Ground Exercise 1

To turn 360o in a box.  Gives him a chance to figure out on his own that the large brown lump trailing behind him is his hindquarters. He needs to learn how to maneuver in novel situations.  For example, in the middle of an in-and-out after his pilot has an amateur moment.

Work as yesterday: walk AM; groundwork PM.  Silver & gold star respectively.

Do you incorporate groundwork into your riding program?

Little & Often

AM  Short in-hand walk, done after his heat therapy to maximize relaxation. Our route was halfway between the path to the water trough, which is a gimme, and the path up the hill, which caused his come-apart last fall.

PM  First day back to double sessions, so I groomed until his head came down & he yawned.  Then, we walked quietly to the ring, did a microscopic amount of ground work, declared victory, and came home.

Gold stars all around.

Anyone else out there on two-a-days?

We begin. Again.

We are in the second week of short, in-hand walks around the pasture.  Given the combined talent of horse & rider, this is an astounding level of underachievement. The theory is to identify exercises where gold stars can be handed out by the fistful. The goal is to get back to a place where he likes work & I like him. Buried under 16 months of set-backs is the marvelous mid-life crisis horse who so enchanted me when we met.

Anyone want to share their frustration story?  Preferably one with a happy ending?