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PALM PARTNERSHIP TRAINING™
Building a Partnership with Your Horse
Teach Your Horse to Ground Drive—Part 4
By Lynn Palm
In the last article, we took our first steps in ground driving by asking the horse to walk forward. In this article we will add turns.
Adding Turns
Once the horse understands moving forward, try a very gradual turn to the left. Use the assistant’s position on the horse’s left side to reinforce the turn. Gently flop the reins on his right side to ask him to move away and to the left to make the turn. If the horse gets too wiggly or confused, ask the assistant to come closer to him to guide him through the command. The goal should be for the assistant to gradually move further away from the horse toward the middle of the circles or turns that are being made until the horse can respond independently from the assistant.
To practice turning to the right at the walk, begin by ground driving in a straight line. Ask the assistant to cross behind you so that he is in position on the horse’s right side. Start a gradual turn to the right by getting the horse to move away from the rein against his left side using the method described above.
After you complete several successful, gradual turns, try tighter ones. If turning right, use a gentle give and take pressure on the inside right rein and loosen the left rein against the side of his body. Position yourself slightly to the inside of a tighter turn so that you will not be left behind as your horse walks through the turn. Straighten him out, and then ask for a turn to the left.
I will use a left turn to review the sequence for ground driving a turn. Reverse these directions for a turn to the right:
- Start with a nice forward walk, reins, even, walking directly behind the horse;
- Use your left index finger and thumb to slightly shorten up on the left rein;
- Slightly loosen up on the right rein;
- Shift your position to slightly come inward to the left;
- Use a light give and take pressure on the left rein, but do not pull;
- The horse should be giving lightly to the left rein, his body lightly arcing to the left, his head and neck slightly flexing left;
- After making the turn, come back straight by shortening the right rein;
- Gradually get the reins even again as you resume your position behind him;
- Correct wiggling by gently flopping the reins against the horse’s side.
Ending the Lesson
Conclude your lesson by asking the horse to back. Walk him forward and ask him to whoa. With the reins even, give the command back while giving a gentle give and take motion at the same time on both reins. Walk backwards as the horse backs up. Keep the horse’s head and neck straight while backing. If he goes crooked with his hips going too much to the right because you have used too much right rein, correct it by bringing his head to the right to straighten him out. Ask him for a few steps backwards, and then praise him. Walk him forward and straight and ask him to back again.
These ground driving maneuvers also can improve your riding skills. The proper way to start a turn under saddle is the same as in ground driving—shorten slightly on the inside rein while lightly loosening the outside rein. As the rider comes out of a turn, the outside rein is slightly shortened as she evens up the inside rein by loosening it. Never use a steady tension on the reins, whether ground driving or under saddle. Instead, use a light, pulsating pressure with the horse’s motion.
Learning these rein aids through ground driving will fine-tune your hands as a rider. Ground driving also will help to improve your eye to understand how to put your horse in the correct body position—either straight or with a light arc for turning to the left or right to attain balance.
You probably will need several sessions to practice and perfect ground driving at the walk before advancing to the trot.
You can learn more about ground driving in my Longevity Training Series, Tape or Disc 6—Ground Driving. Go to www.lynnpalm.com to find out how to order this and other Palm Partnership Training™ products. |
