Riding With Confidence: Part 7 - Groundwork

I once heard Chris Irwin state in a clinic that the only real difference between groundwork and riding is that you are in a different location with respect to your horse. His point was that you can establish the relationship you want with your horse before getting into the saddle.
It is far easier to develop trust and respect and assert your leadership on the ground without your anxieties and less than perfect motor skills getting in the way. I know that without groundwork I would probably not be riding today.
Many people think that groundwork is only for those who ride western or who use natural horsemanship techniques. At the Spanish Riding School, home of the famous Lippizan stallions, students are required to work on the ground with their horses for several years. No matter what discipline you and your horse are involved in, common sense dictates that if they don't respect you on the ground it isn't going to change when you are in the saddle.
I do groundwork with my horses every time I go to the arena. How much I do depends on what is happening with either of us that day. I can spend as little as five minutes before riding or I can stay on the ground for the whole session. What is important is that my horse and I have a successful experience that ends with him in a calm, receptive state, accepting me as his leader. I don't care where I am when we get to that point.
Groundwork is a good substitute when it is too cold or too hot to ride. It's a great way to calm your horse in new surroundings. It's an efficient way to work your horse consistently and regularly when you don't have time to tack up and ride.
Often people don't realize how much they can accomplish on the ground with their horse. They think that groundwork is limited to lunging. While lunging can be incorporated there are many other activities. Here is a list of activities that I have practiced with my horses while on the ground:
Ground tying
Standing still - a highly underrated skill!
Picking up feet
Lunging
Ground Driving
Speed and Gait Transitions
Directional control - turning, backing, side-passing, turns on forehand and haunches
Collection
Staying calm in scary situation
Staying out of my physical space
Standing quietly at the mounting block
Following without a lead shank
Many of the trainers I spoke about in my earlier post have great groundwork manuals and videos. They also offer workshops and clinics. There are some non-tradtional riding programs that incorporate groundwork skills in their lessons.
So start thinking about groundwork as an essential part of your training rather than a way to avoid being in the saddle. It's a lot of fun and it is worthwhile. People often comment about how much time I spend on the ground with my horses. Then they also comment on how well-behaved and responsive my horses are.
Next Post - The Art of Staying in the Saddle

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Comment by Laura Hunter on March 11, 2010 at 11:45am
Hi Deborah,
These blog posts that I have been writing are pretty general. I have a ton of really specific tips and tools to pass on. When I get to the end of this blog series - I have two or three more - I plan to put up a facebook page with much more specific information, where people can ask their own questions and also post useful information they might have. I have so many really great simple exercises that I have collected over the years from really great instructors and trainers. I'm excited about doing this because I know how great it feels each time I take a positive step in my riding. I would like to be able to help others feel that way.
Thank you again for supporting these posts.
Comment by Deborah Hopkins on March 11, 2010 at 11:18am
Thanks for you reply Laura. I like the idea of spending a few minutes on the ground each time you ride to, as you say, get focused on each other. My biggest challenge right now is calming myself under duress. I'd like to learn some strategies on the ground and in the tack to help settle myself and the mare I ride. I have a great coach who is working with me to develop my confidence but I am eager for all the resources I can lay my hadns on! I am a fan of Sally Swift and have both her books. I will also look for the Mary Wanless book you mentioned. Thanks!
Comment by Laura Hunter on March 10, 2010 at 9:23am
Hi Deborah,

Thank you for your question.

For me it really depends on what I want to do with my horse that day. If I know I have only 10 or 15 minutes then I choose a goal that we can realistically achieve within that time frame. I might now work on a new skill but we can always practice and improve our existing skills. If it is something more difficult or a new skill I allow myself a longer time period. What's really important is that you end on a high note or a moment of accomplishment. If I get what I want from my horse in five minutes I will stop right there knowing that he will be better for it the next session.

If I am trying to work on something more involved I make sure I have lots of time scheduled. The worst thing you can do is try to rush a horse - horses feel they have all the time in the world! If I have a time deadline I also become more demanding and less soft with my horse and I usually end up accomplishing very little (aside from making my horse cranky!).

I have found that frequency and consistency are far more efffective in the long run so if you only have 15 minutes to spare it is far better to spend 15 minutes 3 or 4 times a week than an hour and a half once a week.

It also depends on where you are in your training. I started using the John Lyons system last year. I got off my horses and only worked on the ground for quite a while. Now I find that I am only doing about 5-10 minutes on the ground with them before I ride. The groundwork has become more of a warm up to get us both focussed on each other.

Sorry! Long answer to a short question! Hope it helps.
Comment by Deborah Hopkins on March 9, 2010 at 1:01pm
Laura, on those occasions when you don't ride, how much time per session do you spend on these ground work exercises? Would 10-15 minutes be about right?
Comment by Jennifer Lamm on March 8, 2010 at 5:06pm
Groundwork is all I know how to do so far. :)

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