“Ten Reasons Why Ground Work Will Help Ridden Work”
About Michelle
– If you would like to know more about Michelle then listen to her previous chats
First Chat – 217 – Michelle O’Neill
Second Chat – 297 – Michelle O’Neill 2 – “Ten Tips to Find The Ideal Horse”
Third Chat – 426 – Michelle O’Neill 3 – “Ten Tips to Prepare For The Trail”
About This Episode
“Ten Reasons Why Ground Work Will Help Ridden Work”
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“Ten Reasons Why Ground Work Will Help Ridden Work”
1 – Groundwork isn’t Just Rope Twirling
– Groundwork is EVERYTHING you do with your horse on the ground
– Right from the moment you walk in the yard
– If you lay the foundations and the boundaries at the start and never deviate from them, horse training is much easier
– How can we expect horse to know the difference between work and not work?
– Example; children
– Example; catching your horse
– Example; float loading
2 – Better groundwork will mean less time on the ground.
– Groundwork leads to a better relationship with your horse
– Increases the connection
– Helps to develop feel
– Increases trust
– Prepare for the unexpected
– All I ever want is for my horse to check in before he leaves!
– I can “punch above my weight” if my groundwork is correct!
3 – Better groundwork will mean easier training under saddle
– It is possible to teach many manoeuvres on the ground before trying them under saddle
– Example; flexion
– Example; paces
– Example; giving to pressure
– You can lay a solid foundation so there are no surprises later on.
4 – Groundwork can make training more interesting
– Training horses is about having tools in your tool box
– Everyone hits a rut on occasions with their riding, groundwork is an option to do something different
– “A riders greatest tool is their imagination” Ian Francis
5 – Make the most of those days when riding isn’t possible
– Bad weather? No Time? Tired? Feeling stressed? Groundwork!
– If I have my son and young horses and I can’t ride? Groundwork!
6 – Are you both paying attention?
– Make sure your horse is dialled into you before you start riding
– If you feel a little distracted or overawed (as it is easy too) groundwork helps you to do a pre-ride check to make sure you are attentive to your horse.
– If you start ground work and things aren’t going well,, perhaps re think your plan
7 – Increase Softness and Responsiveness
– This happens when you improve your timing and feel
– Being on the ground enables you to focus on little things
– Example; holding the rope when lunging
– Example; using a horsemanship stick when lunging
8 – Push your boundaries
– Learn how to expose your horse to scary objects
– Often it is the rider who is more worried than the horse!
– Learn to be a strong leader who your horse wants to work with
– Gain more trust and respect from your horse
– Example; confined spaces
9 – Save time
– Everyone is busy and battles to make time for riding, so make every minute count
– Spend ten minutes on the groundwork and get your horse “dialled in” and then riding will be easier
– Establish a connection with your horse before swinging a leg over
– Example; Hugh
10 – Build a better relationship with your horse
– Nearly all the previous points lead to this
– I believe this is possibly the most important point of them all
– Through groundwork I have been able to learn to read my horses better and to better horse trainer
– The time spent on groundwork has enabled me to observe my horses faces and reactions more closely (which you can’t do on their back) – example of this is listening for licking and chewing
– I can spend more time watching and observing them without having to worry about how my riding affects them
– A better relationship can help many people build confidence.
Ground work need not be boring and you don’t have to do it every day, but if it makes your life easier and your horse journey more fun; it has to be worth considering!
Time Stamp
03:27 – 1 – Groundwork isn’t Just Rope Twirling
06:37 – 2 – Better groundwork will mean less time on the ground.
11:09 – 3 – Better groundwork will mean easier training under saddle
13:48 – 4 – Groundwork can make training more interesting
18:22 – 5 – Make the most of those days when riding isn’t possible
20:10 – 6 – Are you both paying attention?
23:14 – 7 – Increase Softness and Responsiveness
26:28 – 8 – Push your boundaries
29:36 – 9 – Save time
33:20 – 10 – Build a better relationship with your horse
40:20 – Contact details see below
Michelle’s Contact Details
Phone: 02 6454 3030 or +61 2 6454 3030
Email: info@cherrytreeequine.com.au
Website: www.cherrytreeequine.com.au
Facebook: Cherry Tree Equine
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