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THThis is one of my favorite groundwork exercises because it helps develop three foundational qualities in your horse—qualities you may not even realize are missing.
1. Respect
In groundwork, whoever moves their feet the least is the most dominant. Like it or not, your horse needs to respect you as the leader. This exercise helps reinforce that respect by establishing clear boundaries and expectations. This is done predominantly in step number one.
2. Responsiveness
You want a horse that responds quickly and with effort when asked to do something. This exercise teaches them to do just that—whether it’s moving forward, disengaging the hindquarters, or changing direction. From a balance and biomechanics standpoint, the way this drill is structured actually helps the horse teach themselves how to respond more promptly and efficiently.
3. Relaxation
Every horse needs to be relaxed around their handler. If this exercise is done properly, your horse will become more confident in your leadership. With that confidence comes relaxation, because they trust you won’t ask them to do anything to truly hurt or endanger them.
This exercise works with horses of all ages and experience levels. It’s a go-to in my program and something I use consistently with every horse I work with.
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