Groundwork Intensive

To find success in groundwork, you must first learn to think like a horse. This week we will look at herd dynamics, what motivates a horse to learn, how horses communicate with each other, and how we communicate across species. We'll dive into self regulation and co-regulation. We'll also cover prey and predator relationships, and how we can help our horses overcome fear through careful desensitizing and sensitizing. And then, we'll put it all into practice as we work with the horses on the most fundamental aspects of ground communication. While this week is simple, it is also profound, and will change the way you look at horses in every day contexts.

This week we will dive into positive reinforcement. We'll talk about the benefits and limitations, and some of the hot topics in horse welfare including artificial aids, consent based training, and whether horses need jobs. Then we'll take to the horses and learn how to implement positive reinforcement strategies to bolster our communication.

This is when the hands on work gets juicy. Here we will learn about how a horse moves, and how horses move each other. We'll practice moving horses away in the round pen, and communicating with some distance between horse and human.

Finally, in week 4, we'll put together everything we have learned this month to make it all one, beautiful, dance-like flow. We'll take our horses through obstacles, practice at distance, and work with subtle communication. Then, you'll get your hard earned certificate in Whole Horsemanship Groundwork. Congratulations!