In hand work

[jesterfaerie]

I am curious to know if anyone exercises their horse in hand and why you choose to do it? Do you do it to teach movements? Add a bit of variety to their work? Or just have a bit of a bonding session?
I have occasionally hacked my horse out just leading him, he came with insecurity issues whilst hacking and although he is 9/10 fine to hack ridden wise every so often leading him relaxes him a lot more and he becomes more confident. Although the main reason I have done this before is for me to get a bit more exercise up the hills especially

I have also used it when I was first teaching his lateral work.

Does anyone else do in hand work or do you think that you should just do everything ridden and there is no need to do anything like this out of the saddle?

 

[aimeejay]

I do in hand,
a) to practice for in hand shows
b) adding a bit of variety
c) i enjoy being on the ground with my horse bonding

 

[chestnut cob]

I do quite a bit. When I got him he was rude, ignorant and bolshy so I did some IH type groundwork for manners and to establish boundaries. He took to it straight away and really enjoys it so I try to do something like that once a week, even if it's just for 10 mins. He thinks it's play time now

I also long rein (don't lunge often) which is a great way to get him working and stretching without the added complication of a rider and saddle on top, and also a good way for me to see whether he's looking stiff and how he's working. I do all of the usual school movements - changes of rein, circles, figures of 8, serpentines - and have started adding lateral work. As with normal work, it's a good way to get him doing lateral work without me on board giving him confusing signals! He has hock spavins (which have been treated) but he does still get stiff and had some incorrect muscles because of compensation for the soreness he had, so physio left me with some in hand exercises to do over poles. So, I either do purely pole work on the ground or sometimes I combine it with manners groundwork (so I do poles with him in the Dually), or I do it on the long reins. Doing it on the LRs means I can work him in trot as well. And finally...I quite often LR for 10 or 15 mins before a schooling session or lesson as it warms him up nicely.

It's great for variety, great for something different and a really good way to build up a bond and relationship with your horse. You should give it a go

 

[stencilface]

I would really like to try in hand work with mine, although we don't have a school. I have tried to long rein before but I normally end up meandering around the field with him. He gets very confused as to why I am behind him and never wants to go in a straight line! I don't feel confident enough to take him on the roads by myself like this - have a feeling he might just take the pee a little

I think I am going to try and have a lesson in long reining to get me started though - when i get round to it

 

[chestnut cob]

I don't LR behind my horse, I do it to the side (about level with his belly). That way you can work him easier on a circle and you can see what's going on better. You need to look at how much outside rein you're using if he's meandering where he's going - I was surprised at how much is needed.

Do you have lessons? I had some sessions on LR with my instructor to show me what to do

 

[CrazyMare]

Not with my older horse, but my yearling has a few sessions very occasionally, teaching to lead/stop/turn/trot/walk on command.

By occasionally, she gets maybe 3 sessions in 2 weeks on the run up to a big show (that would be two this year then!) and then gets left until the next one, and just practices on hte way up and down from the field.