Ground work suggestions

[Country Girl 43]

Well, since Dallas can't be riden right now, I want to work with some new stuff on ground work.

How can I teach him to "bow"? I've always wanted to do that. :)

We will be working on flexing and more obsticals, jumps, ropes, tarps (gonna try to put one on him) LOL..

We will continue working on "personal space" although that is hard right now because he knows I am trying to help him and puts his head in my chest...nicely..without trying to bite me anymore.

Anything else??? Something fun.... he wants to learn.

[cloedoll]

Is he good at carrot stretches? That's how I am starting to teach Keidas to bow. When I do the carrot stretch where he reaches between his legs, he is starting to get more flexible, which obviously the horse needs to be if they're going to bow. :) Carrot stretches obviously aren't work, but definitely improve the horses flexbility and are fun, hehe. Desensitization to things of course come in handy, too. Hmm, I'm trying to think! Ha ha. :D

ETA: I know he is injured, but what kind of work can he do at the moment?

[Country Girl 43]

Iheart...he can do any groundwork, I just can't put a saddle on him because his back is all tore up. :cry:

[Palogal]

If his back is in bad shape it might he hard for him to stretch comfortably enough to bow. Somebody (anderson or someone) made a video on how to train a horse to bow...anyone remember who it was?

[vicklynn]

I have a fun thing that City and I do. Not sure how to explain it.
Ill try to get Bob to video it if he has time. Hes out working in the yard, but may have to leave out on the road, not sure. ???

[vicklynn]

Shoot, guess not on the video...lol
I hit send, and Bobs phone rings, I go check his voice mail, see if I think I need to disturb him, yup, its work.
I take the phone out, get his attention(hes on the mower), he finds he has a load, guess where tooo.
DAMN IT, I wannnnnaaaaaa gooooooo to Pheonix. No one to horse/house sit, in such short notice.

[Mercury]

Some girls at our barn made an extreme trail course at the barn (they were practicing for one). They made a square box and filled it with pop bottles and the horses had to walk through it. You can get a pallet and reenforce it to use it for a bridge. They also had a snow sled that could be dragged behind a horse. Stuff like that can be done from the ground then when he's better you can ride him through.

[gaited07]

Hey countrygirl,
How I trained my horses to bow is with carrots (my horses are suckers for carrots)
I would start on the side (left) with the carrot towards the shoulder, once the horse stretched/touched his/her shoulder I would reward with the carrot. I would lower the point of the carrot dropping lower on the foreleg, touch, reward.
As soon as I had the carrot to the knee area, I would pick up the left leg while holding the carrot until the horses nose was dropped and bends below the pastern, reward. As soon as the horse learns to balance and drop the knee to the ground, reward.
This is taken is steps. It took me about a week to get the complete bow mastered with my gelding.
I have to add that I used voice and hand signals. My horse will bow with a hand signal today.
I know there are a few good videos on youtube about bowing which gives a great description. Just do a search on horse bowing.
Good luck.
P.S. it is a lot of fun