Introduction to our groundwork exercises 😁
Hello everyone!
Today, we thought it would be helpful to begin discussing the various groundwork exercises we use when starting young horses in their training.
We’ve been successfully using this type of groundwork for quite some time now and have found it to be a positive alternative to traditional, old-fashioned methods of backing, starting, or retraining horses. As our industry continues to learn and evolve, we’ll see even greater improvements in equine welfare, training, and the overall relationship between horse and rider!
We’re planning to turn this into a series to dive deeper into each exercise and the concept behind it all, but we’d love to know if you’d be interested in seeing more content like this!
(Please note, Parsnip is only 2 1/2 yo, she is not with us for backing, and will most likely not be backed until summer 2026 as a 4yo depending on mental/physical readiness!)
Dennis having a bit of a kite flying moment during the first 5 mins of groundwork today… 🤣
Dennis having a bit of a kite flying moment during the first 5 mins of groundwork today… 🤣
Clearly a result of Clare Bunn’s magic and trialing some new supplements to help with gut health, it’s so lovely to see him feeling well after a tricky year getting him to this point 🤩
Please note this was not intentionally lunging- we kind of have a thing against lunging but clearly Dennis had some steam to let off and put himself on a circle 🤣
The lovely Robyn showing off his relaxation skills and how to cope with himself earlier in the week 🤩
Backing ‘Nova’ with a slightly different technique! 🤩🤩🤩
All yards that specialise in backing horses typically claim that the methods and techniques they use are tailored to the individual needs of each horse, but what does that really mean?
Take the beautiful ‘Nova’ as an example. We’ve decided that the best approach for him at this stage is a ‘one-man job.’ This can relate to some horses preferring to have a clear view of what’s going on around them, whether it's in front or behind them or even on top. It also helps them feel more relaxed and free when they don’t have someone standing at their head, constantly micromanaging every movement especially when most horses, especially young, in order to feel relaxed need to be able to feel in control of themselves within the situation.
And although most horses benefit from a confident handler leading them and allowing them to be curious during the early stages of backing, the technique can vary still depending on the handler’s position, how much the handler has a hold on the rope, or the pace at which they ask the horse to move forward. We’re incredibly fortunate that Nova’s wonderful owner (and many others!) has given us the time and patience to lay a solid foundation with groundwork before moving on to the next step in his training. This allows us to ask him to apply what he has learned on the ground to his ridden work, such as flexing his head and neck and encouraging him to drop his head for relaxation.
We also prioritise for any breaker or young horse teaching them how to use their body in a productive and correct way within their groundwork, which sets them up within our ‘natural horsemanship’ groundwork to understand themselves both physically and mentally, even when extra weight is added on top, and helps them to learn in a stress free manner!
We always take into consideration the horse’s physical capabilities as well as their own background, mentality and personality which helps not only tailor the techniques to the individual horse b
The lovely ‘Robin’ leading the way on his hack this afternoon 🥰
The lovely ‘Robin’ leading the way on his hack this afternoon 🥰
Boss man Boris inspecting the fields in front of Bud today, loads of hacking taking place 🤩
Boss man Boris inspecting the fields in front of Bud today, loads of hacking taking place 🤩
The lovely ‘Robin’ doing some polework excersice this morning to improve straightness and balance 😁
The lovely ‘Robin’ doing some polework excersice this morning to improve straightness and balance as part of his backing education 😁
The lovely ‘Bud’ leading the way over the motorway bridge 😎
The lovely ‘Bud’ leading the way over the motorway bridge 😎
How’s this for an update?!
We always love hearing about the progress of horses who graduate from The Link Equestrian, and today we received an incredible update from Helen’s horse ‘Star’, who joined us earlier this year for a few weeks of groundwork and desensitisation. I’ll let the video speak for itself… 🤣👻🎃
‘Dandy’ being a very well behaved pony leading the way home on his very first road-hack 🌟🌟
‘Dandy’ being a very well behaved pony leading the way home on his very first road-hack in the rain! Do you think the locals will think we’re mad if we start hacking out with umbrellas?! 🤣
Bud having a sweet Friday stroll through the fields 🌟
Bud having a sweet Friday stroll through the fields 🌟
‘Solly’ hacking over the motorway bridge like a pro!
‘Solly’ hacking over the motorway bridge like a pro! Now I won’t lie, Solly has had loads of good experience with traffic and motorway bridges prior to his backing education with us and it so apparent with how relaxed he is on quite a busy morning on the roads! Many tractors and trailers passed without a bit of stress, getting a lovely march on and the sun even came out this morning which was a real treat! ❤️
