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Free Lesson
Steve ‘s Intelligent Horsemanship
Principles - Groundwork
Horsemanship
is nothing more than a series of good habits. The main thing to understand
is that horses are prey animals, and humans are predators, and each thinks
differently.
Humans need to think of horsemanship that it
is; thinking from the hoses point of vieuw!
You need to know what kind of behaviour you
should have; to get a certian kind of behaviour out of the horse.
Once your horse has the understanding that
you're not going to hurt him, you'll get the results you want.
Your body language tells your horse what you
want him to do and how much.
This is how the horse feels you.
It isn't necessarly the amount of time you
spend with the horse; it's the quality of time you invest to develop him
mentally, emotionally,and physically.
Horsemanship is for horses as well as for humans!
This "communication" is two or more indivuduals
sharing and understanding an idea.
Horses teach riders; and riders teach horses.
Did you ever wonder why a horse that is so
sensitive that it can detect a subtle change in it's environnement, or
a musquito on it's skin, would ever require a heavy piece of metal
in it's mouth, used to inflict pain for the purpose of controlling it?
That's what thousands of men and women do all
over the world in the name of "horse training".
They have never learned that the bit is for
communication; not CONTROL!
They have never known the feeling of a horse
between their knees; legs,and that responds to their communication, and
willingly, respectfully and happily, follows their instructions.
When we try to rely on the bit for control
instead of communication, our approach to training and problem solving
becomes a matter of trying to contain the wreck.
Wouldn't it be more effective to avoid the
wreck altogether by preparing our horse in advance for those potentialy
stessful moments?
Remember a 100kg human cannot make a 600kg
horse do anything!
All you can do is cause him to decide to do
something!
When he decides to do something for you,because
he respects you, it's with an entirely different attitude than when he
fears you!
This is a key point of my program.
When the attitude is wrong, your horse might
do what you ask out of fear, or at worst there could be a violent confrontation.
I can help you to bridge the species gap between
the horse and human in order for you to be respected enough, by your horse
for him to have confidence in your leadership, and follow your instructions.
We begin by teaching control through communication
from the ground.
Then we move into the saddle after the horse
has learned to yield to pressure, and knows something about how to be ridden.
This approach works well for horses of all
ages, breeds or backgrounds, and is agood basis from wich to work for riders
of all disciplines, and levels.
REMEMBER :
your horse can only be brave as you are!!
Principles -
Why do Groundwork ?
Groundwork is a confidence- builder for both, the horse and the human.It's an opportunity to develop mutual trust, confidence, respect and understanding.
The human can establish himself in the leadership role.
Little things can make the difference.
Getting you and your horse handy on the halter rope makes everything easier,including catching, leading, trailing, shoeing, saddling... and all riding activities.
Respect and responce are as important during
the day to day little things we do around our horses as
they are in our planned trainning sessions.
Using this nonconfrontational approach helps establish respons and control.
I've found at my clinics, as people get their horses better on the halter rope, it helps every other aspect of their horsemanship.
It helps them overcom many problems.
In addition to a willing attitude, it devlops
the horses supleness, roundness, softness... and lightness.
On the ground you're in a good posisition
to watch your horse think, and to learn from him!
You can easily watch his feet and how he
operates naturaly.
This groundwork will help you learn how
to get and keep your horse's attention.
Horses don't have a short attention span.
But to maintain their attention, and earn their trust and respect, make thinghs intresting, challening,and rewarding for them.
Sometimes groundwork is overdone!
This usually shows up in horses who have
been worked in multiple circles, with few transitions.
These horses have a typical glazed overllook
in their eye going through the motions physically but mentally inattentive.
There is no need to drill your horse at any type of groundwork!
Use groundwork as a starting point to help the horse learn responding, and yielding to and from pressure.
This helps the human learn to look for the
timing of the release, thereby rewarding their horses respons.
Groundwork is an exellent evaluation tool!
- A few minutes of quality groundwork can evaluate and prepare your horse.
- Many problems that might otherwise come up can be avoided by getting things on track with groundwork, this groundwork will help you and your horse get handy.
- He will be respectful of your personal space and not walk all over or push on you.
- You'll be safer, and if done correctly it will build in a safety factor to help keep both out of trouble.
- This is about the horse being properly halter-broke.
If a horse is not responsive, respectful, trusting, and a pleasure to be with when we're doing the little things arround the barn, we're reinforcing inappropriate behavior.
It will show up later in the arena, in the pasture... because the horse is doing what he's learned and what he has lived.
Don't wait until you get out to the arena to think about training ; it started when you went to catch your horse.
Come back to groundwork when all else fails.
When you're having trouble with your program, trying to solve a problem, or anything else; go back to groundwork exercises to regain responce, control, confidence, and respect.
As you get handy on the halter rope, this groundwork will be functional in how you handle your horse all the time.
Give your groundwork a meaning and purpose.
If done correctly, it will have a positive
carryover into riding.
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Agenda
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Steve will also be giving clinics near Brussels, or at the Merry
Horse stables (Avenue Brassine Rhode Saint Genese (Bruxelles) close
to the Forêt
of Soignes)
For testimonies about the clinics read the html or facsimilee version of the pressbook Other projects Within a few months Steve plans to travel to the US and Canada.
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For more info contact Steve : tel 32 498 82 83 07
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version Française |
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