Training techniques can be like a religion to many people, and it is important to believe in what you are doing. However, we as trainers, horse owners and riders should always keep an open mind as to what is best for the horse. Living in the information age, we have access to unlimited knowledge on how best to work with our horses and make their lives as happy as possible.
As I travel around the country doing clinics, I meet many interesting and exciting people with new ideas. What makes me sad is when they have rejected an idea or concept without truly finding out what it entails because someone told them to. As humans we have a right to decision or indecision, but as a horse owner we have a responsibility to question and research all that we are told, to determine what's best for the horse.
There are many that are for and many against groundwork. Let us look at both sides and then you can begin to make a decision as to which side of the fence you want your horse to be on.
What is groundwork?
What exactly does groundwork entail? Is it just mindless work at the end of a lunge rein, or is there meaning and purpose to what we are doing on the ground? There are many forms of groundwork – free-lungeing, spin-lungeing, lungeing with a gadget such as side reins, double-lungeing, long-reining and work in hand, and then there is all the work on leading and handling. Any work that entails the trainer training the horse from the ground, falls under groundwork.
Let's have a look at lungeing with side reins and spin-lungeing, why we do it and what it does for the horse.
Lungeing with side reins or any similar gadget that helps the horse to carry his body in a round and engaged frame, benefits the horse by working the top line without the imbalance and moods of the rider. When lungeing in this manner, we not only help teach a horse that is not naturally round and in self-carriage to find balance in all his paces, but we also help to build the horse's muscles in all the right places in a relaxed manner.
Many have said "why lunge, as we achieve the same results when riding". What I am suggesting is that if we lunge more at the beginning of the horse's training, it will physically develop far quicker than it could under saddle, as we as riders are never consistent enough to be in perfect balance every time we get on the horse. The same goes for our moods. If the horse is physically able, the chances of the horse resisting a new movement under saddle are almost non-existent.
The spin lunge is an exercise that targets a specific muscle group. In the spin lunge, the horse with no tack on will change direction in a single movement. For example, the horse at trot or canter will at the trainer's signal move from trot or canter to a halt, do a 180-degree spin and immediately move off again into trot or canter in the opposite direction.
What this exercise does, is teach the horse to stay on the hindquarters, open the shoulder and chest, and become more reactive to the trainer. This is very good for horses with weak hocks and underdeveloped hindquarters to build the necessary muscles. Sportwise this is good for horses that need to build sufficient strength in the hindquarters.
Moderation
What is negative about groundwork? As with any training or exercise, if overdone or incorrectly done, we can hurt the horse and put his body under undue strain. So moderation is the order of the day.
For me, the greatest benefit of any groundwork is the mutual respect and bond that is developed between horse and trainer. In articles to follow, we will look at many more forms of groundwork and look at what benefits or lack thereof they have. Hopefully we as humans will grow so as to make those we are responsible for have easier and happier lives.
