Does anyone do regular groundwork?

[Landcruiser]

I've done loads with my youngster over the last 2+ years, prepping her for life under saddle. Learning to lead nicely from both sides, stop when I stop, move shoulders and quarters, back up lightly and move off pressure initially (always ongoing), park (ground tie). Plus lots of desensitization, going through narrow gaps, being led with an umbrella over her head, trec obstacles, sidepass etc. More lately I'm focussed more on strengthening her pre backing. Long reining, walking over poles, hacking out in hand including up and down the local long hill into the village. She's rising 5 now and really starting to look ready to be a lovely ridden horse in a few months time. I think groundwork is the absolute foundation and the basics need establishing as a priority with any (new) horse. Most of what I've done I consider to be safety issues.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Chiro vet says that walk over raised poles (working up to knee and hock height) is much more beneficial for the horses than trot poles.

Not in a grid or related distance, just a very few raised poles scattered about the arena. No balancing or side reins, just let the horse take its time to stretch and use itself.

 

[AutumnDays]

I'm aiming to do more regularly once the weather improves and the land is sorted. I'd like to do at least 2 little sessions a week to keep them supple and give them something to think about

 

[nikicb]

Sorry yes obviously you are correct. When I say groundwork I meant lunging or walking over poles and raised poles, reining back through poles, walking through a grid, walking over scattered poles, reining back between parallel poles, labyrinth, etc, etc.

I do those sort of exercises as well. Stepping over poles sideways (leg yielding over them) also helps engage different muscles, so that's another one to add to your list.

 

[Birker2020]

Bits yes. Should do more but 3 to look after, keep fit and a job means I run out of time.

The Appy is one of those bright horses who never forgets what she's been taught but her body works against her (PSSM) so I don't ask too much. We've been walking out in hand trying to come down slopes slowly to engage her thoracic sling and stepping over logs. Went back to polework when it was frozen last week which she loves. Stretches work well for her after she's warmed up but muddy horse legs aren't great to handle before work.

The microcob has obviously been sent around on the lunge at warp speed at some point in her past so she's the hardest to work with because she won't relax in hand. Pick up a whip and she's off at the gallop. I've just started doing some in hand poles at walk.

I have PM'd you SEL.

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

I do - 4 times a week or so depending on weather and commitments, but I don't lunge as such and he's never worn a 'gadget' a day in his life incl side reins or anything of the sort, but I do do a series of different movements and keep it fairly short with lots of relax/stretching breaks.
He does leg yield, voice controlled collected trot, inside flexion on the circle, trot to halt to trot, shoulder in, quarters in, turn on forehand, turn on the quarters, sideways both ways along a pole, lots of backing up, walk pirouettes, serpentines across central ground poles in walk, long reining, all sorts.

Below is the first week he came compared to last week - some of it is natural growth as he was 3yrs2days in the first photo and 3.5 in the second set, but I like to think I have helped him too.

 

[SEL]

I do - 4 times a week or so depending on weather and commitments, but I don't lunge as such and he's never worn a 'gadget' a day in his life incl side reins or anything of the sort, but I do do a series of different movements and keep it fairly short with lots of relax/stretching breaks.
He does leg yield, voice controlled collected trot, inside flexion on the circle, trot to halt to trot, shoulder in, quarters in, turn on forehand, turn on the quarters, sideways both ways along a pole, lots of backing up, walk pirouettes, serpentines across central ground poles in walk, long reining, all sorts.

Below is the first week he came compared to last week - some of it is natural growth as he was 3yrs2days in the first photo and 3.5 in the second set, but I like to think I have helped him too.

View attachment 132901

He looks great - really grown up!

 

[skint1]

My mare can't be ridden so we have done loads of groundwork to keep her supple, pole work etc, long lining nd walks in hand together. We are both having some down time at the moment, but am looking forward to picking it up again when I am feeling better. She does find the pole work difficult, and it's hard to keep her engaged, so I try to keep sessions short and lots of praise. Her favourite is in-hand walks with lots of snack stops For core strengthening I like to follow Jenny Adamson and NoBackNoHorse on Facebook.

 

[Alibear]

Sorry, I just couldn't help myself. It pays off in competitions too. We had to dismount, ground tie, roll that pole back and forth, go back, pick up all 4 feet, then take the bridle off and put it back on again.
She didn't move a hoof She also had to lope off once I'd got back, not a single step of walk or trot

 

[Tarragon]

I love groundwork!
I was introduced to groundwork through my trainer who follows Philippe Karl when I started my rather feral unbacked pony with her help, and I use that method as the basis for all of my in-hand work. The pony was 6 when I got him, but unbacked and largely unhandled, so I spent more than a year doing just in-hand work, and really benefitted from all that investment when we started riding.
Now, I do a few exercises in hand before I mount on the days I am riding, and do ground work when I can.
Doing in-hand work has the advantage in that it can also be fitted into tiny time slots, 5 minutes here and 10 minutes there, and it can be done anywhere and in any weather.

 

[Hormonal Filly]

I try to do a groundwork session a week, usually with raised walk poles and a pole to back over. I also am in the process of teaching her to leg yield by my touching her side and saying 'over' which is going really well, yesterday she did 3 steps each way. I taught her 'back' as a 3yo and its something I get her doing a few times a week as well as all her carrot stretches most days.

 

[Hormonal Filly]

I think groundwork is the absolute foundation and the basics need establishing as a priority with any (new) horse. Most of what I've done I consider to be safety issues.

Totally agree. I did so much groundwork with my mare and it was a big priority. She didn't know anything, had just been in a herd her entire life when I bought her as a 3yo. We did in hand walks, teaching her to stand at the block, lift her legs on command, back up on command plus so much more. She is doing great ridden wise (6yo) and is so easy to deal with, always receiving compliments if anyone else handles her.. I'm sure the groundwork makes a huge difference.

A friend bought a backed 4yo for quite a substantial sum of money that had been backed and sold from Ireland, I highly recommended groundwork but desperate to get on and ride she didn't do any. The mare doesn't understand any basic groundwork. She is having ridden issues and decided to go back to basics, I said starting on the groundwork would be hugely beneficial IMO.

 

[blitznbobs]

Every day I am with them... it is rewarding in as much as they are better in the ridden work and I can do 5 minutes any time if I am short of time...

 

[ihatework]

I do a fair bit with them as young horses 3yo’s pre backing to 4yos. This gets less as they get older and is on the whole then more just lunging or sometimes playing with a lateral exercise in hand.

As young horses I do a few different bits of groundwork (defined as stuff that does not involve sitting on them!). I don’t generally long rein as I’m completely inept at it.
I lunge, I do in hand bridled work up alongside their shoulder (taught last few basic lateral work this way before they start it ridden), I’ll do a bit of basic manoeuvre/yielding work and I’ll also just do a bit of exposure to stuff, walking over etc.

This was one of my 3yo’s pre backing having an unstructured kind of meandering session

 

[Lucky Snowball]

I do poles, small circles to get step across carrot stretches, backing up etc after every schooling session so about 3 or 4 times a week. Physio always says how supple horse is.

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

He looks great - really grown up!

Thanks! He looks so grown with all his tack on, makes me a bit emosh!

 

[Caol Ila]

I'm like ihatework. I did a lot with Hermosa before she was backed. I do less now. Just when I'm short of time, or a month or so ago when the yard staff told me she was being difficult when they brought her in from turn out (we had one fairly serious groundwork session with lots of yielding sideways and backing.... no complaints since).

I do a bit more with Fin because he's a moody creature, and there are days when I just don't feel like riding through that. Like today. They're doing some construction next to the outdoor at the moment, which makes him a bit weird. He's a lot better in hand. He's getting damn good at in hand lateral work.

 

[little_critter]

My trainer is a member of Academic Art of Riding and therefore does a lot of groundwork / in hand work.
I don’t do as much as I should, I like riding, but as my horse is just starting to come back into work after nearly 6 months off it’s a good way to make walk rehab interesting, and he likes to keep his brain occupied.

I also discovered the other week while attempting to hand walk following box rest, that when my horse gets overexcited and difficult to contain, if I give the ‘halt’ signal I use when lunging (raise whip and point at croup) he halts! It even cuts through his over exuberance!