The Young Horse: Ground Manners

As you work, begin to uncoil the rope and let it lay across the horse's neck, pulling it off slowly. Then it's back, rear, against the legs. Don't hit at it. Later, as the horse gets more comfortable with the rope, you can begin to move it faster, but never strike the horse with it.

Step 5
Do the same exercise with a longing whip. This time you will spend more time touch the horse's lower legs. You want to get the horse to the point where you can touch it's legs with the whip, rope, pad, hand and not have it move away. When you have accomplished this step you can begin to think about saddling the horse.

If you have to take a break from training at any level, always begin again with a part of training that the horse accepts and understands. Always try to end the lesson on a positive note.

Tying to a solid object:

After halter breaking, your horse needs to learn to stand tied. This will be extremely important throughout it's life. You must be able to tie your horse to groom, trailer, tack up and so on. This can be a dangerous lesson for both you and the horse. NEVER leave a horse that is tied unattended. When I was in high school my best friend lost her new Quarter Horse filly to a broken neck the night she got it for her birthday. She only left her for a minute to go to the house & get a brush. She learned a hard lesson that night.

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