ChasingTheDream
Well-Known Member
My new youngester is a bit bargy, and pushy, and clings to me like a shadow, so I'm hoping to do some groundwork excercises to stop these.
any tips?
any tips?
Groundowrk Excercises
- Thread starter ChasingTheDream
- Start date
chloe91
Active Member
my old mare was very bargy and cheeky, still is a bit its just part of her personality i guess, however what i found helped was doing lots of backing up, moving her over and to constantly change it up walk, stand, back up, walk, stand, over... otherwise she would get bored and start playing up lol
Chavhorse
Well-Known Member
When I moved my bargy rude hulking warmblood X to a livery yard owned by my Western trainer he took one look said no way am I having a rude horse that drags people around here, and proceeded to insist that any pulling was met with a "hey" and a back up until his eye was again just in front of my shoulder (so you can see the horses expression, worried, calm, evil etc) we spent a lot of hours backing up!
Eventually he got it walk calmly next to the person leading you and you don't have to back up all the time (he is a WBX it took a while )
After we mastered this the next step was the automatic whoa i.e. I say whoa you stop with your arse tucked under you as soon as I think whoa! (again a lot of hours of backing up) but he got it
Next step was walk on your own four feet you are a big boy and I do not need to hold onto your head you can do that, you can guess what is coming right as soon as he leans on you whoa and back up, as well as me having a session with YO's quarter horse which is like leading a feather no weight in your rope at all so I could feel what the ideal felt like (as at the time I was just happy not to be dragged anymore!)
Head down was taught from the very start and covers everything from head collar and bridle on, and leading (for those oh so wonderful giraffe moments) and also when you want to do something like open a gate much easier if horse is stood still relaxed with head down . We started off having to put pressure on his poll for him to bring his head done (release as soon as he moves down in any way) and have now worked up to just putting my hand over his poll without touching him and he brings his head down. For bridling and head collar as soon as I pick up either he puts his head down until I tell him he can put his head up.
I am proud to say I now have a hulking warmblood x who I can lead with one hand on the end of a lead rope and my thumb and forefinger of my near hand halfway down the rope he is now nearly as light to lead as the QH's. He also stops as soon as I say whoa on the spot rock still and will not move till told he can.
It has though taken a lot of time and patience and I used to moan like hell at the amount of time spent training this and I am sure a lot of people will say "god how anal" but I am very thankful all it takes is a whoa for him to stand totally still put his head down and wait for the next instruction rather than the old days of drag and tanking off.
Now he is a polite lad I still do lots of ground work with him but tend to put up grids and obstacles to keep it interesting.
Enjoy
Eventually he got it walk calmly next to the person leading you and you don't have to back up all the time (he is a WBX it took a while )
After we mastered this the next step was the automatic whoa i.e. I say whoa you stop with your arse tucked under you as soon as I think whoa! (again a lot of hours of backing up) but he got it
Next step was walk on your own four feet you are a big boy and I do not need to hold onto your head you can do that, you can guess what is coming right as soon as he leans on you whoa and back up, as well as me having a session with YO's quarter horse which is like leading a feather no weight in your rope at all so I could feel what the ideal felt like (as at the time I was just happy not to be dragged anymore!)
Head down was taught from the very start and covers everything from head collar and bridle on, and leading (for those oh so wonderful giraffe moments) and also when you want to do something like open a gate much easier if horse is stood still relaxed with head down . We started off having to put pressure on his poll for him to bring his head done (release as soon as he moves down in any way) and have now worked up to just putting my hand over his poll without touching him and he brings his head down. For bridling and head collar as soon as I pick up either he puts his head down until I tell him he can put his head up.
I am proud to say I now have a hulking warmblood x who I can lead with one hand on the end of a lead rope and my thumb and forefinger of my near hand halfway down the rope he is now nearly as light to lead as the QH's. He also stops as soon as I say whoa on the spot rock still and will not move till told he can.
It has though taken a lot of time and patience and I used to moan like hell at the amount of time spent training this and I am sure a lot of people will say "god how anal" but I am very thankful all it takes is a whoa for him to stand totally still put his head down and wait for the next instruction rather than the old days of drag and tanking off.
Now he is a polite lad I still do lots of ground work with him but tend to put up grids and obstacles to keep it interesting.
Enjoy
ChasingTheDream
Well-Known Member
When you say you backed him up - how ? I know it might sound silly but did you push him back yourself?
Thanks though, seems really good and hopefully he'll respond as well as your horse has
Thanks though, seems really good and hopefully he'll respond as well as your horse has
fidleyspromise
Well-Known Member
Chavhorse has given some excellent advice.
In addition to this, to get him thinking, can put poles down in an L shape and get him moving through these without touching them. Backing up through them also gets him to think about where to place each foot.
When teaching mine - I would use the lead rope and steady pressure to put horse backwards. / can use one finger in chest (depends how far ahead of you he is). As long as you get him backed up to where his eye is level with you, it won't matter the technique you use (as long as not extreme such as hitting etc).
In addition to this, to get him thinking, can put poles down in an L shape and get him moving through these without touching them. Backing up through them also gets him to think about where to place each foot.
When teaching mine - I would use the lead rope and steady pressure to put horse backwards. / can use one finger in chest (depends how far ahead of you he is). As long as you get him backed up to where his eye is level with you, it won't matter the technique you use (as long as not extreme such as hitting etc).
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Chavhorse
Well-Known Member
When you say you backed him up - how ? I know it might sound silly but did you push him back yourself?
Thanks though, seems really good and hopefully he'll respond as well as your horse has
Started up by just touching his chest with one hand whilst moving my other hand holding the line towards his chest in a very slight downward motion. Once he got the message all I had to do was to make a slight movement of my hand towards him and slightly down and he would back up. He has now been fully western trained so when he backs up he puts his head down and rounds.
Just remember you want him to lead with his eye at your shoulder level if he stops one inch past where you want him to you back him up to the level you want him at. Do the same when you are practicing "whoa" if you say "whoa" and he steps on say two steps you back him up the two steps set off again then "whoa" what you want is "whoa" and stop dead not amble forwards a bit
When you start teaching him exaggerate everything for instance when you go to walk off your hand comes forward in the direction you want to go and your right leg can really exaggerate upwards (looks silly but you are then giving really clear signals and once he gets the message you can bring the signals right back down again). Once you get setting of forwards licked then practice moving off to the left and right again exaggerate everything so it sinks in.
A tip my trainer gave me when you want him to move away from you then place your hand where the girth would be and gently push (this is the same aid your leg will give when you are riding him) so he moves away from you step by step. Eventually just placing your hand on will make him step away, ultimately you are looking to just give a signal toward the girth area on which ever side you are standing and get an instant step to the side.
Mishaspey good advice about the poles set up an L shaped grid with poles and lead forwards and backwards getting him to think about where he is placing his feet all the time. When you are more practiced try to get him to turn around in the grid again slowly and step by step, step back, stop, one side step, stop, step back stop etc until you are facing in the opposite direction.
I have to say the ground work has really helped in his ridden work and the one bit of advice my YO has given me which is priceless "if you can control your horses feet you have total control of your horse"
Good luck and enjoy patience is very much the key here
ChasingTheDream
Well-Known Member
Started up by just touching his chest with one hand whilst moving my other hand holding the line towards his chest in a very slight downward motion. Once he got the message all I had to do was to make a slight movement of my hand towards him and slightly down and he would back up. He has now been fully western trained so when he backs up he puts his head down and rounds.
Just remember you want him to lead with his eye at your shoulder level if he stops one inch past where you want him to you back him up to the level you want him at. Do the same when you are practicing "whoa" if you say "whoa" and he steps on say two steps you back him up the two steps set off again then "whoa" what you want is "whoa" and stop dead not amble forwards a bit
When you start teaching him exaggerate everything for instance when you go to walk off your hand comes forward in the direction you want to go and your right leg can really exaggerate upwards (looks silly but you are then giving really clear signals and once he gets the message you can bring the signals right back down again). Once you get setting of forwards licked then practice moving off to the left and right again exaggerate everything so it sinks in.
A tip my trainer gave me when you want him to move away from you then place your hand where the girth would be and gently push (this is the same aid your leg will give when you are riding him) so he moves away from you step by step. Eventually just placing your hand on will make him step away, ultimately you are looking to just give a signal toward the girth area on which ever side you are standing and get an instant step to the side.
Mishaspey good advice about the poles set up an L shaped grid with poles and lead forwards and backwards getting him to think about where he is placing his feet all the time. When you are more practiced try to get him to turn around in the grid again slowly and step by step, step back, stop, one side step, stop, step back stop etc until you are facing in the opposite direction.
I have to say the ground work has really helped in his ridden work and the one bit of advice my YO has given me which is priceless "if you can control your horses feet you have total control of your horse"
Good luck and enjoy patience is very much the key here
Thanks
- Im definatley going to do this, hopefully it wont be long till he catches on ;D I'll most likely post again, asking for more help
But thanks
