In this next series of articles, I will share with you a very special horse of mine named Camaroon LXXXIV, or “Cam”, an eight-year-old Andalusian stallion. I’ve had Cam for two years and we’re really starting to connect. It’s been quite a journey to get here, however, and I want to share some of the gems I have learned along the way.

Groundwork can serve a range of purposes, from behaviour modification to physical conditioning, but over the long term its greatest contribution is its alteration of neuromuscular patterns. When a horse needs to adopt a new pattern of muscular activation, coordination, or balance, groundwork is often the quickest way to accomplish it. Using focused and brief groundwork sessions daily, many horses’ postural challenges can be rewired with far less tension and confusion than under saddle.

Stability Before Strength - Balanced muscular development cannot happen without first achieving a body that can stay stable throughout movement. In other words, a horse that is wiggling around trying to find balance, or one that has found balance by adopting a crooked posture, cannot develop strength in the ways that lead to better performance. Before a horse can add power to his locomotive muscles, he needs to find joint and limb stability while moving in his basic gaits.

If done correctly, lunging teaches a green horse to discipline, balance, and organize himself in a frame at all gaits and during transitions, without the added stress of a rider. By going back to these building blocks in his foundation at the start of a session, or in a new environment when he is experiencing sensory overload, will tell the horse to remember those skills he’s familiar with.