Many equestrians think it is perfectly normal, and acceptable, to just saddle up their horse and step on… having spent little to no time teaching or training on the ground. Many equestrians feel ground work is only for unskilled equestrians, or green horses, and only use the lunge line to allow a horse to move forward long enough to “get the p*ss and vinegar out of them” or “let them get the bucks out” before stepping on. This is honestly a very dated take on groundwork.
When equestrians only view groundwork through that sort of lens, it actually diminishes the chances of them truly operating as partners with their horses. They are missing out on all the benefits that come right along with teaching yourself and your horse things on the ground, and… if you do it right… ALL of it transfers to the saddle, allowing for safe, fun and progressive rides. So why do so many well-intentioned horse lovers avoid ground work all together? I personally think it’s because of a lack of understanding of the benefits it offers the horse and human. I also have a hunch that it may have something to do with riders being more skilled under saddle, but not very skilled at managing a horse’s energy through time and space on the ground… and the fear of judgement and ridicule from uneducated equestrians also influences horse lovers to avoid it all together. Many equestrians already have a hard time learning how to be great riders, so it’s no wonder they can strugge with judgment while learning something else.
The horse industry has been ruled by myths, outdated training practices, and honestly… “bovine fecal matter,” for decades. Most horse lovers do not understand their horse’s behavior, and struggle with everyday things that… if the human just had a little bit more understanding of their horses, and had just a tiny amount of handiness on the ground… would be solved in minutes, or never allow to happen in the first place.
So, in hopes of setting more horses and humans up for successful lives together, I’d like to share with you the top three reasons to play with your horse on the ground Online. Or as many call it, groundwork.
THREE Reasons to Play On-Line:
To Teach Your Horse Something.
The benefits of playing with horses on the ground, and not just riding, is you get to observe the horse’s energy, body language and expression. This gets you better at your Feel, Timing and Balance. This also allows for your horse to experiment with new things, without the added pressure of carrying a rider. Teaching horses how to jump correctly, learning upward and downward transitions, and even lateral movements, can all be taught on the ground. This also allows for the horse to fumble through things without putting the rider in danger. How many times have you seen an eventer get catapulted off their horse because the horse stumbled, or lost their footing, while they were learning how to jump into a water feature for the first time? Wouldn’t it be easier to allow a horse to negotiate and navigate around, over and through things without the rider first? I personally don’t want to subject my body to my horses learning if I don’t have to. If I can help them understand a concept first on the ground, so then I have a better chance of a safe and productive ride, I’m going to take any advantage I can! This literally gives you a leg up. When you first expose a horse to things on the ground it sets them up to be able to understand it more fully once you’re riding.
To Teach Yourself Something.
This one is a given. When we as horsemen are still learning how to manage our own energy, it is much safer to get handy on the ground than it is in the saddle. All the skills you build, and the hand eye coordination that you gain, from being able to manage a horse’s energy through time and space on the ground, allows you to be a more effective and skilled rider. This also saves our horses from our learning, it’s easier for us to fumble and learn how to be effective with our bodies while on the ground. This keeps us from balancing on the reins, or bracing in our stirrups. I see it happening all the time for my students. Once you get a human to understand how effective they can be with our intention and focus on the ground it leads to clearer communication while under saddle. Body awareness is a non-negotiable as a rider. The more coordinated and skilled you are in communicating with your horse at all times the easier your rides become.
To Prepare for Something.
This is a safe place to prep you and your horse for a new skill, such as dragging logs, jumping over obstacles, tracking cows, trailer loading, but most importantly… things like vet or farrier appointments. It’s our responsibility to get our horses ready for life in “Humansville,” and lots of simple prep work can be done on the ground. I’m sure you all know someone who has a horse that a farrier, vet, body clipper, chiropractor (list any equine professional) has fired as a client, because of the horses behavior on the ground. It’s dangerous for these professionals to manage a horse that is uneducated. It is YOUR responsibility to set your horses up well for these professionals to do their job safely. This all stems from the groundwork we choose or choose not to do with our horses. For me, I want the professionals I choose to help keep my horses healthy to look forward to working on my horses, because my horses make it easy for them to do their job!
Playing on the ground with your horses will give you a slight edge on anyone who chooses not to devote that time. It will allow you to be more effective and understanding of your horse’s behavior, your skillset and overall ability as a rider will grow if you take the time to allow yourself to learn, your horse will also have a tendency to be “the favorite” to work on by the professionals you choose… if they understand humans better on the ground. Now that you’re aware of all the great benefits groundwork has to offer you and your horse I encourage you to experiment and explore these concepts with your own beloved horses. Groundwork is not just silly rope wiggling and doing tricks, it allows you to develop true understanding and partnership with another sentient being in every aspect of your lives together.
For support in learning how to be an effective partner for your horse both on the ground and while under saddle check out my membership for horse lovers.
