Why Groundwork Comes First
In natural horsemanship, riding is considered a privilege earned through quality groundwork. When a horse understands your cues on the ground, responds softly to pressure, and trusts your leadership, the transition to riding becomes smoother, safer, and more enjoyable for both of you.
Groundwork is also diagnostic — it reveals areas of tension, resistance, or confusion that will inevitably show up under saddle if left unaddressed.
What You'll Need
- A well-fitted halter (rope halter preferred for feel and communication)
- A 12-foot lead rope
- A Carrot Stick or similar training stick with string
- A safe, enclosed working area
- Patience and a consistent plan
Exercise 1: Yielding the Hindquarters
Stand at your horse's shoulder and apply gentle, steady pressure just behind the girth area with your finger or the back of your hand. You want the horse to step its inside hind leg across and under itself, disengaging the hindquarters and swinging the body around.
Why it matters: A horse that can yield its hindquarters is a horse you can disengage from a bolt or panic. This is also the foundation of lateral movement under saddle.
Practice until the horse moves with the slightest suggestion — a finger, a shift in your body weight.
Exercise 2: Yielding the Forequarters
Face your horse's shoulder and apply a gentle driving pressure from the front, asking the front end to step away while the hindquarters stay relatively still. This develops a crossover step in the front legs.
Why it matters: Forequarter control gives you directional steering and is the root of a good turn on the haunches.
Exercise 3: Backing Up with Lightness
Begin by wiggling the lead rope in a small "wave" that travels toward the horse's nose. The moment they take even one step back, release completely. Over time, work toward backing with just a slight suggestion of energy — a shift of your own body weight back, a raised finger.
Common mistake: Pulling the horse's head back. True backing comes from the horse engaging its core and stepping under itself — not from head manipulation.
Exercise 4: Sending Over Poles or Through a Box
Use ground poles or a simple square made of poles on the ground. Practice sending your horse through the space using only energy and the direction of your gaze and body, without dragging them. This builds confidence and teaches the horse to think and problem-solve rather than just react.
This is a foundational version of the Squeeze Game from the Parelli Seven Games.
Exercise 5: Lunging with Purpose
True lunging in natural horsemanship is not mindless circling. Ask your horse to move in a circle at a specific gait, maintain that gait without constant nagging, and change gait or direction when asked — all from subtle body language and rope signals.
- Stand at a 45-degree angle behind the drive line (behind the shoulder) to send forward.
- Step in front of the drive line to slow or stop.
- Keep your energy matching the energy you want from your horse.
Tips for Success
- Keep sessions short: 15–20 minutes of focused groundwork beats an hour of mindless repetition.
- End on a positive note: Always finish when the horse tries, not when perfect.
- Be consistent: Use the same cues every time so the horse can learn predictable patterns.
- Reward try: The moment your horse makes any effort in the right direction, release the pressure and let them think.
Progress Indicators
You'll know your groundwork foundation is solid when your horse approaches you willingly in the paddock, responds to soft cues without bracing or resistance, and follows your energy and body language rather than just the rope. That's when riding becomes a natural next step — not a battle.