Groundwork Courses 1-4 Without Your Horse

Stage One

Groundwork, halter and rope based, This is a practical course.

The skills being taught will be as follows:

• Herd language and communication

• Why we do Groundwork

• Learning to fit and tie the halter correctly

• Pressure, what is it and how to use it. When to release pressure

• The ‘drive’ points and where to lead from

• The movements in the foundation and practical lessons in how to use them with my willing boys.

In our small group we shall go through what ‘respect’ training is and where the movements have come from. We will work with my horses covering all that’s included in the foundation program.

• Lunging for respect, how and why we turn the way we do and require the control over the body etc.

• Controlling the hind quarters, the engine and why.

• Learning to fit and tie the halter correctly

• Back up, from pressure and without pressure.

• Lateral flexions and lateral steps.

• Learning to soften the horse and work with them from the ground effectively and progressively in a way they understand.

We will cover how to use the equipment effectively such as the halter and long rope.

You will go home with a good introduction to groundwork and where it starts.

You are then open to participate in the flow on stage course. I recommend getting onto a ‘skills and drills’ clinic to further your equipment techniques.

Stage Two

Groundwork, halter and rope based.

The skills being taught will be as follows:

• Furthering your understanding of the foundation program, so you are confident identifying and practicing each movement. Also knowing the benefit each one leaves with the horse.

• We will cover… Feel, and the system of consistency… Ask/Tell/Make. The half halt/hold when working with the horse on the halter.

• How and when to use lateral flexions for training purposes.

• Some tricks with Perry, showing you how ‘aids/cues/buttons’ with the horse start and end.

• Bringing our understanding and use of the buttons together to negotiate through (set up) situations with the horse. Including laterals away from the fence, negotiating poles and learning to balance the horse through these movements. With and without the stick or long rope.

• Bringing our body language and the influence this has, into focus when instructing the horse.

This course is open to clients who have attended the stage one course or have covered the foundation program already in lessons.

Stage Three

Open to stage 2 students.

Ideally you will have practiced the exercises in the first stages a bit between courses so we can refine your handling and bring it all together.

We will be discussing how the brain of a horse is different to a predators and how a horse learns.

The skills being taught will be as follows:

• Now putting these movements together with my trained horses.

• Learning the feel through transitions and how to adapt yourself and the pressures accordingly enabling us to use them reliably to control the horse when he needs it the most on his training journey.

• Bringing our understanding and use of the buttons together to negotiate through (set up) situations with the horse. Including laterals away from the fence, negotiating poles and learning to balance the horse through these movements. With and without the stick or long rope.

• Lunge and turn transitions, timing and effectiveness of the aids and pressures Progressing onto lunging on the move with lateral control and transitions… How and why we do this.

• We will discuss how to understand the horses reaction to your actions and respond effectively.

• We will cover handling the rope and stick with confidence. Using both to instruct the horse softly casting the rope and practice some different ways of doing so. ’Skills & Drills’ )(practical practice)

Stage Four

Open to stage 3 students.

The skills being taught will be as follows:

• Holding and blocking pressures with the rope and halter and how to time these with the horse.

• Discussing and exploring deeper into the subject of training for lightness.

• Moving on from respect into the next stages as its prepares you as a leader, with a plan to train a horse that is not already ‘trained’.

• How to use these methods once established on the horse, to train the horse. For example when you take the horse out, back it, or want to hack alone safely.

• Preparing you for an ignorant/green horse, where technique, timing and first encounters are important.

Key Information

With my horses. All equipment provided. 3 hours long. Practical and theory.

£90

Please contact me to book or enquire.

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