Always in training horses and riders my emphasis is on:

1. Safety
2. Fun
3. Learning

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If you are not safe, you won’t have fun, and if it’s not fun you or your horse will not want to learn.

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Today I want to talk about Ground Tying. The name is a bit misleading, you don’t actually tie your horse to the ground, or anything else.

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What is Ground Tying?

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Ground Tying is when you have your horse trained to stand, while his handler is not holding him, and having the lead rope attached to his halter and the end of the lead rope is lying on the ground, not tied to anything.

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When would I use Ground Tying?

• If you horse got loose, you can give him the command and he will stop and stand. 
• If you decide to allow someone else to ride your horse and they got into some trouble, you would still be in control from the ground.
• If you were taking a horse out from the pasture, and there were other horses trying to rush the gate, simply by saying whoa, you would initiate the command to have the horse stop and stand.
• Anytime!

What equipment do I need?

A halter and a lead rope. No chains needed just a basic lead rope.

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With that said, lets get to it. Always start your training in an enclosed area. With your horse outfitted in his halter and lead, take him to a quiet area of the arena. Tell your horse to “Whoa”, and then look him in the eye. That will tell your horse that you are serious.

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If you watch horses interact in the wild, the lead horse will not only use gestures to communicate with the other horses, he will use looks and facial expressions. You are the lead horse. By communicating with deliberate tone and expression your horse will feel more secure.

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While holding on to your lead rope, gradually move away from your horse. Continue to say “Whoa” and then look him in the eye. If he moves, start again, from your leading position, and be patient.

As your horse gets comfortable with you moving around him, and he stands completely still, you will be able to drop your lead rope onto the ground. Don’t let it drop close to his hooves, just straight down from his halter. Don’t drape it over his neck, let it lie on the ground.

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Look you horse in the eye and say “whoa”. Walk away from him while maintaining eye contact. Reassure your horse periodically by saying “whoa”. Whoa is very important, this is his cue to “freeze”. This exercise could one day prove very important. You never know what you may encounter in the barn or on the trail.  

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*Tip: Don’t turn your back on your horse when you begin teaching him this exercise, and if he moves a hoof, say “whoa”, look him in the eye and regain control.

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Take you horse to different places to practice. In a (closed) pasture, in the barn, or a different area of the arena. Practice until your horse learns that “whoa” means “freeze!”.

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When you are grooming, tacking or untacking your horse, you can practice ground tying instead of cross tying or tying.  Ground tying is a great tool to have in your “horse training tool box”.

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Tags: ground tying, safety

9 Comments to Ground Tying

Anonymous
February 15, 2006

Deanna,

I’ve tried this with my horse while grooming and it works great! She is less restless and actually stands without as much “fussing” as when she is in cross ties. In her case (and I acknowledge not all horse will react the same) she’s calmer and more relaxed when unrestrained.

Andrea
February 26, 2006

Hi great post, I have started my own horse blog and am making a section of fellow horse bloggers.
Would it be ok to add yours to the list?

Rising Rainbow
February 12, 2007

I first started teaching my horses to ground tie because it was a required element for showing in trail classes. I soon learned how useful a tool it was in my overall relationship with my horse. A horse that ground ties has a lot more respect than a horse that doesn’t

Deanna
February 12, 2007

I completely agree with you. I actually started the ground tying for the same reason, and now I still continue to use it.

Anonymous
June 24, 2007

I’m teaching my pony to ground tie, any tips will be helpfull with this monster pony!

Anonymous
June 24, 2007

I was wondering how to reinforce my horse when she moves. I’m worried the message isn’t clear.

Deanna
June 25, 2007

to reinforce and make sure the horse understands, whenever he moves, pull down on the lead hard look the horse in the eye and firmly say “whoa!”

Let the horse associate moving and not standing with discomfort and then in turn you can praise the horse with a pat on the neck when he or she stands in place.

Good Luck!

Deanna

Deanna
June 25, 2007

Glad to help

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