Consistency Counts

…horsemanship clinics typically start with groundwork. This is my opportunity to get a feel for the horse’s temperament, to evaluate the relationship between horse and handler and to refine (or establish) the horse’s ground manners. Since horses basically do what you’ve taught them to do (for better or for worse),…

Julie's dad on his palomino trail horse, Scout.

The Making of a Trail Horse, Part 4 (and Other Duties, as Assigned)

…along slowly, so that he only develops good habits and never learns behaviors that will affect his ability to do his job later. Ground manners, ground skills (like trailer loading and ground tying), finish training under-saddle, work ethic, and the ability to perform in all settings (independently of the herd),…

Foal meeting the farrier

How to Get a 5-Star Rating From Your Farrier

…has safe and reliable ground manners. Hold the horse–do not tie it. Working under a tied horse is not safe and may lead to huge wrecks. Always stand on the same side of the horse as the farrier (for safety), and monitor the horse’s behavior closely. Never allow…

How Much Does a Young Horse Really Know?

…mind. These horses advance rapidly in higher-level skills, but may not be well-rounded in basic life skills, like riding out in the open, trailering, standing properly for the farrier, and basic ground manners.

Young horses intended for recreational use have no deadlines. They usually are started under-saddle later…

Cultivating a Connection with Horses

…I am around them. Armed with the right equipment for groundwork (rope halter, training lead, training stick or flag if needed) and the information you need to teach basic ground manners, this can go really fast.

Establishing boundaries and communicating your clear expectations to the horse should…

Helping Horses in Need—It Takes a Village

…my barn for foster training.

Once here, we will evaluate his training and temperament, then make plans to fill in the holes in his ground manners and start his under-saddle training. Once he is more manageable and rideable, he may go to a foster home as an intermediate step,…

Annie and Juliie cantering in the outdoor arena with mountains in the background.

Should I Let Someone Else Ride My Horse?

…feet trimmed, and her ground manners were atrocious. I already knew that training mature horses, especially mares, could be challenging.

A 2- or 3-year-old horse is impressionable, adventurous, energetic, open to new ideas, and loves learning and engaging with humans. A mature horse that’s never had to do…

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Issues From The Ground: Ground Manners For The Veterinary Visit

Question Category: Issues from the Ground

Question: How do I train my horse to be a perfect citizen for the vet so that he gets gentle handling and is well-liked (and well-treated) by my vet?

Answer: HANDS-ON

The Best Patient Teach your horse ground manners to

Truth and Julie running over ground poles.

August 2021 Horse Report

ground manners, and further training in non-riding activities. She’s gone from a skinny, wormy-looking, potbellied, defensive horse, to a beautiful, sleek mare, greets you at the gate and who loves the attention she gets.

I look forward to finding her new family—and I am offering a private clinic to…

July 2020 Horse Report

…belly, his hind legs, or anywhere on his off side. He did not tie, had minimal ground manners, was hard to catch and very leery of strangers. But that is all far behind him now. He comes right to us to be caught, he ties, and most of the time…

View of an arena through a horse's ears.

Horse Goals or Bust Part 7: It’s Go Time!

…emotionality.

Does the horse need more time to settle in? What are some easy things you can ask your horse to do that will help him calm down, listen and respond to you? Look for opportunities to remind the horse of what he knows (think ground manners), and…

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Issues From The Ground: Won’t Stand For Farrier

…colts also need to learn other important ground manners like to keep their noses in front of the chest when you are working around them and to keep their focus on you. There is lots of information on this subject on my website.

Once you’ve taught the colts to…

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Issues From The Ground: Ground Manners For Draft Horse

Question Category: Issues from the Ground

Question: I would like to ask your opinion on how to handle a very big Percheron Paint gelding. He is a PMU foal that I adopted. He is halter broke and learning to lead. He has a terrible tendency to try to

Back to Basics (Part 1)

…or worse, was inadvertently taught to do the wrong things. Either way, we must go back to the beginning and re-establish rules of behavior, ground manners and our expectations of the horse.

In most clinics that I do, there are a handful of horses that fit into this category….

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Winter Workouts – Ride Right With Julie Goodnight

…a day and you’ll have a horse who can successfully ground tie before spring.

 

Step 3. Leading Manners

Ground manners are paramount on the trail. You might be riding in an uncontrollable environment. If you one day need to pony a horse, lead line lessons will…

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Building A Better Relationship: Ground Manners For Showmanship

Question Category: Building a Better Relationship

Question: Hi Julie,

The following is from my daughter Anna. (she’s 11)

Dear Julie Goodnight,

This year was very exciting for me. It was my first year showing at the Quarter Horse Congress!! I was sooooo nervous! I went

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My Horse Won’t Stand Still For Mounting

…proper ground manners or has inadvertently learned to walk off through inaction or a lack of authority on your part, there are some simple steps you can take to fix this common complaint. The Solution First, take assessment of your horse’s general ground manners and respect for authority. Is he…

Pepper walking in the snow between two tree branches.

Winter “Whoas”

…horse for grooming reminds him to be patient. You can work on ground tying exercises in the aisle of the barn. If your driveway has some dry areas or even some snow-packed areas, you might be able to do some leading exercises with your horse to keep his ground manners

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Issues From The Saddle: Jigging Horse Sensitive To The Leg

ground manners (he is now an angel when it comes to handling) and even have some progress under saddle, as he is not bolting anymore.

He is highly sensitive to leg pressure (actually, he is highly sensitive to everything). To the point that I only ride with my weight…

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Issues From The Ground: Trick Or Treat?

Question Category: Issues from the Ground

Question: Why shouldn’t I give my horse hand-fed treats?

Answer: Training Tips: Trick or Treat? By Julie Goodnight

Ground manners are critical in a horse of any age, for they indicate the horse’s respect for its handler. Many very capable

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Veterinary Visits “The Best Patient”

…to do what’s best for your horse and will perform the necessary examinations, diagnostics and treatments no matter how your horse behaves, he or she will appreciate your mannered horse and will gain respect for your horsemanship.

Here’s how to teach your horse four lessons in ground manners: hold…

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Fear Of Tight Trail Obstacle

…through gates or speed through their stall entrances. Panic takes over, and they suddenly have no ground manners. If they’re allowed to rush through consistently, their fear leads to dangerous behavior.

Keep in mind that there’s a broad range of reactions to being in tight places. Some horses may…

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Building A Better Relationship: My New Horse Is Challenging Me

…had to one-rein stop him. I am trying to keep a level head and give him time to adjust to his new surroundings and me, his fairly timid and somewhat inexperienced new owner.

I am not afraid of him on the ground. He has excellent ground manners when I…