Groundwork exercises can be highly effective for building your horse’s strength as they can develop core stability, balance and muscle tone without needing to compensate for the added weight and restriction of a rider.

All horses have a dominant side – like us being right- or left-handed – and with this exercise you can target developing the weaker side as well as building overall core strength. The use of raised and angled poles make horses lift their knees and bend the hocks, think where to place their feet, engage their core and and open their shoulders.

Aims

• Develop weaker side
• Engage core and get horse working through the back
• Improve proprioception

The setup

You will need: a training halter, lunging cavesson, or your horse’s usual bridle

Setup: You can use as many poles as you have time to lay out, but six is a good number. Arrange them in a zig-zag as shown in the diagram, raising the points where the poles meet on to 15–20cm blocks on one side.

Because this is a walk exercise, don’t worry too much about the spacing – they can be quite close together or at right angles. It’s up to your horse to work out where to put his feet.

How to do the exercise

• Before you try the polework exercise, warm your horse up by leading him on both reins for about 10min. You should do transitions from walk to halt, to check he is paying attention to you. You can also ask him to rein-back from the ground or do some basic lateral work. Your horse should be walking actively forwards and straight, as you would expect under saddle.
• Approach the zig-zag directly in the centre. As you are working in-hand, you should keep yourself parallel to your horse’s head but outside the poles, rather than stepping over them as this may affect how you lead and balance your horse.
• Because the spacing between the poles varies, and they are higher on one side than the other, this will encourage your horse to think about where he puts his feet, constantly adjusting his balance and stride length. Stepping over uneven, raised obstacles asks your horse to lift their core, thereby building topline.
• You should do this exercise several times in each direction, bearing in mind one side is higher than the other. To work on your horse’s weaker side, do more lines where he has to lift that side higher. For example, if his weaker side is the left, have the raised side on the left.

Tips and troubleshooting

1. Alternate raised poles

This exercise is equally effective if you alternate the raised sides, so your horse has to keep adapting as they go down the line.

2. Don’t overface

If your horse has never done this exercise before, he may find the visual challenge of a line of asymmetric poles offputting. You can build up from three poles rather than going straight into six.

Likewise, don’t underestimate the impact of this polework exercise, even though you’re not riding. It requires plenty of physical and mental effort.

3. No drifting 

Although you’re leading your horse and cannot use your legs and hands to keep him straight, the asymmetric layout should do the job for you as the angled poles channel the horses into a straight line. Give them plenty of freedom with the head and neck to assess the layout and use their back.

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This groundwork exercise is handy for keeping your horse engaged and stimulated in walk, because of the constant changes of direction combined with negotiating poles.

Aims

• Provide mental and physical stimulation
• Strengthen core and hindquarters
• Focus on changes of bend while negotiating poles

The setup

Setup: Three sets of two poles set up in like chevrons, with about 4m between the points of each set.

You will need: training halter, lunging cavesson, or your horse’s usual bridle

How to do this in-hand exercise

• Just because you’re working in hand doesn’t mean you don’t need to warm your horse up. Before you start the polework exercise, spend 5–10min in walk. Your horse should be walking actively, as you would expect if you were riding. Incorporate plenty of transitions to check your horse is focussed and working with you, not being distracted.
• First, approach the chevrons on a straight line (orange line above). The poles should draw the horse into the point.
• Approach the points in the opposite direction, aiming for the points. Without the poles guiding you both into the point, you need to be accurate so the horse doesn’t meander to the side.
• Now you can play around with the formation. Do circles and loops making a cross-section through the chevron, varying whether you cross near the point or where the poles widen out (green line). Taking the poles on an angle like this will increase the emphasis on footwork as the horse needs to work out how to lift and put down his feet.
• You can also approach the sides of the chevron at a right angle, then dogleg off to the opposite arm of the next chevron (blue line). This works on changing the bend while negotiating poles. All the time, you are asking you horse to assess, react, be supple and precise with his footwork.

Make sure you work equally on both reins.

Tips and troubleshooting

1. Layout

If you only have four poles – or are short on time – just two chevrons will also provide a great workout.

2. Accuracy

Striped poles are really useful for keeping disciplined on accuracy. If you decide to cross from, say, white stripe to white stripe, can you stick to it?

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This S-bend or maze exercise is designed to be done in walk. However, you can choose either to ride it or do it in hand – both have benefits. As your horse navigates their way through the maze of poles, it’s a mentally stimulating challenge to encourage suppleness, build core strength and balance, while teaching your horse to take care where he puts his feet.

I personally love this polework exercise and find it to be really beneficial. Plus, walk is a very effective pace for polework because there is no moment of suspension, which means your horse has to use muscular effort, thereby building core strength.

Aims

• Improve proprioception
• Boost balance and core strength
• Provide mental stimulation

The setup

Setup: six poles arranged in a maze or S shape

You will need: if working in-hand, a training halter, lunging cavesson, or your horse’s usual bridle. Otherwise, your usual tack.

How to ride the maze exercise

• Whether you are riding or working in-hand, warm up the horse for 10 minutes or so, including transitions and circles. Check he is responsive to your aids, listening and ready to work.
• Let’s say you want to ride the exercise. Approach the entry to the maze (blue line) in a nice active walk.
• The corners will be tight. Open your inside hand to encourage your horse to bend through his body in the direction of travel. Control the shoulder from falling out with the outside rein. Apply pressure with the inside leg, to encourage him to step under and cross over with his hindlegs, like you would in turn on the forehand. The outside leg behind the girth should be in contact with their side to stop the quarters swinging out.
• To do this exercise in-hand, you will need to use your body positioning, line and stick to encourage your horse to bend and step under.
• You can also use this layout to walk and trot over the poles as shown in the diagram by the orange and yellow lines.

Tips and troubleshooting

1. Start simple

Start with wide channels (around 1.5m) when introducing this layout. You can reduce them to about 1m when the horse is proficient at this exercise.

You can also start with a basic L or U shape rather than the full maze while the horse works out the challenge.

2. Rushing

Horses can feel trapped by the narrow boundaries and rush, or try to go over the poles rather than chicane around them. If this happens, widen the channels. You can also walk the horse around the layout first so they can inspect it.

3. Steering problems

Your horse may be confused by the layout and what you want him to do in the tight space, or lack lateral suppleness. Take it slowly, using clear aids whether you are doing the exercise ridden or in-hand.

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This simple groundwork exercise might not look demanding, performed at a walk on a loose rein, but it works your horse’s back, strengthens the hindquarters and core, and improves their proprioception as the negotiate poles of different heights and angles.

Aims

• Provide mental and physical stimulation
• Strengthen core and hindquarters
• Focus on footwork

The setup

Setup: four poles set up in a cross shape, with the outer ends raised on blocks

You will need: a training halter, lunging cavesson, or your horse’s usual bridle

How to do this in-hand exercise

• Warm up your horse first in straight lines in walk by leading him around the arena or field for around 10min, checking that he is active and obedient to your aids. Do frequent transitions from walk to halt to ensure your communication and your horse’s responses are working well. You can also do some rein-back in-hand.
• This polework exercise has two patterns – one a circle and the other in straight lines.
• For the circle, stand toward the middle of the circle and ask the horse to circle around you, stepping over the poles. You can touch your horse behind the girth to encourage him to bend around you. (You will need to be in one quarter, and step over the poles as you turn). The bigger the circle, the higher your horse will need to lift his feet to clear the raised poles.
• Give your horse plenty of rein or rope so that he can lower his head and use his back. The uneven heights require him to look down, assess, and improve hoof-brain coordination.
• For the straight lines, simply lead your horse into the middle of the cross so that he has to take a big step over the X.
• You can add variants, such as small circles over each pole, or making serpentine shapes.
• Perform these exercises equally on both reins to promote symmetrical muscle development.

Tip

Circle sizes

Asking the horse to circle around the edge of the poles requires less bend, but for the horse to lift and engage his core more as he’s travelling over the raised ends. If you bring the circle in closer to you, it will require more bend and suppleness. Either size brings benefits.

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When you don’t have the time or motivation to ride, but still want to give your horse a constructive session, incorporating polework exercises as part of your groundwork training is one solution.

This in-hand groundwork exercise is ideal for establishing good communication with your horse from the ground, engaging them physically and mentally, as well as building their core strength and proprioception (body awareness). With one groundwork setup, you can practise a variety of lines and work on different areas of the body.

Aims

• Encourage accuracy and precision on the straight lines
• Develop flexion, core strength and engagement over the poles and round tight corners
• Mental stimulation and increased proprioception

The setup

Setup: four poles arranged in a square shape with each one touching end to end

You will need: a training halter, lunging cavesson, or your horse’s usual bridle

How to do the exercise

• First lead your horse around a few laps of the arena on each rein, checking he is listening to you by making frequent transitions to halt. You can also ask him to rein-back or do some basic lateral work. Your horse should be walking actively forwards and straight, as you would expect under saddle.
• Approach one side of the square in the centre of the poles and walk directly through, keeping on the same straight line as if you were riding a centre line in a dressage test (see green line above). Repeat this on the opposite axis and on both reins. You can incorporate halts in the middle of the square.
• Next, try diagonal lines through the square (see orange line above), walking in and out over the corners. This requires a bigger step from the horse to clear the right angle. Always focus on staying straight – it’s easier for the horse to veer away from the point. Also incorporate transitions to halt in the middle.
• To introduce bend, set up a curved line which asks the horse to step over each pole on an angle (see black line on the left above). You can adjust the curve to make the bend easier or harder to improve your horse’s flexibility and work on both reins.
• Another pattern to try is loops in and out of the square, changing bend through the centre – it’s a small space, so your horse will have to be clever with his footwork
• Work up to walking a complete circle over one corner of the square (black line top right), which requires your horse to bend through their ribs and be aware of their foot placement to clear the poles. Adjust the size of the circle to suit your horse.
• Finally you can ask your horse to work on his suppleness by turning a small circle around the inside of the square (black line inside the poles). This will require him to engage the inside hindleg and develop his flexibility (see note below).

Tips and troubleshooting

1. Larger circles

If walking a tight circle around the inside of the square is too taxing, try initially circling around the outside, which gives your horse more space. However, he should be able to work up to manoeuvring around the inside with practice.

2. Progress

To increase the difficulty level, raise the poles (using risers like these) to place a greater demand on the core strength and hindleg engagement.

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Rein-back from the ground involves working with your horse, unridden, to train him to step backwards calmly and without resistance in response to simple cues.

We use groundwork exercises to teach our horses cues from the ground, so that they clearly understand what is being asked, while also improving balance, suppleness, coordination and core strength.

Aims

• establish good manners, relaxation and softness from the ground
• engage your horse’s core and achieve response to your cues or aids
• release tension and relax your horse

The setup

You will need:

• Usual bridle, without reins (or twisted and secured inside the throat-lash), or a training halter or lunging cavesson
• Lunge line or long rope
• Schooling whip

No setup required: you can do this in an arena, outside the stable, in a field or on the yard if you have sufficient space.

How to rein-back from the ground

If your horse is wearing a bridle, attach the lunge line or long rope to the opposite bit ring to whichever side you are standing, and thread the line through the inside bit ring. For a headcollar, have the rope attached behind the chin. For a lunging cavesson, have the line attached to the central ring at the front.

• Position yourself facing the horse’s tail while standing slightly to one side of the horse’s head, with the horse standing fairly square.
• Applying gentle downward pressure to the rope, to ask the horse to step back, while using your voice to say “back”.
• You can also point the whip towards the horse’s front hooves or chest to encourage the horse to step backwards.
• As soon as the horse takes one step backwards, release the pressure and praise the horse.
• Wait for a moment to allow the horse to process what they’ve learnt, then repeat the cue or ask.
• Halt and stand still for a few moments.
• Lift the rope and step backwards yourself to encourage the horse forwards one or two steps, then stop to stand again.
• If the horse doesn’t understand the cue to walk forwards, point the whip behind the girth, following up with a light touch if needed.

You can repeat this exercise several times until the horse understands what you are asking and will move forward and back confidently without resistance. To start with he may only manage one or two strides, but you can build up to six or more.

Tips and troubleshooting

1. Diagonal pairs

You want to see the horse stepping cleanly backwards moving his legs in diagonal pairs, rather than shuffling or dragging their feet.

2. Good foundations

Reaching rein-back from the ground early in a horse’s training can help prevent the horse from learning to lean on you when you are handling them from the ground. Once it is established on the ground, the horse should understand the movement much more easily when ridden.

3. No rushing

The aim is for the horse to step back deliberately and confidently, in a relaxed frame with his poll at a similar height to his withers. You want to avoid the horse becoming tight in the neck or back and raising the head during this movement. If this happens stop, give the horse a moment to relax, and then ask again.

4. Pre-ride softness

This is a great warm-up exercise to do before riding, especially if your horse is sharp, as it encourages him to slow down and work with you without too much pressure. You can also do it tacked up, just secure the stirrups so they don’t bang on your horse’s sides.

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Teaching your horse cues from the ground can show them what you are looking for, as well as improving suppleness, core strength and coordination. This groundwork exercise is useful for helping the horse understand how to engage the hindleg, and for developing suppleness.

Aims

• step the inside hindleg under and through
• lift the core and engage the back
• release tension and relax your horse

The setup

You need:

• Usual bridle, without reins (or twisted and secured inside the throat-lash) or training halter or lunging cavesson
• Lunge line or long rope (like this one)
• Schooling whip

No setup required: you can do this in an arena, in a field or even just outside the stable if you have sufficient space.

How to do the exercise

If you are using a bridle. attach the lunge line or rope to the opposite bit ring to whichever side you are working from, and thread the line through the inside bit ring. For a halter the rope will be underneath the horse’s jaw. On a lunge cavesson, have the rope or line attached to the central ring on the front of the nose.

• Turn your horse around you, in walk, almost as if lungeing on a 2m circle. Bring the line towards you and point the whip slightly behind the girth.
• You are asking your horse to bend through the body, pivoting around you with his front legs on pretty much the same spot, and stepping underneath the belly with his inside hind leg.
• Gently maintain your ask until the horse takes the correct forward and under step with the hindleg that is closest to you while softing through their body.
• Allow the horse to rest for a moment before asking again.
• You can repeat this three or four times on each rein, gradually building up the number of steps.

Tips and troubleshooting

1. Your horse avoids the step under

It’s easier for your horse just to walk around in a circle rather than stepping under and through, but that step underneath the belly is key as that is when they lift their core and soften through the back.

2. Good foundations

Just like ridden lateral work, this exercise helps them soften and become more supple. But sometimes when you’re riding them they don’t understand what they’re asking, so this can be a useful first step.

3. Pre-ride softness

This is a great warm-up exercise to do before riding, especially if your horse is sharp, as it encourages him to soften. You can also do it tacked up, just secure the stirrups so they don’t bang on your horse’s flanks.

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Why in-hand work could be the missing piece in your dressage training: four simple exercises to build your horse’s strength, suppleness and focus

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For many riders in Britain, training dressage “in-hand” still feels niche – something associated with the Spanish Riding School of Vienna or the Cadre Noir in Saumur. Yet, across Europe, it’s a staple at every level, and it’s now gaining ground here too.

At its core, in-hand training is straightforward: with a bridle or cavesson and a schooling whip, the handler works the horse from the ground to build suppleness, strength and understanding, either before or alongside ridden work.

Unlike lungeing or long-reining, it’s closer to “riding from the ground,” using the reins, whip and body language to communicate. The result? Better balance, clearer communication, and a horse more prepared – physically and mentally – to learn.

Why in-hand training works

“It’s almost like Pilates for the horse,” says Swedish trainer Charlotte Wittbom on classical in-hand work. “If I’ve done all the lateral movements and helped the horse fire up the correct muscles, then when I put a rider on, the horse is so much more prepared.”

Charlotte learned her craft in Portugal with the Valença family and at Morgado Lusitano before moving to the UK, where she now collaborates with five-star international judge Stephen Clarke.

However, at first, Stephen admits, he wasn’t sure. “Charlotte came to me wanting to adapt her classical background to competition,” he recalls. “Once I saw how she used groundwork, I was impressed.

“There are riders I’ve been teaching for years that I’ve struggled to get into real self-carriage – and one session with Charlotte, and it clicks. It’s a brilliant tool.”

Charlotte emphasises that the basics are always the foundation. “We can’t just tell a horse to fire up their core. We need to put them in a position where those muscles are engaged, breaking the movement apart so they can understand it without the added complication of a rider.

“I wouldn’t start piaffe before doing this, but even when a horse is advanced, the basics don’t stop.”

The results can be striking. “We used infrared cameras once to compare warm-ups,” she says. “It took 20 minutes ridden for the horse to get the topline engaged – with groundwork, it took 30 seconds.”

Trainer Kathrin Roida, who has written extensively on in-hand work, agrees that the benefits scale right up to the top of the sport: “Every horse can also passage gracefully in-hand when it’s taught with lightness. It develops body and mind together.”

Four groundwork exercises you can try right now

These groundwork exercises can be done at home with horses of any level.

1. Introducing the whip as a communication tool

Before you can do any meaningful in-hand work, your horse needs to trust the whip as a guiding aid – not fear it as punishment.

“From the ground, we can teach the horse that a whip resting lightly on the top line means halt,” says Charlotte. “Then, touching the girth area means go forward. Just as the calf at the girth is a ridden aid, the whip becomes a ground aid. With those two – start and stop – you have the basics.”

Why it helps: Establishing clear “start” and “stop” buttons from the ground creates a shared language. That clarity carries through every other in-hand exercise – and later, under saddle.

2. Hindquarters around shoulders

How to do it: Stand by the horse’s shoulder, facing slightly towards the hind end. Hold the reins – or line – in your inside hand, whip in the outside hand, angled towards the hind legs. Then, ask for a step of the quarters around the front end by gently tapping the hindquarters while keeping a light feel on the reins. You want the inside leg to reach in and over the outside hind leg. Reward even one correct step.

Why it helps: Teaches the horse to bring the hindlegs under and respond to sideways aids. Begins to mobilise the hips.

3. Shoulders around hindquarters

How to do it: Position yourself just behind the horse’s head, body angled slightly towards the shoulders. Keep the neck softly flexed inwards and use the whip near the shoulder to ask the front end to step around the hindquarters. Take it one stride at a time.

Why it helps: Separates front end from hind end, develops shoulder control, and lays the foundation for shoulder-in.

4. Lateral basics

How to do it: Position yourself near the horse’s shoulder, holding the reins in your inside hand and whip in the outside. Next, walk purposefully but steadily with the horse on a diagonal line. Face the horse as you move, matching your steps to their rhythm.

Keep the aids clear and simple – tap lightly with the whip at the girth to ask the hindquarters to step away, while maintaining a soft inward flexion with the reins. Reward every correct crossing step, even if it’s just one or two at first.

Why it helps: “As well as activating the core, the horse is developing an understanding that will become the foundation of your ridden work, that’s why it makes sense to use the same lines as you will use when riding,” Charlotte explains.

Building it into your routine

With all of this work, it’s worth remembering that in-hand training is physically demanding, even without a rider on board. You wouldn’t thank a Pilates instructor for making you repeat the same exercise endlessly! Start with three to five correct steps and build progressively.

But whatever your horse’s age, size or breed, all can benefit from short, regular sessions. Even five to ten minutes in-hand before schooling or hacking can switch on the right muscles and improve focus.

Are you a fan of using in-hand work as part of your horse’s regular exercise routine? Let us know what benefits you’ve seen at hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and county, for the chance for your letter to appear in a forthcoming issue of Horse & Hound magazine. Letters may be edited for clarity and length.

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A pushy, bargy horse is not much fun to be around. It can literally feel like they’re walking all over you. We asked Jason Webb, founder of Your Horsemanship, for some simple groundwork exercises to improve bargy horse behaviour. Jason is a leading UK-based Australian horse trainer who works with international riders of all disciplines and has built an outstanding reputation for solving behavioural and ridden issues at his yard in south-east England.

Jason explains: “Horses learn to become pushy the first time they move into your space and you passively step out of it. This can quickly develop into a situation where they force you to move just because they feel worried, want to move somewhere different, or fancy eating some grass.”

“Any reaction they receive is a message, so each time you move out of their path, it is a green light for them to behave in this way,” he adds.

Your horse’s behaviour may also begin as curiosity; perhaps they gently nibble your sleeve, which might at first seem quite endearing. But, Jason warns, at some point, the horse will push the boundaries, testing you with a nudge or nip to gauge your response.

“Start by asking yourself whether you can stand still around your horse or whether they force you to keep moving,” says Jason. “If you can’t stand still without the risk of being trodden on, your horse is too pushy.”

Groundwork exercises to improve bargy horse behaviour

“Firstly, you need to become more self-aware,” advises Jason. “Some people worry that asserting themselves might offend or upset a horse, but your horse must respect your personal space.

“Don’t be afraid to be clear and firm. Watch how horses communicate with each other – they respect boundaries. If you think of them as humans, rather than horses, you risk becoming ineffective and being pushed around.”

Kit: a headcollar or rope halter and 12-foot rope (like this one).

Exercise 1 – projecting personal energy

Aim: to create a “safe space” by projecting enough energy to move your horse away from you.

Make sure you have a well-fenced area with someone competent nearby and wear a hard hat and suitable footwear. Begin by letting the horse loose into the corner where they feel most comfortable, which might be nearest the gate and then move them away from where they want to be.

Jason advises: “Begin by finding out how much energy it takes to move your horse when they are loose. Stand tall, lean forwards, project your body, be assertive and, if necessary, make a noise, raise your hands or slap your legs.”

He adds: “Some people, especially those with low self-esteem, really struggle to assert themselves enough to achieve this.

“If you can’t create enough energy with your body, use a lead rope, stones in a bottle, a flag or a bag on a stick.

“Once the horse has moved away, maintain your space, but don’t chase the horse. If your horse comes back to their preferred area, let them, then repeat the exercise until they are happy to settle in the area that you want them to be.”

Exercise 2 – moving the hindquarters away

Aim: to maintain your personal space while you’re standing still. The horse is wearing a halter in this exercise.

To achieve this, Jason explains, it’s essential you’re able to move your horse’s hindquarters away from you while using the headcollar to prevent them moving forwards.

But he warns: “If the horse has ever pulled away from you in the past, they may try this again at some point during this exercise, because it’s a learned behaviour, in which case you may require some professional help.”

Start small and build up, using the same amount of energy you created for the first exercise directed towards their hindquarters.

The horse should step their hindlegs away from you and, for a moment, you should be able to see both eyes. If the horse moves back into your space during this exercise, you need to use more energy to move the hindquarters away.

Once you’ve consistently succeeded with this exercise, move on to exercise 3.

Exercise 3 – maintaining personal space while you lead the horse

Aim: to maintain your personal space while leading the horse.

This exercise addresses the exact point where your horse’s behaviour has previously dictated your speed and direction.

Jason explains: “I begin by leading the horse and allowing them to ‘make a mistake’ when they don’t pay attention. When this happens, I will stop while the horse walks on. Then, as they walk past, I will turn their head towards me while moving the back end away.”

He warns: “If the horse is walking past you and you are forced to step backwards, then you aren’t doing it correctly.

“You will need to push the back end away, maybe even bump the headcollar with the rope, so they turn to look at you with both eyes. You’re saying, ‘Don’t walk past me, look at me, thank you, now we go again.’

“The horse will learn that if they’re not paying attention, they can’t travel forward. When you stop, they will take themselves back, moving the hindquarters away so they can see you.

“In this way, they will give you space. You should see results within a few days.”

• If you want to read more expert advice on subjects ranging from groundwork and relationship-building to training advice for specific horse sports, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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Groundwork for horses: what it is and why it’s useful

If you’re tired of your horse leading you a merry dance round the field while you stand helplessly, headcollar in hand, the chances are you need to go back to basics. Alas, it’s rarely simple as finding magical groundwork exercises for catching horses in an instant, but you can build foundations on the ground that should increase the likelihood that he will come up to you in the field.

We asked Tik Maynard, international event rider, author and a leading voice in equine behaviour, to share three simple techniques to practise with your horse. As Tik explains, “I don’t want to have to catch my horse, I want them trying to catch me.”

According to Tik, there are two main reasons why horses can be hard to catch.

“Some never really overcome their fear around people, so they always worry about someone coming into their space,” he says.

Other horses aren’t fearful, but they’re smart, realising life is easier in the paddock. Tik explains: “If, when you catch your horse, you immediately make life hard by dragging them in and putting them straight to work, they’ll quickly learn to avoid being caught. Each time this happens, it reinforces the habit.

“Approaching your horse needs to be the opposite of how you might greet another human,” explains Tik. “With a friend you haven’t seen for a while, you might run straight towards each other, immediately touching.

“With horses, you need to think differently. If you face them head-on, leaning forward to touch, that’s predatory behaviour.”

Set yourself up for success by becoming more self-aware. Practised regularly, the exercises below will improve your connection with your horse, making it easier to catch them.

Groundwork exercises for catching horses

Step 1 – looking for a positive connection

Aim: this exercise aims to recognise and reward even subtle signs of communication.

Start small, ideally in the stable, and always wear a hard hat and suitable footwear.

“The smaller the space, the easier it will be to achieve,” explains Tik.

“Look for a positive connection, however nuanced – an ear flick, a glance towards you or a longer stare – and reward the horse by turning away and stepping back. The more often you notice and reward the horse’s behaviour, the smoother and easier it will be.”

Positive reinforcement enables the horse to move to the next stage.

“Begin by just drawing their eye towards you, rewarding that, and before long they’ll be moving their whole body the same way,” says Tik. “In most cases, you’ll see a massive improvement in a day or two.”

“If the horse is looking away, tensing, or turning their back towards you, just turn your body slightly away and wait until they look for an answer.”

But he warns, “Never put yourself in danger. If you’re worried, walk away and seek professional advice.”

Step 2: physical connection

Aim: this exercise aims to build up your horse’s confidence about having you in their space.

Start in the horse’s stable, holding the back of your hand outstretched.

“As soon as they look towards your hand, take a step away and relax your arm,” explains Tik. “Repeat the exercise in stages, so next they stretch their muzzle and almost touch your hand, then you feel their breath or whiskers on your hand, to a point where they eventually touch you.

“As you achieve each stage, back away and relax; that’s the reward that encourages them to keep going.”

Your horse will gain confidence by touching you before you touch them. However, Tik warns, “If you’re too quick to go into a horse’s space, that’s when they’re going to learn to keep leaving you.

“Once your horse regularly touches your fist, build the exercise into your daily routine. The more you practise, the better.”

Step 3: catching your horse

How you catch your horse – and what you do next – is the key to success.

“Become aware of how gently you’re putting the halter over your horse’s ears, then take at least 30 seconds to give them a good feeling about being caught,” advises Tik. “Give them something they enjoy – a rub or a scratch, a feed and a rest.”

Finally, Tik explains, how you release your horse can affect how easy they will be to catch next time.

“Avoid letting your horse go suddenly by the gate, so they turn their back to you, kick out or gallop off; instead, think about going with them to what they want to do next – roll, drink, eat hay, or greet their friends. Spend time with them there, and always leave them before they leave you.”

So, how long will it take to see a difference if you follow these groundwork exercises for catching horses?

“It depends on how much a horse has learned to leave people and how good your timing is,” says Tik. “The key is to reward small improvements. In around 60% of cases, practising these simple bonding techniques with your horse will make a difference.

“However, some cases are so complex and nuanced that you will need professional help.

“Recognise that every situation is different, every horse unique, and don’t get too frustrated. Keep observing, keep curious, and keep learning.”

To find out more about Tik’s next clinic in the UK, visit Horsemanship Hub.

• If you want to read more expert advice on subjects ranging from groundwork and relationship-building to training advice for specific horse sports, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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Groundwork exercises can help address anxious behaviour for spooky horses, whatever your horse’s age or stage of training.

We asked horse behaviour specialist Kelly Marks for some groundwork exercises that you can practise to build your horse’s confidence and trust. Kelly is the founder of Intelligent Horsemanship and has toured the world “helping horses and humans to have happier relationships”.

Some horses are born far spookier than others, as Kelly explains: “If you suddenly open an umbrella five yards away, you’d expect the average horse to spook about three strides, then come back and look at it, while a truly spooky horse will be gone in a second. But the most challenging horses to work with are those that ‘front up’ and look as if they’re on the attack.”

When it comes to groundwork exercises for spooky horses, Kelly practises “acceptance training” rather than “desensitisation”.

“You don’t want a horse to ignore its surroundings; they need to stay alert without feeling stressed,” she explains, adding, “The advantage of groundwork over ridden work is that you can watch and listen carefully to what’s going on with the horse.”

Begin by ruling out common causes of spooking, such as incorrect feeding, too little exercise, a lack of pasture time, or limited exposure to a “normal” environment.

Kelly advises, “You also need to check that the horse doesn’t have any health issues because pain can make a horse spookier.”

Above all, Kelly warns against punishing a spooky horse: “Imagine being scared of something and then someone inflicts pain on you. It just makes everything worse.”

What kit do I need?

Kelly uses a Dually halter, which has a sliding noseband that avoids damaging the horse’s mouth, sensitive areas of the face, or poll, and features in our guide to the best control headcollars. Alternatively, you could use a well-fitting head collar or rope halter.

Whatever your choice of halter, Kelly recommends attaching a 20-foot line or rope (like this one) to reduce the risk of injury if your horse spooks off.

Groundwork exercises for spooky horses

Exercise 1: backing up

Aim: Kelly explains that backing up enables the horse to concentrate, listen, and give you space, as well as calming them down before you begin work.

“This exercise is the foundation on which to build everything else,” she says. “It helps the horse physically, mentally and emotionally – and most horses will find it easy.”

However, she warns, “If the horse finds it difficult to step back, and you’re confident you’re doing the exercise correctly, get them checked by a vet.”

• In a stable or safe, enclosed area, stand facing your horse and slightly to one side.
• Then ask the horse to step back by applying light pressure on the line or by using your fingertips on their chest. You may like to add a verbal cue such as saying back or make a specific noise that you don’t use at any other time.
• Release the pressure as soon as the horse takes one step back, then give them a moment to process what they’ve learnt.
• Repeat the pressure and release, one step at a time, giving the horse plenty of time to process this during the early stages.
• Begin this exercise with just one step back on the first day, then build up gradually to 10 steps, with the horse’s head slightly lowered, over time.

Exercise 2: head lowering

Aim: lowering a horse’s head can reduce the heart rate, helping them to relax. Kelly advises practising this exercise regularly, beginning in the stable.

“It’s a bit like a human taking a deep breath,” she explains. “It calms them down before or during work.”

Put on the halter and lead rope, then apply gentle, steady, or slightly pulsing pressure on the rope, releasing immediately when the horse responds by lowering the head.

“This teaches the horse that if you put the slightest downward pressure on the line, you’re asking them to lower their head and relax,” says Kelly.

“Be calm and consistent. It might take a few minutes the first time, but most horses get it within three attempts.”

Once this technique has been established in the stable, you should practise the exercise in other familiar places for your horse such as your arena, before trying to use it in more challenging situations, such as out at shows.

Exercise 3: acceptance training

Aim: use this exercise to address issues with an all-round spooky horse or with an obstacle you’ve found particularly challenging, such as a tarpaulin or dustbin.

1. Find a safe, well-fenced area and wear a hard hat, gloves and suitable footwear. Never wrap the line around your hand.

“It’s important to find a time when you’re feeling calm and relaxed but alert – and remember to breathe!” advises Kelly.

2. “Lead the horse calmly, keeping yourself between the obstacle and the horse so that, if they shy away from the obstacle, you stay safe.

3. “Gradually let out the line and begin by circling the object rather than approaching it directly.”

It’s important to monitor the horse carefully for signs of stress or acceptance during this process to ensure positive associations are built.

4. Kelly adds: “Over a period of time, you can help your horse to ‘accidentally’ touch the spooky object.

5. “Build on this over several sessions until the horse can walk over or past the obstacle calmly. Sometimes, just allowing a horse to touch a ‘scary’ object with their nose can help them gain confidence, but don’t try to force this.”

Using another horse as support or food as a reward can also help.

Kelly suggests: “Just leaving hay or pony nuts on or around an obstacle can take away the pressure and will reward the horse for being brave.”

However, Kelly warns, “If a horse is frightened, never punish them or insist they approach it directly. And, above all, make sure you keep yourself safe.”

Contact Kelly Marks for more information or advice.

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With just two cues, you can create a framework for learning liberty work that your horse will understand and enjoy. With more and more riders making an introduction to liberty training alongside their work in the saddle, you might be curious about adding liberty exercises to your horse’s day-to-day routine.

Liberty training means different things to different trainers, but broadly speaking it encompasses anything a trainer does with their horse free from restraint, with no ropes, tack or training aids beyond cues or a long whip as a guide.

For expert free rider and liberty trainer Emma Massingale, liberty training’s scope is far-reaching.

“Most people do forms of liberty with their horse every day without realising,” she explains. “If they can pick out their feet, squash bothersome flies or brush them without tying them up, that’s the evidence their horse is on board and with them.”

If you’ve started making progress with beginner liberty work or feel that your horse would benefit from working in this way, read on for Emma’s simple groundwork exercises that will start you on your journey.

Introduction to liberty training

Teaching beginner cues

Emma is adept at cultivating a partnership with her horses in a state of freedom. However, handlers can only achieve this by first understanding how to get a horse to listen, which involves harnessing their horse’s ability to learn patterns.

“Many horses only have their headcollar and leadrope taken off when their owners let them go in the field, and they learn through repetition that this is when they’re free to run away and graze,” says Emma.

“This system absolutely sets a horse up to learn that running away from you equals fun, which makes liberty training exercises really hard to work on!”

She adds: “What we can do is use that same repetitive learning to teach them cues that make working at liberty, and a broader experience of life off the headcollar and leadrope, possible.”

Emma explains that you don’t necessarily need to be sure of your horse’s undivided attention before you start beginner liberty work. In fact, teaching two foundational cues is a great way to begin cultivating the togetherness required for successful liberty work.

“It’s comparable with training dogs, and even clicker training,” explains Emma. “It’s about marking a precise moment of desirable behaviour with a suitable reward.”

Teaching the horse to find the right answer

Emma explains that horses who understand when they’ve answered a question correctly become more engaged with their training.

“When you show them how to understand, ‘yes, that’s right’, you’re also teaching them to look for the right answer,” explains Emma. “To mark this moment, I say ‘good’ or ‘yes’.”

But in the search for the right answer, the horse might find the wrong one.

“So, I use sound, which means whatever you’re doing is incorrect,” she continues. “It’s never ‘no’, because we’re not telling the horse off for trying. That’ll just kill his desire to try.

“Instead, I use a quick ‘shh’ noise to say, ‘almost’. I recognise that he tried. Now, I want him to try something else.”

When horses are learning a new skill, it’s important to be picky about when you mark the right answer with “yes” so that they learn the right pattern.

“Alongside the vocal cue of ‘good’ or ‘yes’, I also use a high-value reward, such as a carrot, when they get it right for the first time,” Emma adds. “It’s about paying them fairly for the effort. Down the line, a scratch on the wither might be enough, but when they are first learning, they need something more.”

Put it into practice

The principles of “yes” and “almost” can be taught alongside any new skill, be it teaching your horse to halt at your shoulder every time you stop, back up or move quarters away.

Important takeaways are only to reward when the behaviour offered is spot-on, and to reward well with a high-value treat the first time your horse gets it right.

If your horse loses interest in the session when the reward becomes a scratch on the wither, you can try lower-value treats such as fibre nuts.

Hotter and colder

By using “yes” and “almost”, you can create a cue-learning structure that resembles a game your horse will understand and enjoy. Plus, once “yes” and “almost” are learned cues, it will make teaching him new things much easier.

“It’s like the ‘hotter, hotter, colder, colder’ seeking game that kids play,” says Emma. “You’re teaching the horse to search out the right answer. Once they know this, teaching them something else becomes 10 times easier because they have a structure for the learning process.”

“Once they know how to learn, you can then teach them many, many different things.”

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These groundwork exercises for sharp horses are ideal for those that tend to be over-reactive when you first get on, or have had time off. Perhaps you are getting to know a new horse and you’re unsure how he will react. Establishing good manners and softness before you hop on board will increase the likelihood for success and will help you feel confident that you and the horse are singing from the same hymn sheet.

These simple groundwork exercises take only a few minutes, but pay dividends in building safe habits, connection and trust for when you are in the saddle. Teaching from the ground allows the horse to listen, learn and respond. A sharp horse may take two or three sessions of working through these exercises before he’s ready for a rider, and they are a great tool for setting up the foundations before ridden work.

Darren Hegarty, who trained with the likes of Dick Stilwell and John Smart, has produced horses to top level in eventing, showing and showjumping. He demonstrates these groundwork exercises with an ex-racehorse who has had some time off and is just starting ridden work again. The horse is naturally sharp and benefits from some initial work in-hand before a rider gets on.

For all these exercises, Darren works with the horse tacked up and ready to be ridden. He just twists the reins under the neck and inside the throat-lash, so they don’t hang loose. He attaches a lunge line to the opposite bit ring to the side he’s working, and threads the line through the inside bit ring. The stirrups are secured so they don’t dangle down and bang against the horse’s flanks.

You can work in an arena, a field or just outside the stable. For very hot horses, Darren prefers to work on a flat area outside the stable to begin with, to make sure the relationship is in place right from the outset.

“What you want is to normalise good behaviour, so when the horse does go in the arena, or a rider gets on, they don’t over-react,” he says. “Some people say with sharp horses that you should let them let off steam, but I think that then becomes learned behaviour. It’s much better and safer for horse and rider if he’s engaged and connected with you and then any antics don’t need to happen.”

Three groundwork exercises for sharp horses

Aim

Darren explains that he is reading the horse’s body language, his mouth, nose and eyes, which will indicate how the horse is engaging with him.

“I want to see the horse chill,” he says. “He might yawn, take a breath, blow through his nose. These signs show he is releasing tension, softening and wanting to work with me. You see it with physios when they stretch horses.

“I want this horse to be calm, but equally I don’t want him dead to the leg, so he still needs to react when he feels the tickle of the whip or hears my voice.”

Darren emphasises that the handler’s posture is crucial.

“When you want a horse to be relaxed, it’s important that you are very relaxed yourself, your breathing is slow and you’re not hyper alert and tense.”

Kit

• The horse’s usual tack
• Lunge line
• Schooling whip

Exercise 1: desensitisation to touch

Darren begins by patting and scratching the horse all over. This horse is sensitive to the touch, and has already been groomed with a body brush.

“When we started with this horse you could barely touch him, especially where your leg would go or round the girth,” he says. “I put my hands all over him, including his sensitive areas, and scratch or rub. He’s had a few sessions and he loves it now, but he didn’t initially.”

Then Darren gently rubs the schooling whip over his back, quarters and sides.

He explains: “Because I’m not on the horse, I don’t have my legs as aids, so the stick is part of the cue system. I use that, my voice and my body language.”

Teaching the horse to feel comfortable with light physical pressure, particularly on the areas where the seat and leg aids will be applied, is essential to reduce the likelihood of undesirable reactive behaviour when the rider gets on board.

Exercise 2: rein-back

Darren stands facing the horse with the horse square, then lowers the lunge rope, applies gentle downward pressure and points the whip towards the horse’s front hooves, which encourages the horse to step backwards. Having taken a few steps back and then halted, Darren then lifts the rope and walks backwards himself to encourage the horse forwards, then stands square again. If the horse doesn’t immediately understand to walk forwards, he points the whip behind the girth, and follows up with a light tap if necessary.

“I use my voice to say ‘back’ so he connects that aid too,” he says. “I teach rein-back very early in a horse’s training so they learn not to lean on you. Once this is established on the ground, he’ll understand the movement more easily when ridden.

“I want to see him stepping back in diagonal pairs, with his neck lowered without dragging his hind feet. I don’t want him rushing with his head up, but concentrating on me.”

The rein-back teaches the horse to engage the hind end and respond to the handler or rider’s aids.

Exercise 3: engaging the hindleg

Darren turns the horse around him almost as if lungeing on a 2m circle, bringing the line towards him and pointing behind the girth with the whip. He is looking for the horse to bend through the body and step underneath his belly with his inside leg. Darren continues for three full turns, until he is satisfied that the horse has released any tension. He repeats this three or four times on each rein.

“He’d like to just walk round in a circle rather than stepping under and through, but that step is really important as you’re asking them to lift the core and soften in the back.

“Just like when you are riding the horse and do any lateral work, it helps them to soften and become more supple. But sometimes when you’re riding them, they don’t understand what you’re asking.”

Darren gives the example of a young horse he had recently that would panic when you put your leg on under saddle.

“By teaching him from the ground, he learnt the movements and to accept my aids so when I asked him while riding, he’d say, ‘oh yeah, I know what I’m doing’.”

Groundwork exercises for sharp horses aren’t a silver bullet, but they can pave the way to a much safer and more enjoyable ride for both horse and rider.

• For more expert training advice to help you and your horse be at your very best, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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