To ground drive a horse, trainers must realize that this is the foundation of riding. Mixed signals and confusing cues will make riding harder rather than easier, lengthening the time it takes to train the horse. Therefore, it is a good idea to practice with a seasoned horse first, then move to young animals when the trainer is confident.
Ground driving requires several pieces of equipment:
- Halter or bridle without reins
- Two lunge lines (19-21 feet)
- Surcingle with no wither pads
- Lunge whip or driving line
Horses that have never worn a bridle should be driven in a halter to prevent further confusion and fear. The surcingle should not have wither pads because, if it does, the line from the horse's head to the trainer's hands will be elevated and less than ideal for ground driving
The ideal ground driving reins are nylon lunge lines of equal length. It is easier to use lines with chains rather than just snaps on the end, though either style will work. If possible, try to find ground driving lines without rubber donuts on the ends.
Lunge Line Exercises
Ground driving is one of the best lunge line exercises, but it should not be the first. Trainers should start with other exercises that acclimate the horse to use of ground driving reins before they attempt to ground drive a horse. This will lead to less confusion and more willingness on the part of the animal.
There are several lunge line exercises that can be used as a precursor to ground driving. For example, many trainers free lunge their horses during the training process, but this does not introduce the horse to the use of lunge lines. A better idea is to lunge the horse with a line and a surcingle for several days prior to driving.
Ground Driving Set-Up
The set-up for ground driving a horse is very simple. The two lunge lines should be attached to opposite rings of either the halter or the bridle. A lunging cavesson will work as well. The surcingle should be girthed tightly just like a saddle and rest just behind the withers, with the girth centered under the belly.
The ground driving reins should be fed through the center D-rings on the surcingle. This creates a direct line from the horse's mouth to the trainer's hands and prevents the lines from getting crossed over the horse's back.
It is usually best to ground drive a horse with two people to avoid scaring the animal. One person should walk around the horse with right-side ground driving rein while the second person holds the left rein in his hand.
Ground Driving the Horse
To ground drive a horse, the primary trainer should stand approximately six feet behind the horse, out of kicking distance. The easiest way to start a training session is by giving the horse a direction: Right or left. At all times, the trainer should keep in mind how he would signal a turn from on the horse's back rather than from behind him.
Training horses to steer is a complicated process and requires patience. The trainer must not simply jerk back one of the lines and expect a response; instead, he should gently apply pressure and ask the horse to give. If the horse turns his head, the trainer should release the pressure. Then he starts again until the horse takes a step, releasing the pressure again.
A lunge whip is used not to spur the horse into action, but to maintain a safe and practical distance between horse and trainer. If the horse backs up or if he refuses to move forward, the trainer can use the lunge whip as his or her legs.
Maintaining Consistency
The easiest way to ground drive a horse is to bridge the ground driving reins. This means crossing each line over the other in the trainer's hands and holding them both approximately one foot apart. The hands will have to move in tandem and are therefore more likely to behave just like regular reins when the rider is in the saddle.
It is a good idea to ground drive a horse several days in a row until all cues are met immediately with the appropriate response. However, it is one of the best lunge line exercises and can therefore be used throughout the horse's training to increase flexibility and cooperation.
 |
