what do you think of groundwork?

[jenren!!]

to all you schooling fanatics out there... what do you think of groundwork to help with your schooling?

i was surfing on the internet the other day and i found this site which is all about this and it's fantastic. here, i've provided a link:

if you go to www.naturalhorsesupply.com/process.shtml you'll find heaps of stuff you can do with your horse on the ground to help with schooling. it all includes lateral stuff and even bending. it also includes a little about lunging as well. it'll take a long time to surf cos there's so much but you can get a pretty clear idea. i've thought of trying it with my horse - what do you think?

X jenny X

[TBEventer2002]

I think groundwork for horses is much like eating for people -- you just need it. A horse learns about it's personal space (and yours!), learns body awareness, and most anything you teach from the ground transfers to the saddle. For example, teaching a horse to yield to pressure from the ground translates to yielding to pressure in the saddle, be it from the legs, seat, or poll.

I think we can never do too much groundwork with our horses, that is merely my personal opinion.

Haven't got time to look thru the article, but I will definately check it out later. :)

[chev]

IMHO groundwork forms the base on which everything else is built. Without establishing a good working relationship on the ground, and using groundwork to build the foundation for suppling, balance and teaching your horse to listen to you (and using it to listen to him) ridden work can never reach its full potential.

Just my thoughts.... sure others will differ! ;) :D

[galadriel]

Originally posted by chev
Just my thoughts.... sure others will differ! ;) :D

Nah :) I think you & TBE2002 covered it pretty well.

[Yann]

I won't differ either, I think it's of great value to the relationship you have with your horse. Even a bit of basic leading work seems to help give you a more contented and easy to handle horse. It's really good for schooling too, even a dunce like me has been able to establish lateral work from the ground:)

[maya-m]

Yeah, and Yann is one of the dimmest people you are ever likely to meet!!:rolleyes: :D :D

;)

[Yann]

Oi you! :D:p

[Wally]

When we start a Shetland pony we start him from the ground, and sadly that is where we adults are destined to stay!:( (me anyway unless I slim down a great deal)

We use our own kids as test pilots and we need to be sure that when that kiddie is climbing on board that pony is as well adjusted to the experience as is humanly possible.

We then need to work that pony from the ground even with the rider up.....that's how important ground work is, it is ground work in more ways than one, if you don't get it right from the ground up, the "up" will not be right.