians willing to help you. Otherwise you can take the route I chose - the internet! Aside from the obvious dangers of the "world wide web" (ie. anyone who doesn't know anything can post things claiming they know everything) it is a wonderful resource. As long as you check your different sources against each other and take every piece of advice with a grain of salt, you can learn a lot. 

Some people claim that a horse can't be a good riding horse if it doesn't have good ground manners. This isn't true. I've seen good riding horses that were extremely disrespectful on the ground. I've also seen sweet, willing horses who just never learned to communicate without a saddle and rider. However, in my personal experience, good groundwork makes solving issues in the saddle so much easier!