Training A Horse to Ground Tying

No matter what kind of training that you are trying to achieve with your horse the most important elements in training are: patience, patience, patience, repetition, repetition, repetition, consistency, consistency, consistency, reward, reward and more reward!

Now that we have that understanding let's get started. Where do I start? First of all, do not rush this process. It takes time and is an ongoing endeavor.

• Spend some grooming time and gentle time with your horse/Make nice!
• Get your horse's attention. Walk, trot, gait--whatever your horse does. Just get his mind in the right place.
• Take the bridle off and put on a halter with a lead rope (10-12 feet long) attached. If the horse wants to move away you want him to be able to step on his lead rope. That usually will stop a horse from moving away. He stops himself by stepping on the rope.
• Lead your horse to the center of a ring, round pen or some other work area available to you.
• Gently drop the lead rope to the ground.
• Square up your horse
• Stand with your horse for a moment and pet him while he stands square. Give him some praise.
• Repeat this several times.
• Once you have achieved compliance of standing still, square walk a few feet away from your horse. If he stands there give him some "good boys" and a treat. However, if he moves--walk back to him, put him in the same place that you left him standing, square him, and try again. As above, repeat this process until your horse gets the idea of what you want. His noncompliance came be due to many things including the he does not get what you are asking, he wants to be with his friends, his attention span is not on target this day, he is distracted, he may not feel well, etc. Again, remember, this training exercise takes time and patience on your part. Generally, horses want to please their owners.
• Once he gets the idea of standing while you walk away, repeat this exercise over and over. Each time go a bit further away from your horse but stay in his line of sight. Be heavy on the praise!
• The method is simple. Eventually your horse will get it.

Although A Patchy understands this concept, I do not do this often because to me it is really not natural for a horse to just stand there. I like the concept but intellectually I realize that a "horse is a horse!" Being prey animals their instincts are to take flight. They are ever vigilant to what is going on in their surroundings. Escape is a survival mechanism to them. Also, the bond they have with you, their human, makes them want to be with you. Remember, they are herd animals. When they are not with their stable mates they are with you. You are their herd. I just do not feel comfortable trusting the ground tie. I use some sort of fixed tie whether it be a tie line, object, cross ties, etc. When we trailer to trail ride, A Patchy has been trained to tie to the trailer. He is a good boy and does just stand there, usually. There have been times that both of our horses have felt threatened by outside influences while standing at the trailer, with us there, and they pulled back on their tie out of fear of something. We use break away halters and have trained both horses to come when they hear the words "Cookie, cookie." They know that means a yummy treat of some sort!