Ground work and lunging for young horses
Ground work is the foundation of every trusting relationship between man and horse. Here it is important to grasp and understand the body language of the horse in order to be able to communicate with it. No matter in which area of equestrian sport, whether carriage driving, racing, western riding, English riding or vaulting, everywhere the horse-human relationship is first started from the ground.
Generally speaking, during the ground work, various body language and vocal signals are conditioned by which the horse can be directed from the ground in everyday life. So this work also has something to do with the hierarchy between horse and human. The horse has to learn to trust and follow the human and his commands.
The ground work with the horse starts already at foal age and is part of the basic training. The horse has to learn to walk willingly next to the leader and, if necessary, to stop at a voice command or a light pull on the lead rope and to be directed backwards. The horse must not push the handler to the side with its shoulder or even jump around him. The horse must learn to be guided by the rider in a trustful way even in difficult or new situations. Ground work also includes giving hooves, which can be directed in the stall/stable alley, and loading.
If the young horse has enjoyed a solid basic training, it can be lunged. For this purpose, the equipment of horse and lunger must be in perfect condition. Basically the lunging guide needs: sturdy shoes, gloves, a lunge and a lunging whip. The horse should be equipped with a bridle/cap bridle, a lungeing girth and binders. It can be helpful to lunge on a separate lungeing circle so that the horse can lean on the outside and does not break out over the outer shoulder. The aim of lungeing is to condition voice commands, to train the horse and to prepare it for breaking in. In the course of lungeing the horse learns to balance itself, to find a correct support, to move loosely over the back and thus to build up the muscles necessary for riding.
Once the horse has been trained solidly in lungeing, it is time to start breaking in.
