Most horseback riders have encountered disrespectful horses. They come in all shapes and sizes, and some have even become dangerous. Fortunately, it doesn't take a world-renowned horseman to achieve positive results, as long as proper attention is devoted to training horses on the ground.
What are Ground Manners?
The term "ground manners" refers to the behavior of a horse when a rider is not on his back. A horse can have good or bad ground manners when:
- Led from one place to another
- Tacked up in his stall or in cross-ties
- Loaded into a trailer
- Grazed by hand in a pasture
- Groomed while tied
It is entirely possible for a horse to have poor ground manners but still behave well under saddle, and the opposite is true. This is why it is important for all horse owners to take the time for training horses on the ground. It is entirely possible for a horse with good ground manners to develop poor habits down the road, so this training must be consistent.
How to Recognize Poor Ground Manners
Horses who display poor ground manners will try to walk ahead of their handlers, paw at the ground, bite or "crowd" their handlers and generally make nuisances of themselves. They have no respect for their trainers' personal space and will often seem greedy.
A simply task such as leading a horse becomes difficult without establishing good ground manners. Every task becomes a battle of wills and, more often than not, the human loses.
Why are Ground Manners Important?
The goal of horse training on the ground is to establish an appropriate pecking order between horses and the humans who handle them. A pecking order is the hierarchy of power in a relationship. In the wild, horses establish a pecking order between themselves, and the alpha horse is the highest ranked in the herd.
The human in every relationship should be the alpha horse. Not only does the alpha horse command the most respect and demand the obedience of the rest of the herd, but he is also the source of safety for the other horses. In an appropriate pecking order, the horse relies on the human (alpha horse) to provide protection, reassurance and guidance.
How to Train Ground Manners
Horse training on the ground always starts in an enclosed, secure environment. Round pen training provides barriers so the horse does not feel as though he can run away from his handler. This set-up also provides the handler with increased safety.
The handler should put a halter and lead rope on the horse, hold the lead rope in one hand, and hold a lunge whip in the other hand. The lunge whip is used only to create appropriate distance between the horse and his handler, and not for punishment under any circumstances.
If the horse tries to crowd his handler, for example, the lunge whip can be used to push the horse away. Or, if the horse tries to balk when the handler moves forward, the lunge whip can be used from behind as an aid to get the horse going.
The handler should work on walking, halting and turning until the horse walks at the appropriate pace and starts and stops when asked. Once that is accomplished, the handler can move to tying the horse, grooming, tacking and other daily activities that demand good ground manners.
Most important, however, the handler must stay consistent and continue to demand good ground manners even when working on other things. For example, when getting read for a ride, the handler should still expect the horse to stand still even though they will work under saddle.
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