There is so much that can be done for the horse and rider while both are standing and working on the ground.
One doesn’t have to be in the round pen or have the horse on the lounge line for our young student’s horse to learn that the trainer can make him work or rest; it is up to the trainer. The lead mare can make the others in her herd obey her with the movement of her ears. Eventually the rider can get obedience and cooperation with subtle gestures of hand, arm or body.
Clinton Anderson advocates this before asking the horse to load into a trailer. If the horse has been taught to respect you and go where you want him to go, the trailer ramp or entrance will be a respite and reward for him to seek.
Pat Parelli has seven “games” he wants his disciples to use on their horses during the initial ground work.
John Lyons has a series of lessons for the horse to learn while n the round pen before the horse is mounted.
In other words, riders would be missing out on a great method of teaching their horses cooperation if they were not exposed to principles and techniques of ground training.
PeaceHorse will either combine the best of the best or present the best of each to you the riding student depending upon the number of weeks that each student has scheduled for his summer in our horse back riding school program.