| Ground Manners - An Overview | | | | the herd is right behind them. It is also the leaders |
| Horse training success is all in the work from the | | | | job to keep an eye out for danger. Or in other |
| ground. A good, long-term relationship between | | | | words, the leaders signal to the rest of the herd |
| you and your horse is built from the ground up, | | | | what is dangerous and what is safe. The rest of |
| literally. Ground manners is about teaching your | | | | the herd has 100% faith in their leaders. They |
| horse how to behave around humans and that | | | | follow blindly. They do not think rationally or for |
| you are his protector and friend. The two go | | | | themselves. This horse behavior makes a horse |
| hand in hand by building leadership respect and | | | | very easy to train. |
| trust. The time dedicated to building a proper | | | | To use this horse behavior to your advantage |
| foundation by establishing control on the ground is | | | | when you're training your horse, the leader of his |
| well worth the effort involved. | | | | herd needs to be you. You MUST show, through |
| Why would you want to bother with ground | | | | your tone of voice, your body language, your |
| manners? Well, safety issues are a good start. An | | | | confidence, that you are a leader. For example, |
| untrained or poorly trained horse with bad habits | | | | you cannot expect a horse to walk calmly past a |
| such as biting, kicking, rearing and charging (among | | | | barking dog if you are frightened yourself. If there |
| others) is dangerous. A horse can kill a person | | | | are situations around your horse that scare you, |
| with these behaviors. The horse can injure | | | | you need to be inventive and work out how to |
| himself, for example, by rearing and banging his | | | | avoid the situation where your horse can see you |
| head on a low ceiling. Horses do knock | | | | as weak. If your horse often charges you, avoid |
| themselves out, cut their heads on a nail or sharp | | | | the trigger situation until you have established |
| corner and require stitches. Just think of the vet | | | | dominance in other situations. Get outside help if |
| bills. And the panic you'd feel in this situation. Or | | | | you need it. A horse generally weighs as much as |
| think of the litigation if your horse kicked | | | | 10 times more than a human, so you cannot |
| someone, injuring them so they were unable to | | | | expect to out muscle your horse when it |
| work. These things do happen. Teaching a horse | | | | behaves inappropriately. It is crucial that you |
| good ground manners is teaching a horse that | | | | become the leader to your horse so he follows |
| these are unacceptable and unnecessary | | | | you, rather than dragging you around. |
| reactions. | | | | 3. Consistency |
| The horse that won't stand still is a danger. One | | | | Being a leader also means having a zero tolerance |
| day you'll be caught in the wrong spot, he'll get a | | | | policy towards your horse invading your personal |
| fright and someone will be hurt. The horse that | | | | space or disobeying your requests. In the herd, |
| keeps leaning into you and treading on your (soon | | | | the pecking order is often challenged. Stay vigilant |
| to be broken) foot is not fun. The horse that | | | | as the pecking order is never set in stone. If you |
| tries to kick when you pick out his feet is going | | | | get slack, the horse will start to dominate you. Be |
| to injure you one day. Good ground manners is | | | | firm, consistent and persistent in applying your |
| about teaching a horse to respect your personal | | | | rules. You're either training or de-training your |
| space. | | | | horse every moment you're with him. Mind the |
| The nervous or disobedient horse is also a danger. | | | | small stuff. It really does matter. Your horse will |
| The jumpy horse that shies and knocks you over | | | | test you in small ways to see how serious you |
| is a liability. The horse that loses his mind and tries | | | | are. If you don't hold your ground over your |
| to run every time he sees a plastic bag is more | | | | space or do accept a tardy response to a |
| than a nuisance. Ground manners is about showing | | | | request, you're effectively eroding the respect he |
| your horse that scary things aren't so scary and | | | | has for you. 'That's ok, I don't really mean stop |
| to have confidence in you. To trust that you, as | | | | when I say so'. This is then a green flag for your |
| leader and protector, will always keep him safe. | | | | horse to try on bigger and bigger misbehaviors. |
| Good manners on the ground makes the | | | | For example, don't let your horse kiss you. Not |
| transition to riding much smoother and much | | | | just for reasons of hygiene! No, letting any horse |
| much simpler. You will have learned to read your | | | | nibble or kiss you is sending him down the slippery |
| horse's feelings or mood. He is not your servant. | | | | slope of developing a biting habit. After all, a bite is |
| He is your partner. He will have learned | | | | just a firm nibble isn't it? And a biting problem is |
| unquestioned obedience. As a result, your riding | | | | not one you want to be dealing with. Painful for |
| sessions will be more fun. | | | | you, and difficult to get rid of. In this case, no |
| Taking the time to lay firm foundations will also | | | | kisses, no nibbles, no bites. Ever. Be firm, |
| mean that you will be training a horse that is | | | | consistent and persistent in applying your ground |
| willing to please, that is EASIER TO TRAIN IN | | | | rules. Absolute CONSISTENCY is the key to fast |
| THE LONG RUN, that is a joy to work with and | | | | training. |
| not an obstinate animal that is always acting out. | | | | 4. Trust |
| When you choose to own a horse, you're making | | | | One of the biggest reasons horses lack good |
| a commitment for many years, so you want to | | | | ground manners is the fact they don't trust as |
| be sure you're going to have a well-behaved and | | | | well as respect the people who are handling them. |
| easy to handle horse-friend. | | | | Trust and respect go hand in hand and once you |
| The Basics Of Ground Manners For Your Horse | | | | have attained that, the rest of your training is so |
| Teaching good ground manners right from the | | | | much easier. As leader (where you earn respect), |
| beginning will result in a horse that is a joy to | | | | part of your job is to keep your horse SAFE |
| own, while keeping yourself as safe as possible. | | | | (where you earn trust). That's safe from his |
| Enforcing ground manners will teach your horse | | | | perspective, not yours. You might think he's |
| to: | | | | perfectly safe in a trailer, but if he's never been in |
| * Look to you as leader for what to do | | | | one you'll need to show him that you'll go into one |
| whenever he is unsure of a situation (less likely to | | | | and that other horses agree it's safe too. Your |
| bolt, shy or be disobedient in new situations) | | | | job is to prove to your horse that no matter |
| * Not crowd your personal space (no kicking, | | | | what goes on around him, he will not be harmed. |
| biting, charging, leaning, treading on your feet etc) | | | | Angry bullying won't work. Losing your temper |
| * Respond appropriately to whatever you are | | | | won't work. Banging his teeth with the bit, slapping |
| asking him to do | | | | him unexpectedly on the rump, making loud, |
| * Have calm confidence in the outside world | | | | sudden noises and unexpected gestures don't help |
| because you will protect him | | | | either. Let your horse know where you are and |
| * Stand still patiently | | | | what you're up to as much as possible. Be calm, |
| * Tie calmly | | | | be considerate, be affectionate, be patient. This |
| * Allow you to pick up his feet for cleaning | | | | path leads to earning your horse's trust, an |
| * Allow you to groom him | | | | essential for a long and happy relationship. |
| * Calmly accept being bridled, haltered and led | | | | 5. Be fun |
| * Accept being saddled without moving | | | | No one, even a horse, enjoys all work and no |
| * Refrain from nipping, kicking, charging or rearing | | | | play. Remember to make your lessons enjoyable. |
| to get his way | | | | Your aim is to encourage your horse to look |
| All this BEFORE you get on his back. It is actually | | | | forward to hanging out with you. What your |
| a good idea to spend some time with a new | | | | horse likes will be individual, but most horses have |
| horse on getting these basics right before you | | | | a place on their body they like having scratched |
| start riding. Despite how eager you will probably | | | | or rubbed. This can be a reward for obedience. |
| be to hop on and go, spend a few weeks or | | | | Many horses enjoy the mental stimulation of a |
| even months working on ground manners. It pays | | | | lesson if it's not repeated endlessly in one go. |
| off in the end. If you're having trouble with riding | | | | More than half an hour on any one lesson at once |
| your horse, it may also be a wise investment of | | | | is too much. 10 or 15 minutes is enough. And |
| time to stop riding for a while and get these | | | | horses like variety in their 'work'. So sometimes |
| basics back on track. | | | | go out for a trail ride, sometimes do some |
| So how do you instill those good ground manners | | | | jumping, sometimes work in the ring. Mix it up and |
| in your horse? By understanding how a horse's | | | | keep it interesting. A bored horse is a cranky |
| mind works. There are 6 basic principles you need | | | | horse, and anyone in a bad mood is likely to |
| to learn that apply to all horse situations. | | | | misbehave. |
| 1. Repetition | | | | 6. Comfort |
| It is not widely known that a horse can take | | | | The horse likes a life of comfort. That means, a |
| around 60 iterations of a lesson to 'get it'. That's | | | | life free from irritants as well as pain. You can use |
| right. It may take you repeating the exact same | | | | his dislike of being irritated to your training |
| lesson 60 times before your horse understands | | | | advantage. Basically, you are looking for |
| what you are trying to teach. To put this in | | | | non-painful but annoying things you can do to |
| perspective, if you see your horse once a week | | | | encourage your horse to do as you ask. The key |
| and teach the same lesson once each time, then | | | | is to remove the irritant immediately when the |
| it may take over a year for your horse to learn | | | | horse does what you are asking. Stopping the |
| it. Of course you may try the lesson more than | | | | annoying thing you were doing is his reward for |
| once a session and you may see your horse | | | | doing as you asked. This is the most effective |
| more than once a week, but it takes TIME and | | | | and yet gentle way to teach your horse to do |
| PATIENCE to train a horse effectively. | | | | what you ask |
| The good news is that you can be successful in | | | | One example of irritant training is a technique |
| training your horse to have good behavior in any | | | | called pressure and release. An example of |
| situation. This applies to all horses, whether they | | | | pressure and release: |
| are young, old, previously poorly trained or have | | | | If you wanted your horse to turn its head to the |
| been in neglectful and abusive situations. You can | | | | left, you would put your hand in the halter strap |
| teach your horse to lead, tone down aggressive | | | | and gently pull to the left just slightly. As soon as |
| behaviors towards people and other horses, teach | | | | the horse begins to turn his head left, let go of |
| a nervous horse to be calm, and get rid of bad | | | | the halter, releasing the pressure, and praise your |
| habits horses learn such as rearing, biting, and | | | | horse quietly. If your horse were to pull to the |
| kicking. All of this can be attained. But please | | | | right instead, you would continue to apply gentle |
| remember that horse training takes as long as it | | | | pressure to the left until your horse complied, |
| takes. 60 repetitions is an average. | | | | then release and praise again. Through patient, |
| 2. Be a leader to your horse | | | | consistent repetition, your horse will learn what |
| Horses are herd animals and are mentally wired to | | | | you are asking. This is the pressure and release |
| look up to the leader of the herd. In a herd, which | | | | training method in a nutshell, and can be applied |
| is the natural situation for a horse, there is a | | | | throughout your horse's training. |
| pecking order (order of dominance). The stallion | | | | So these are the 6 basics of teaching ground |
| and lead mare are the leaders. Every other horse | | | | manners. Repetition; Be a leader; Consistency; |
| below them in the pecking order will look to these | | | | Trust; Be fun; and Comfort. Apply these |
| two to find out how to react in a given situation. | | | | whenever you are around your horse and you will |
| If the leaders are calm, the others are calm, if | | | | be well on the way to many happy times. |
| the leaders are running for their lives, the rest of | | | | |