Why Groundwork Has Become My Go To: My Journey From Skeptic to Believer

Groundwork is a fairly new addition to my training tool box. As a trainer in sport horse disciplines, groundwork is not the usual part of the program. Some people would do a little natural horsemanship work but not very much. I would say very little in the hunter/jumper world. The western world has used groundwork way more than the sport horse world. We, fellow H/J trainers, actually used to make fun of it a bit. We called it hooley dooley and would say why are they just twirling a rope all the time. It’s so silly. Well I am now eating my words. 

My journey into utilizing more ground work started in two ways. As I get older and hopefully wiser, I am always looking for ways to work smarter and not harder, also safer and not scarier. I just really don’t feel the need to ride the horses through some of their mental breakdowns anymore, and I never really fixed them that way anyway. In helping horses break compensation patterns I needed more tools. I had always done lunge work and long lining.  When I was a very young horseman Linda Tellington Jones and her TTouch was popular and I attended some clinics. I had some knowledge and practice of other than mounted work with horses. The second is the horse that came into my life

That horse was Najib. There were several factors with Najib that ground work became instrumental for. I feel that the universe sent Najib to me in order for me to expand my knowledge and really delve into ground work. When Najib first arrived in the States he quickly became very very spooky. The farm we were at had donkeys and pot bellied pigs and Najib had a serious livestock phobia. He would quickly escalate to red zone; dangerous to himself and his handlers. When none of my usual tools worked I turned to ground work. I was just starting to learn some of this stuff and was not very good at it but I was able to work through some of it. Fast forward a year. We moved to KY and ended up having a super 4 year old year where he showed some, learned new things and was doing well. We went to Aiken in the early spring and Naj was doing all the things and looking to have a promising 5 year old year.  Then he got Lyme’s disease coupled with a back injury and was unable to be ridden for a year. During that year I deep dove into learning more about ground and in hand work methods to strengthen core and back and ways to focus on equine anxiety and behavioral issues. 

During this same time frame another horse came into training with me. Louis was a 4 year old TB that was definitely on the spectrum. Dubbed Sheldon, I implemented all these ground work exercises into his program along with desensitization work and it was nothing short of miraculous for him. 

I had another young horse that suddenly became very spooky and almost dangerous at times. A positive Lymes test led him to get treatment and months of ground work has this young horse back to his confident, reasonable self. 

A young Irish mare came into training. She became very herd bound to the point of bucking her owner off, refusing to go past the gate of her mare field and refusing to even leave the corner of the arena that was nearest her field. She also had pretty atrocious ground manners. Adding lots of ground work into her program has been miraculous in helping her trainability. Truly, one day she was charging and crashing herself into her stall door, dancing on cross ties, running over the top of us. I put on the rope halter and ran through the series of exercises. Within 15 minutes she was ground tieing quietly. Left in her stall opening with the gate open and not moving, standing on cross ties quietly for an extended length of time. She does need refreshing and this work has become a normal part of my work with her. 

Another 11 year old mare was just 100% physically and pretty much hated her very easy job.  Months of ground and lunge work has her sound and happy now. 

I could go on with examples. Now when a new horse comes to me the first thing I do is ground work. Even if they are in a good place. When a student comes to me with a problem or goal I always have a checklist in my head that I ask them if they’ve tried. Now groundwork is check # 1. From being very much a non believer, ground work is not my first go to in training horses. It takes practice. I’ve gotten pretty good at the things I’ve learned and put into practice and I love learning and adding more tools all the time! 

I’ve done a series of videos of the first few exercises I love to incorporate into my training. Please find the links to these videos below.  Each horses’ path has been different but these 5 things are the beginning for all of them.  It has been miraculous! 

If you want to learn more about this, dive deeper, or hear more on particular cases and what I used for their program drop a comment and we will do some case studies. 

Accidents Happen Anywhere at Any Time: Stay Safety Aware

Accidents happen. All the time. Especially with horses. We are dealing with prey animals that are over 1000 lbs. Sometimes it's a trip, a horse fly or bee sting, an unknown neurological disorder, a spook, a missed distance or a multitude of things beyond our control. Seeing anyone ride without a helmet is cringeworthy for sure. In recent years wearing helmets has definitely become more the norm.  Much like most people wear a seat belt these days without even thinking about it. Safety vests have become much more prevalent also. They are required during the cross country phase in eventing but their popularity in the  hunter/jumper discipline has increased tremendously. For good reason!  

Earlier this spring a dear friend and client of mine had a terrible fall. It was during the show jump phase at Novice level. It was at a vertical that was not even 3’ high. She was having the best course of her life! All the distances were great and the ride was going very well. She had a wonderful safe honest horse and had been showing at this level for over a year. The horse just never picked up his feet and flipped over the jump. The rider went flying and landing on her face. The horse rolled over his neck and staggered up. When witnessing an accident or fall like this time slows down. We all watched in horror at what could have easily killed this rider. For the 30 seconds it took me to run out to her I truly thought she was dead. I could not see her breathing. I cleared her airway and she breathed. She remained unconscious for around 10 minutes. It took another 10 minutes for her to move her feet and hands. I truly thought she was paralyzed. She was very very lucky to come away with a pretty severe concussion and being very sore but nothing more major. She was wearing an approved helmet of course. She was not, however,  wearing a vest. Would a vest have saved her some soreness? I’m sure some. Would it have decreased the force with which she hit the ground? I assume a little bit. Thankfully she now has a vest for show jump too. I can not describe the shock and horror of watching an accident like this. 

Just this past week another client was on a trail ride with other boarders here. She trail rides a lot and her horse is very good. Presumably over horse flies, but really unknown, her horse started bucking out of nowhere and this rider fell. She has significant injuries with many broken bones and punctured lung. She is lucky that she will eventually heal from all these injuries. She was absolutely wearing her helmet. Would an air vest have helped save her from at least some of these injuries? Definitely. 

Whether you are competing, jumping little jumps, riding at the top levels or taking a leisurely trail ride the unpredictability  of a large prey animal can lead to anything happening at any time. Even Liz Haliday who just returned from riding in the Olympics fell and has a traumatic brain injury. Several other top riders have had career ending falls, sometimes at the little jumps. There was a top hunter rider that was walking on a horse that tripped and he fell and broke his pelvis. The point being anything can happen, it doesn’t matter how well you ride, how safe your horse is or what you are doing. Helmets and safety vests are such an easy thing to wear to save your life. This week is safety awareness week and many tack shops have 20% off helmets and vests! 

Here are some safety tips to keep riding as safe as possible

• Always wear a helmet 

• Wear an air vest or safety vest 

• Always have a cell phone on you when trail riding or leaving an arena or if not many people are around. 

• Don’t look at your phone while riding and not pay attention to your surroundings

• Make sure someone knows you are riding and where you are going

• Remember 10 minutes on a lunge is better than 10 months in a cast 

• Be aware of your surroundings. Know when something is coming that may spook your horse. Then gather up your reins so you are ready to help the horse remain calm and confident. 

• Do ground work and desensitizing work with your horse. 

• Only attempt things with your horse that match your riding level. 

• Get help from a professional for you and your horse to improve your riding level. 

• When riding relaxed on a loose rein still have your reins organized and short enough that you could stop or remain under control if your horse spooks. 

• Horses that are working and on task are less likely to spook than when walking on a loose rein or trail riding. 

• Get regular vet checkups to make sure your horse is sound and hooves are always in good condition. 

• Have correctly fitting tack. 

Learning What Your MPM Should Feel Like

Learn and practice how the meter per minute (mpm) speed for your level should feel using markers and your watch. In this video we use cones set at different distances of common mpms for different levels. Start your watch as you pass the starting marker and get to the finish cone as your watch gets to 1 minute. It is important to know how the speed for your level should feel and learn how to keep your horse well balanced and maintain a good gallop position at that speed, whether it is 300 mpm for starter or 450 mpm for training.  *It is always ok to choose to go under mpm speed for a multitude of training circumstances for horse or rider. 

Watch riders demonstrate 220mpm for trot speed for Phase C Classic format, 325 mpm for an average Beginner Novice and 450 mpm for an average Training. 

To set up this exercise, set a start marker (cone) and use your meter wheel or your xc app to meter whatever distance you want to practice and set another marker. Make sure you can see the markers from horseback.

Positive Experiences Build Confidence: Introducing Your Young Horse to Competition Part 2

You’ve already brought your young horse to enough competitions as a non-compete that you can ride them around fairly relaxed and they accept hectic surroundings. The number of outings this takes depends on the horse. It is also helpful to bring your horse on other types of field trips. If your horse lives at home, trailering out for lessons is a great field trip. Going to public equestrian parks is also a good excursion. After as many outings as it takes for travel and new places to become non stressful it is time to take the plunge. 

If you are lucky enough to board at a barn that hosts shows, participating in a show at home can be a great first step. Having your trainer show your horse first is also a smart way to give your horse a positive experience. Finding C rated or schooling shows in your discipline is a super way to watch the budget in giving your horse its initial mileage. Dressage, eventing, and hunter jumper all have unrated and schooling show options. 

In the Hunter Jumper discipline you are able to school the jumps the day before the show as a non compete which can help give your horse a lot of confidence and learn what his job is. There are pro classes and warm up classes that can also be utilized for your horse to learn his job. In H/J most horses start with a professional in the 2’6” Baby Greens at the A circuit. C or B rated shows will have even smaller divisions that can give some mileage at 2’ or 2’3”. Even when a horse will ultimately be a jumper it is nice to go around the hunter ring to teach them straightness and rhythm. Though many shows also have puddle jumpers and very small jumper classes. Be mindful of not doing too many classes with your horse even if they are eligible. The bigger the jumps the less classes a horse should do per show. No more than 2 divisions for hunters. Jumpers should only do 1 or 2 classes per day and not every day of 4 or 5 day shows. 

Lindsey and young horse Apollo Rocket at his first Combined Test.

Mini events, combined tests, and dressage schooling shows can offer a lower cost and sometimes very small jumps to help give your young horse confidence. Many mini events allow schooling of the courses beforehand. You can also show in opportunity classes at rated dressage shows which don’t require membership. Dressage horses can do intro classes at just walk trot. If the canter is still not really happening a walk trot test can be much less stressful. Mini events and Combined Tests often have cross rails or 2’ vertical only divisions. Doing a combined test first without the added question of cross country is also a good way to introduce your horse to his new career. 

What level should you start at? Even if you are schooling more at home or in lessons it is always a good idea to start small. I would much rather finish the first couple competitions confidently and thinking that was easy or boring and we could have easily done a higher level rather than thinking that it was scary for the horse and we did too much. It  is difficult to rebuild confidence. 

Maddie and 5 year old Louisiana Blues at his first combined test.

The most important factor in beginning your horses’ competition career is to create positive experiences that inspire confidence in your horse and allow them to be happy and sound and enjoy their jobs.

Meet Najib, a 6 year old Dutch Warmblood by For Romance out of a Pik Bube 1 mare

Naj was imported as a 3 yo as a sale project for a partner and I to do together. Only a few months into the partnership, due to unforeseen circumstances with the barn Hidden Gem was based out of in IL closing, my partner moved her other horses closer to home and Hidden Gem relocated to KY. In a wonderful turn of events I was able to buy my partner out and be the sole owner of this sweet talented then 4 year old. That year I started bringing him along, doing a mini trial and a couple rated dressage shows. He had great scores at Training and First Level!

Naj is one of the sweetest, most polite horses I have ever met, but he did have some major phobias. The farm we were at in IL had some pot bellied pigs, goats and donkeys. He was utterly terrified of the pigs and never got over them while we were at that farm. This phobia led me to look into using much more ground work and looking into different ways to work with this horse.

As a five year old, Naj came along on our winter Aiken trip. While in Aiken we were able to really start focusing on his training for eventing and dressage. We came home to Kentucky April 2023, and competed at MLEC Spring Classic and received High Score at First Level. He had so much promise!

Then in May of 23, he came in from the field one day with severe back pain. He was soon diagnosed and treated for Lymes Disease, but the back pain never got better. Through many x-rays, ultrasounds, and bone scans the vet team at Rood and Riddle could never pinpoint a diagnosis or cause other than knowing it is muscular. He gets lots of modalities daily, regular bodywork by Beth Sabor, focused nutrition, supplements and chinese herbs. The biggest thing to help him has been his rehab work. Working with Dr. Megan Repking of Vetspine long distance for additional insight to develop a unique physical therapy program that focuses on slow strengthening of his back has been the biggest help. I've been doing lots of long line work, in hand, ground work, etc- which is working! Now we have added working with weights on a surcingle and with a saddle, weighted boots, only canter, over poles, hill work. His back pain definitely improves with and after work.

While I don’t know if he will ultimately have to retire at a very young age or make a full recovery back to competition, it is looking like a year after symptom onset I will be able to try to ride walk soon. This horse has made me think outside the box more than others in my career. He has led me to look into and learn way more ground work. Originally to deal with his red zone phobic reactions because my go to ways were not working. And then in his lengthy physical therapy! He has helped me grow in my horsemanship and education. He’s the soundest most spectacular looking unrideable horse I’ve ever seen.

The Value of the Non Compete: Introducing your young horse to competition.

The atmosphere at horse shows can be a lot for a horse. Traveling, other horses, separation from their normal herd, new sounds and sights, lots of activity, loudspeakers, golf carts, bikes, tractors, water trucks, are just a few of the things that are commonplace on the show grounds. For many horses these are things they never see on a regular basis. Some horses can take everything in stride and not get anxious about all this new stuff. Some lose their minds. 

In training young horses it is very important to provide good positive experiences. It takes time to teach a horse how to be a good citizen, confident in themselves and how to handle new experiences. One of the best ways to start this process is to bring your horse to shows as a noncompete. Some owners feel that this is not a good way to spend their money. In the long run this is one of the most valuable ways to help your horse be exposed to so many things in the least stressful way possible. They get the time to hang out and learn about the atmosphere without the added stress of having to compete. They stay overnight and get to hear and see all manner of things. Spend time walking them around. Lots of grazing and watching. You will be able to ride or work with them at a time when things are quiet and not have to ride at a busy time just because that is when your class goes. Find an out of the way area to do your first rides. The horse has plenty of time to get comfortable in the environment and realize it's not so scary. Show them ALL the things. The sand hitting the fence, banners, garbage cans, porty potty doors slamming, jump cups moving, jumps falling down, water trucks, tractors, cars, trailers, other horses lunging, crowded schooling areas, everything! This may take several shows for some horses. At hunter jumper shows you will be able to school around some courses on Tuesday or in the mornings and get valuable experience and training on what their job is. 

It takes time to teach a horse how to be a show horse. Hanging out at shows until the atmosphere is no big deal is important. Only when they are relaxed can they be receptive to training and learning the skills required to be a winner.