Groundwork / In-hand exercise with your horse!

Groundwork / in-hand work with horses seems to be a lost art! But it's so beneficial for training flexibility, symmetry and correct posture in our horses. 

In a nutshell, you are training your horse school movements including lateral work, from the ground. And anyone can do this! 

Horses are naturally one-sided (crooked), so consistently working on their symmetry to increase equal use of the body and limbs is important for long term soundness. If your horse is crooked and you don't address it, but continue to exercise him with a crooked way of going, you are just strengthening the crookedness. And long term this can lead to injury...(imagine running every day with a ruck sack with weights in one side only ??). 

Groundwork is a useful tool to train equal use of the limbs and body, by working slowly on both reins without the weight of the tack and rider, on simple lateral exercises, to improve flexibility where there is stiffness, and build strength where there is weakness. 

Teaching simple lateral work from the ground will improve ridden work, and your horses understanding of lateral exercises. For example if you can teach your horse leg yield and shoulder in from the ground, he will already understand the exercise when you ask for it ridden.

And teaching groundwork exercises also helps to teach your horse correct posture. By working with your horse from the ground, you can influence his movement and correct how he is performing an exercise instantly. 

I really enjoy working with horses on the ground as I can see and feel the changes in their body really quickly! As I work with lots of horses in rehabilitation, part of my work is to improve their movement and way of going, and train correct/good posture. Time spent teaching your horse groundwork is always beneficial for ridden work later on, and also during rehabilitation. 

Benefits...

- Increase flexibility 

- Improve symmetry

- Improve posture and way of going

- Increase core strength 

- Improve relationship and communication with your horse! 

- Another form of exercise to add into your routine 

- Low impact so useful for senior horses 

- Improve your horses understanding of ridden exercises by training from the ground first 

- Train your horse to work slowly and use his brain! 

So I guess I am encouraging you to try it out with your horse! Groundwork benefits all horses, and I find that they really enjoy it and have to use their brains a bit differently! If you look at the attached photo, you can see how I have trained my horse Azuro to work with a lowered neck, he is super relaxed, he is giving a nice bend through his neck, and I have his attention! Working like this on the ground has helped his symmetry and flexibility, his core strength and posture, and his understanding of ridden lateral work, and helps to slow him down as he does like to use his power from behind, most of the time! 

***If you would like help with groundwork, I love it and can help you if you are local to me (Staffordshire). I also have a Simple Groundwork Exercises Ebook, and an Online Course on In Hand Exercises, if you would like to learn more! 

Simple Groundwork Exercises Ebook: Ebooks

In Hand Exercises Online Course: In Hand Exercises Online Course