Ground-Tied and Respectful

Whether you're on your horse's back or dismounted to clear a path, check a hoof, grab lunch, or help a trail buddy, it's important that your horse knows he must follow your directions. If you ask him to stand still, he should stay put without continuous prompting. To accomplish this goal, teach your horse to ground-tie (stand still, even when you walk away).

In the first of her exclusive natural-horsemanship series, top clinician/trainer Julie Goodnight helps you understand what it takes to be your horse's leader from the ground. By teaching your horse to stand still, you'll help him focus on you and establish yourself as his leader, fulfilling his natural instinct to follow a dominant personality in a herd. You'll teach your horse that you're the trusted leader in your herd of two.

Before mounting up for a long adventure, make sure your horse listens to you when you're on the ground, says Goodnight. At no point should he make his own decisions about what to watch or where to go. You're in charge of his every step; or, in the case of ground-tying, his every stance.

Ground-tying is a wonderful skill for any horse to have, notes Goodnight. Not only is it convenient when you need to step away from your horse to perform a task, but it's a sure sign that your horse is obedient, focused on you, and trusts your authority and leadership. This kind of rewarding relationship with your horse can only be achieved by investing time in ground-work exercises at home.

Exercise Prep
Natural-horsemanship lesson: Teach your horse to stand still on command.

Why you need it on the trail: This skill comes in handy any time you need to hop off to remove fallen branches, open a tedious gate, arrange your saddlebags, help a friend, or simply stop to rest. Teaching ground-tying also boosts your confidence in your horse and his confidence that you're in charge, no matter what spooky or interesting conditions surround him.

What you'll do: You'll ask your horse to stand still, vigilantly correcting him by shaking a soft training lead toward his halter any time he starts to take a step. You'll gradually progress to laying down the rope and walking a short distance away. Finally, you'll test his ground-tying skills by working with him in his usual tack.

What you'll need: A rope halter; a 12- or 15-foot training lead with a knot (rather than metal) attachment; your usual bridle with split or loop reins, and your saddle. Caution: Never allow loop reins to hang down where your horse can step through them; place them over his head in a way that removes them from stepping range.

Step #1. Teach Him to Stand Still.
Outfit your horse in the rope halter and lead. The long lead will allow you to move farther from your horse as you progress in training - so that gradually your horse is less reliant on your physical presence, but will continue to stand still.

Ask your horse to stand squarely on an even surface. When he stands squarely without leaning or cocking a foot, he'll be less likely to take a step to maintain his balance. (Any whisper of a step he takes will earn a correction from you.)

Loosely hold the training lead, and stand well in front and slightly to the side of your horse; point your toes toward his shoulder. (Don't stand directly in front of your horse, where you'd be in his path if he moved forward quickly.)

Note: Always face your horse when you want him to stand still; he'll learn that's a cue. When you want him to move, you'll face the direction in which you wish to go.

Step #1: Stand Still!

Give your horse a verbal "whoa" cue, then watch vigilantly for any movement. The instant he starts to pick up a hoof or moves his nose beyond the width of his shoulders (Photo 1A), issue a correction.

Correction technique: Flick your wrist up and down to send a wave through the lead toward your horse. (Be careful not to jerk the lead toward you, which would cue him to move.) This wave movement causes the halter-to-lead knot to bump your horse in the chin, letting him know what he was doing at the time was wrong (Photo 1B). The knot is enough of a correction; a metal attachment can hurt your horse and make him fearful of future corrections.

Important: When your horse moves, correct him immediately. He must receive a correction within three seconds of his infraction to understand your meaning; the sooner within the three-second time frame the correction occurs, the more likely he is to understand.

Continue working with your horse in this manner until he'll stand still several minutes without a correction. Work up to 10 to 15 minutes. Practice this stage daily until your horse stands still without correction, keeping his attention focused on you, his herd leader.

Gradually stand farther and farther away from your horse, until you reach the end of the long lead. When he stands still at the end of the lead, move from side to side, one step at a time, so that he learns to stand still even when you're moving.

Practice the standstill in locations around your barn, gradually getting farther away from his comfort zone. Find times to practice when you're sure your horse doesn't want to stand still, such as when the other horses are going back to the barn or leaving the arena.