Groundwork is something that can be fun and rewarding for both you and your horse. Not only do you get a better mannered horse with basic groundwork exercises but you can build a strong bond with your horse that carries through to your riding. If you have not already read the leading page please do so, as this is the most basic level of groundwork (manners) training that you can perform with your horse. The leading page describes several exercises that will form the basis of groundwork performed with a lead rope, this page looks at some of the exercises you can perform with your horse in free work.

 

When working with your horse consider these guidelines:

• Be consistent and clear. Before you attempt any exercise be clear in your own mind what you are trying to achieve and what the boundaries are (see my leading page for the sample rules I created when I lead). If you are not clear then it is unlikely that you are going to be consistent and you will end up with a confused and annoyed horse.
• Praise Often! and quickly. You have about 3 seconds between the time the horse does something and the time is associates praise with that action. There's no use praising a horse for stopping when he's already stamped his foot, swatted a fly and looked left - he'll think the praise was for looking left instead!
• Reward a 'try'. Don't wait for him to get the whole thing. At first reward even the smallest effort in the right direction, he'll be so enthusiastic that he'll offer more and more and in no time the whole thing you're asking for as long as you don't make it too obscure for him to understand or too hard for him to physically do.
• Also learn to keep quiet (voice and body) when praise is not required. If he's thinking or not doing anything there's no point praising him for just looking cute - you'll just confuse him.
• Allow time. Only got 5 mins. Forget it, use that 5 mins to do something else or put in a couple of minutes on something he knows. If you have a specific goal, don't watch the clock - he'll know you're attention isn't on him and you're more likely to get frustrated (and angry).
• Don't get angry. If you do - walk away. Your training session ends as soon as your emotions\mood changes. If you're getting angry it means one of two things generally:
  • you've imposed a time limit on yourself and you're getting frustrated
  • you've run out of ideas.

If your horse isn't doing what you want after hours of trying you have probably broken one of the other rules here. Stop and reconsider the situation, your expectations and the other items on this list, have you broken the exercise down into easily learned chunks? Are you being clear and consistent?

• Pressure and release are the basic tenets of training a horse either traditionally or using Natural Horsemanship. Also see the Positive Reinforcement Section
  • That pressure can be: physical - halter pressure, a tap with a whip, a waving rope, finger pressure  OR psychological - using body language such as leaning toward him (aggressive posture), looking 'evil' at him, noise like clapping hands, hissing or growling at him
  • Pressure\Release is also called Negative Reinforcement
• Don't be afraid to stop and reassess what you are doing. If you are trying to achieve a goal and it just isn't getting through to you horse.  Stop. Allow yourself some time to think about what is happening, perhaps do some reading to see if there is a different method to try.
• Allow 'learning' time. You will not achieve everything in one lesson. Just like you, your horse isn't very good at cramming. He will be much better at a task if you allow him several sessions with some 'thinking' time in between. (This is also helpful during a session.) If you spend several intensive sessions with him on a new complex task, give him at least a few days off to mull things over (ride instead or whatever) when you restart he'll be much improved than if you kept repeating the exercise.

 

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The leading page will show you the type of exercises I perform with my horse every time I see him and give you some ideas on what you can do with your horse.

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Simple free work

 

My free work began with what is known as 'roundpen' work in Natural horsemanship speak. This is simply using a confined space to practice using pressure-release on your horse and thereby teach simple behaviours.  NH propopents will describe this as creating a lead horse/subordinate horse relationship however it simply follows the rules of negative reinforcement.

 

In this initial work you learn to understand your horse's body language and to develop your own to communicate with him. You will learn to ask you horse to walk\trot\canter in the desired direction and to turn him, halt and ask him to come to you with a signal. Got a horse that's hard to catch? Why not teach him to come to you instead? In the photos below I have added a 'halt' command, so that I can stop him halfway from me. The area I am working in is about 20sqm but I have also worked in much larger areas, having a formal 'round pen' is not necessary.

 

 

During this work you will develop a bond with your horse in which you become the leader - in Monty Robert's speak this is 'join-up'. The horse decides your a pretty good leader and he'd rather be with you than on his own. Once 'joined-up' your horse will follow you pretty much anywhere at any speed - although I have yet to achieve cantering speed ;)

 

 

Here we see join-up. My horse will follow me through any twists or turns, forward, backwards, tight circles, at any speed I can achieve. Once this is firmly embedded you can much more easily work with your horse on other exercises (since he'll stay with you until told to do otherwise) - and of course, leading with a leadrope is now very easy!

 

 

Remember moveover from the leading page? Here we are again, but this time with no leadrope or halter. The only thing that can be confusing for your horse (especially if he's sensitive) is whether he should move over or move off (go away). You can either add a little head control (ask him to touch your hand with his nose) or simply pop the lead rope around his neck until he clicks that you want 'over'.

 

Using Positive Reinforcement

 

Another method of teaching your horse is to use Positive Re-inforcement.  Using positive reinforcement methods you do not increase pressure to achieve a result, instead you reward the smallest increment and ignore all your horses incorrect guesses or behaviours.  This positive reinforcement may take the form of praise or food rewards.

 

The most accurate (and fastest) method of positive reinforcement is 'clicker training'.  In clicker training the horse first learns to associate a sound made by a 'clicker' (a small device specifically for animal training) with receiving a food reward.  Once the association is made the clicker can be used to precisely mark a behaviour that you want.  Your horse will try to replicate the 'clicked' behaviour in order to win more food rewards and as the trainer you can modify your horse's behaviour. 

 

Both Negative and Positive Reinforcement are part of 'Behaviourism', specifically operant conditioning.

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Using pressure-release or positive reinforcement is not an either\or situation.  The greater the number of methods you know the more tools you have to apply to different training situations and different horse personalities.

Your horse will NOT get confused if you use pressure-release one day and clicker the next, in fact the more cues he knows the better he will get at learning.  However, do be wary of applying either negative reinforcements or punishment DURING a positive reinforcement session.  Doing so will make the animal hesitant and worry about the consequences of performing the wrong thing (making a mistake).

 

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Links

Understanding basic roundpen and groundwork

For specific instructions on roundpen work go to PonyBoy.com and become a member (free) then download the instructions for Gawani Pony Boy's basic rounpen work

To get Pat Parelli's 'Seven Games'

Read more about leading @ Natural Horse Supply

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