Working with Horses In Hand Part 1

Introduction to training a horse In hand

FTP’Coaching Affilitate Disclosure

Working and training your horse on the ground and in hand is a huge topic and therefore I have decided to write part 1 and part 2 to cover the fundamentals of the different kinds of practices.  It is one of my favorite training techniques.  Especially when the time doesn’t allow me to tack up and go for a ride, I usually have enough time to work them  ” on the ground” or “in hand”.  Groundwork and In hand work typically refer to various activities done with the horse while the handler is on the ground.  In the german language we use the term ‘Bodenwork’ and ‘Handarbeit’.  ‘Boden’ meaning the ground you stand on and work and ‘Handarbeit’ the hand work.

Ground and In-hand work is a skill and it takes practice to master it . I enjoy working my horses on the ground and  in hand as it puts me on the same level as them and I found it builds trust, respect and is a perfect way to build a strong channel for communication.  I use it to help improve the horse’s balance, suppleness, and responsiveness to my cues. My aids and cues translate eventually into my riding cues so using especially in hand work  is the perfect practice to bring horses back into work or start young horses prior to being started under saddle.

The tack I use differs depending on what ground and in hand work I do with my horse however I try not to let perfect equipment hold me back in doing the work.  A light longish whip (hip length), rope halter and lead will do the trick, a cavesson or bridle and some good footwear and gloves to be safe.

Key principles to train a horse In hand

Throughout many years of working and training horses I learnt the following principles:

1. Safety First: Make sure you are aware of your surroundings at all times. Observe what is happening around you,  be in the moment and minimise any potential risk for you or your horse to get in trouble. Further more wear appropriate clothing for what you do with your horse.
2. Understand Horse Behaviour: Limiting your safety risks is to learn about equine behaviour and body language. You need to be able to read (listen) your horse and communicate effectively. You will find a lot of material published on horse nature and characters however try not to ‘box’ your horse into any category. Your horse is an individual therefore tailor your approach for yor horse.
3. Respective boundaries: You gain your horses respect by having respect for your horse. Respect the horses space and boundaries and communicate your space and boundaries.
4. Clear communication: Establish and use consistant cues and body language to communicate to gain rapport and trust. Our foals are introduce to some of these on day two. They learn their name, to touch and to move away. Take note of a horses body language and calming signals (licking and chewing, yawning) . I am aware of horses being highly attuned to body language therefore I often check my own posture, position, gestures, emotions and energy.
5. Start Slowly: Introduce new exercises by breaking them down into smaller steps and allow the horse to understand and respond. In hand work takes time, be patient and persistent.
6. Reward often: I try to reward the smallest try.
7. Know when to end the session: End a session on a good note. I keep my in hand sessions short and to the point.
8. Seek professonal advise: I found over the years that frustration appears when knowledge ends.  I seek advise when I get frustrated to avoid the having my horse getting confused and looses trust in me.  Reach out to FTP coaching. 

Practices to train a horse In hand

In hand work starts early in a horses live. Our foals are taught daily handling skills which already include steps that will assist them later in the in hand activities below:

Foundation practices

Groundwork: In general the definition of groundwork means foundation, basis or preparation made beforehand for further work. In the horse world it translates into a variety of exercises done from the ground to improve the horse’s manners, obedience, and responsiveness. This can include ground manners, leading, circling, lunging, long-lining, and liberty work. Let’s dive into some of these below and explore what they are.

1. Ground manners are steps taken to teach a horse behave politely, respectfully, to stand quietly, be groomed, tied up or visited by a vet to admister medication or apply bandages. This is our number one (1) on the ground.  Our more advanced horses can be ground tied and/or placed to wait till called but it all starts by teaching them to stand still.
   • The Federation Equestre International has a great article on that topic that evernone should read.
2. Leading is teaching the horse to walk politely beside the handler without pulling or dragging. The exercise might extend into trot and canter depending on the situation.  Leading is one of the fundamental exercises used and we often don’t pay enough attention to the detail that is within the task. Pitfalls are timing and lack of consistency which I see all the time being applied which causes a horse to lose confidence in their handler.
3. Circling is an exercise that brings together ground manners and leading and adds space/distance into the mix.  Circling can be done in walk, trot and canter and establishes the ‘send’ , ‘allow’ and ‘bring’ back.

Transformation and Performance practices

1. Lunging: An exercise to build trust and communication with the horse. It allows you to work on the horses balance, rhythm, and relaxation. Here is a good tip on lunging by Clint Anderson from DownUnder Horsemanship. 
2. Long-reining: Driving the horse from behind while using long reins to mimic the cues of riding. This helps the horse learn to respond to rein aids and develop balance and coordination.
3. In-hand exercises: Specific exercises designed to improve the horse’s flexibility, balance, and obedience. This can include shoulder-in, haunches-in, leg-yielding, and backing up. More precision and attention to detail is being placed in this more classical dressage on the ground approach.

I have not listed ‘Liberty’as a in hand practice even though it is a practice that also has an element of ground work.  Here is a quick example:  ‘Revisiting liberty with Mira’  . The video shows you some of the leading and circling work usually done on line.

In hand practices are often done using tack e.g. halter, cavesson, bridle, rope or lunge line and some use side reins and other type of reins and ropes which might assist when used correctly.

Exercises to train horse In hand

In this section of my blog I will share some of my most used in hand exercises that I do with my horses. The foundation exercises are typically tailored to my young horses however I do find that at times these need to be revisited with older horses due to any number of potential issues found. The transformation type practices I usually use for horses being started under saddle and the Performance level ones target the more experienced horses under saddle.

Foundation:

Ground manners

My most used basic ground manner exercises:

• Halt and stand still to be touched all over and groomed (incl pick up feet).
• Yielding away from pressure (forequarters, hindquarters and backing up). My space and their space.
• Ground tying. 

In summary: My daily handling program for my foals include some of these excersises as part of setting up basic communication cues.   The process of touching a foal all over while being asked to stand still. Yielding from pressure is shown at an early age to set up respect for personal space.

Leading

My most used basic leading excercises:

• Leading with respect and trust (To begin, ensure that your horse is comfortable with you standing by their side.)
• Leading and practice to stop, backing up and turning (use body language to do it) with increasing distance.
• Leading a horse through, over and under obstacles eg.  a gate, a barrel
• Leading a horse over poles (one foot at a time)  Pole work with Andrew Hoy
• Weave through cones
• Sideways away or towards me

 

In summary: Leading horses in my view should be practiced a lot more by every horse rider and handler. It is the most important practice to master well.  Often it is overlooked and not recognised as the cause for loading issues, spooking and other challenges.  The practice of leading is foundational and if done well many more advanced exercises and activities fall into place.  My favorite saying in this is: ‘You ride the horse you lead’.

Circling

My most used basic circling exercises:

• Small and big circles
• Transitions from halt, walk, trot and canter
• Travelling circles (all paces)
• Circling over poles and cavalettis or logs (all paces)

In summary: Circling isn’t lunging. Pat Parelli provides a very good explanation which you can listen to right here – The Circling Game with Pat Parelli 

Transformation & Performance

I will quickly cover some of the more advanced in hand practices in this section without deep diving into them as they deserve a seperate blog to be written.  Look out for ‘Part 2’ release in the coming weeks.

Lunging

In my training program, lunging is the progression from circling and the other foundational practices with their exercises.  The horse is usually tacked up with a cavesson and lunge line and sometimes with a roller or wears a saddle.  The handler uses a lunge whip and stands in the centre (triagle positition to horse) to guide the horse in walk, trot and canter in a circle with a strong focus on the horse’s correct body position.  Now this assumes a handler understands from a bio mechanical point of view what a ‘correct’ body position is otherwise contra collection is being taught and muscle memory and muscles are built in correctly. Lunging correctly is a skill and of great value for the horse’s well being when done well.

Long reining

I use the practice of  long reining in particular with young horses prior to starting them under saddle. It is a way to slowly introduce rein aids and to introduce them to giving direction by hand from behind.  Use long reining after the foundation of ground manners, leading and circling.  The equipment is usually dressage whip, bridle and proper fitted bit,a surcingle or training roller and long reins, gloves and appropriate footwear. Practic long reining in an enclosed area prior to going out into an open paddock/field or on a trail.

Classical dressage In hand

I use classical dressage in hand work nearly every day as a warm up with my horses that are under saddle. It allows me to asked them to stretch, bend and flex while holding themselve’s in the correct body position. I find it helpful to start in an arean with a fence however eventually this can be practiced in any safe surrounding.  The equipment I use depends on the horse’s training level. Less experienced horses wear a cavesson and lead attached where more advanced horses are led by the reins and bit and therefore wear their bridle.

Should you be in the South East Corner of Queensland, Australia I do hold clinics that cover ground work  practices and our next clinic is targeting ‘Long reining and Classical Dressage In Hand’ so if you are keen contact me for the details to attend send me an email FTP Coaching. In the meantime, I hope you got some insights from this blog and don’t be shy to drop me a line or comment below.

 

Enjoy your horses till next time!