Read About Horse Ground Manners Training

Horse ground manners training is a critical component to the basic training of any horse. Ground manners training is essentially teaching the horse how to properly behave when she is not engaged in any specific activity. In other words, it is how she behaves while she is standing next to you waiting to be saddled or after a ride when she is going to be groomed. Horse ground manners training includes understanding of personal space and respect for your “territory,” as well as how to stand quietly and exhibit patience. In short, ground manners training is a matter of teaching your horse to behave around humans.

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Just like you would probably feel uncomfortable if someone who was talking to you stepped too close and got in your personal space, you need to train your horse to stay out of your space. Your horse should never get more than about 18-24” close to you unless you specifically tell him to. It is important to remember that horses are herd animals. In terms of horses and their social dynamics, a horse that is allowed to get as close as he wants to another horse is asserting his dominance over that horse. It is important that your horse understand that you are the dominant one in your relationship. Good horse ground manners training will teach him that.

As with most horse training, the keys to successful horse ground manners training are repetition and consistency. Remember that every time you interact with your horse, you are teaching him something. If you are consistent in your actions and your expectations of him, you are more likely to be teaching what you are trying to teach. If, however, you sometimes let things “slide” a bit and lower your expectations, you are teaching your horse that he can get away with doing less than what you are telling him to do. More important, you are also teaching him that he has more control than he realized, and he will continually push to see how much else he can get away with.

When trying to teach your horse to relax and stand quietly, keep in mind that he will be less likely to learn this skill if he has spent most of the day in his stall. Keep your expectations reasonable, and allow your horse to burn off some energy before beginning training. Keep your training sessions short and fun, and be sure to lavishly praise the desired behavior each and every time your horse exhibits it.

Good horse ground manners training is worth every bit of effort you put into it. You will be rewarded with a well-behaved horse that respects you and is pleasant to be around.