Ground Tying

Teach your horse to stand alone while you leave her to complete a task.

horse stand and sit - ground tie

The horse must stay while the rider walks away and sits down

A ground tying challenge is usually quite entertaining to watch.  The rider usually does a bit of pleading with the horse and then attempts to walk away, keeping one eye on the horse and often going back to the horse to do some more pleading.  Since our horses are used to following us, it takes some practice to help them understand that we want them to stay put while we leave them.

Task:

The horse stands still while the rider walks away and completes a task.  Example tasks are sitting, moving an object from one place to another, or walking around the horse in a large circle.

Common Mistakes:

If the rider stands at the front of the horse while they attempt to leave, and walks away from the horse when their shoulder is by the horse’s head, the horse will be inclined to follow.

Materials:

Anything to sit on (chair, block, fence rail, etc.).

Skills Required:

  • ground tie

Preparation:

  • use a halter and lead line to teach the ground tie (preserving your reins)
  • consistency – “park” your horse in the same location every time
  • face your horse, put your hands up in front of their face, and say, “stand” or “stay”
  • walk toward the back of the horse,
    around their rear, and around the other side (in a circle), returning to where you started
  • praise your horse for standing still
  • repeat, making the circle larger each time

Precautions:

  • after you raise your hands, don’t turn your back to the horse and walk forward (they will be inclined to follow you)
  • if your horse takes a step, stomp your foot and say, “no”
  • if your horse tries to follow you (or exits the scene), back them up or lead them to the exact same spot and try again
  • rubbing your horse’s side, rear and opposite side, and/or pretending that you are going to adjust their tack, is a good way to “sneak” around your horse in a circle
horse stand still challenge - ground tie