From several of the emails and calls I have received, it seems that some readers are having problems with their horses that should have been corrected early in the horse's training. For that reason, I am starting this series on ground training because many problems that riders have with their horses can be solved through ground training.
This material may be a review for many of you, but there usually comes a time in every rider's career when he/she has to go back to basics with his/her horse so I am sure that it will be useful. Remember that ground training can help develop your horse into a safe, willing partner for years to come.
Conduct ground training lessons in an area where your horse has the best chance to learn without distractions. He will concentrate better in a small area. Once he is familiar with the lesson, you can graduate to a larger work area. When teaching a new maneuver, always practice it at the same location until your horse responds very well and then go on to the other areas.
I recommend these steps of progression be followed when ground training any horse. Begin ground-training lessons in the horse's stall. When he demonstrates that he has learned ground training lessons in the stall, he can graduate to repeating the lessons in a slightly less secure location, such as the barn aisle way. Once he shows responsiveness in the aisle way, graduate to a round pen or paddock. Continue this progression to less secure environments moving to an indoor arena, to an outdoor arena, and finally asking for the maneuver on the trails or other off-site locations.
Follow this progression as you introduce each new ground-training lesson. If your horse demonstrates he does not understand or is not responsive, go back to a more secure location to repeat the lesson until there is improvement. For the horse, continuing this learning process at each new location is like learning the lesson again, so be patient.
Proper Equipment
Before starting any lessons, you must have the right equipment to safely and properly teach groundwork. You will need a halter, longe line, and an "in-hand" whip. Leg protection such as splint boots or polo wraps are recommended for your horse for all lessons. I also suggest bell boots for horses that might be uncoordinated, have hoof problems, or a tendency to over reach with their stride.
The halter must be snug, but not tight. The nosepiece should rest one inch down from the bottom of your horse's cheekbone. I like a nylon halter for training. I have specially designed my Palm Partnership Training Halter with side rings large enough to allow a longe line to pass through them. This is also one halter that adjusts to fit anything from two-year old horses to medium and extra large size horses.
For groundwork, I prefer to use a longe line. I only use a lead line when handling a horse for daily routine leading unless the horse still needs training. I use a longe line until my horse is fully trained and consistently responsive to my commands. I use a flat, woven cotton longe line, which is easier to grip and keep organized than a round longe line. The longe line may end either in snap or a length of chain. Avoid using a nylon longe line because it can cause a serious rope burn if the line slips through your hand. Nylon is also very slippery and difficult to keep organized.
Practice keeping your longe line organized by making loops in it at least 12 inches long or coiled in a figure-eight in your outside hand. I see too many handlers with their longe line either dangerously coiled in their hands or dragging and getting tangled in their legs. Practice so that you can organize your longe line without looking at it.
When working your horse in hand, clip the longe line to the ring on the same side of the halter as you are working the horse. Never use the ring at the bottom of the halter for ground training. I only use the bottom ring when I am doing routine handling or leading, and only with a horse that is fully responsive to my commands.
If I find that I need more response, respect or attention from my horse, I will increase the measure of my control by changing how I attach the longe line to the halter. My next step is to put the cotton longe line through the halter ring on the side I am working on, under the horse's chin, and then clipping it to the ring on the opposite side of the halter. For safety, always make sure that the button of the snap is facing outwards. It will be easier to release in case of an emergency.
If that step does not give me the response I need, I will pass the longe line through the halter's lower side ring on the side I'm standing, over the nose, and snap it to the ring on the opposite side of the halter. Most halter rings are not large enough to allow a longe line to pass through them. If you find this is the situation, slip the longe line under the halter's chin strap from the side you are working on, then loop it over the nosepiece before clipping it to the opposite side ring. This common problem is exactly why I designed the Palm Partnership Training Halter.
If I find I still need even more control, I will change from a simple longe line to the type ending in a length of chain. Make sure the chain portion is long enough so that when fitted on the horse, at least five inches of chain extends from the halter. This gives enough leverage and allows use of the chain without abrupt or delayed reactions. If the length of chain is shorter than five inches, it can lock against the chin or nose, preventing the lightness that I want the chain to create for me. Start with the chain fastened under the chin, as described above, progressing to the "longe-line-over-the-nose" step if more control is needed.
In the next article, I will explain the use of an "in-hand" whip, talk about creating a training plan, and go over important tips to remember about ground training. In the meantime, whether you are starting a young horse, re-schooling an older mount, or need to improve your eye for understanding your horse, ground training will improve a horse's responsiveness to commands and build your skills as a handler and rider. Visit HYPERLINK "http://www.lynnpalm.com" www.lynnpalm.com where you can order my six-part Longevity Video Series and/or my Longevity Training Book as well as my cotton lone line and training halter mentioned in this article.
