Groundwork

Approaching Your Horse

The interaction with your horse begins long before you ever put a halter on. The way you approach — your awareness, timing, and response to…

Catching & Haltering

Haltering your horse may seem simple, but the small details matter. In this video I will show you how proper lead rope handling and thoughtful…

Leading Your Horse To Where You Will Begin The Process

How you lead your horse is part of the training. Stay relaxed, avoid defensive postures, and carry the lead softly instead of trying to physically…

4 Basic Groundwork Exercises

4 Basic Groundwork Exercises These 4 basic exercises will teach your horse many valuable skills, but they will also teach you how to be aware…

Creating Connection Through Change In Focus

The Creating Connection Through Change In Focus exercise is the most fundamental step in connecting with your horse. This should be the starting point for…

Posture & Energy for “Creating Connection Through Change in Focus”

This lesson is about how you show up for the exercise — not what you “do” to your horse. Your posture and energy  matter, because…

Common Mistakes in “Creating Connection Through Change in Focus”

This lesson is your troubleshooting guide. If this exercise ever starts to feel confusing, “not working,” or weirdly frustrating, it’s usually because one of a…

Standing Still & Present Flowchart

If you are already familiar with Warwick’s content, you will notice that the order of things has changed.  This is a good thing because it…

Standing Still but Anxious & Unaware of You (Looking Around)

Sometimes you’ll encounter a horse that is standing still, but almost in a freeze state.  Their head will be high with their ears pricked, concerned…

Standing Still, Aware of You, but They Show Stress Indicators

Recognizing and Responding to Stress Indicators Stress indicators are subtle signs that your horse is becoming overwhelmed by your presence or the situation. One of…

Standing Still, Unaware of You & has Gone Internal

When Your Horse is Shut Down and Unaware This type of horse may be standing still, but they lack awareness. Their ears are fixed and…

Very Distracted or Anxious and Walks Off

Sometimes a horse can become so anxious or disconnected that they tip into a state where they are unaware of their surroundings — or even…

In Your Space (Pushy Horse)

Differentiating between those who are a little in your space or want to engage a little too much, and Pushy Horses.The horse that we are…

Engaging with the Muzzle – Horses that Want to Bite or Chew

I have found that horses that put their mouths on us are doing so because they are seeking engagement, not because they are being naughty.…

Matching Steps

Matching steps is a connection practice, not a control technique. It means: Wherever you go, I’ll go too. It is for horses who cannot connect…

Separation Anxiety

The Crabwalk

This exercise used to be part of fixing a horse that was too bendy or stiff while doing the Focus & Bend, but I think…

Focus & Bend

Now that your horse can stand still, stay aware of you, remain connected, and stay relaxed, you’re ready to begin training. This marks the true…

Focus & Bend – Common Horse Problems

You may come upon some of the common horse problems while doing the Focus & Bend exercise. Obviously, the first one is that they don’t…

Focus & Bend – Common Human Mistakes

These videos are of Robyn & Rey when we first got him. Rey was very shut down, but sought engagement through biting. Robyn was uncomfortable…

Leading With Energy

You will start with this exercise if your horse has more drive than draw. (If your horse has more draw than drive, begin with Focus…

Leading With Energy – Common Human Mistakes

Warwick coaches Robyn while teaching Rey the Leading with Energy. **Disclaimer** Robyn wishes she had stayed the course with the way that Warwick engages with…

Going Between You and The Fence

Now that you have successfully moved through the first 4 Basic Groundwork Exercises, you have taught your horse a lot of things they will need…

Working from Above – Mounting Block

The goal of the mounting block exercise is to prepare the horse for saddling by getting them comfortable with a person above and leaning over…

Building Confidence at the Mounting Block

Once your horse is comfortable standing quietly beside you at the mounting block (or bucket), it’s time to get them comfortable with sensations like sound…

Coming Up Beside You At The Fence

This lesson teaches a horse to stay relaxed and confident while you’re above them, beside them, and lightly resting on them, without rushing into getting…

Sitting on Your Horse from the Fence

Once your horse is confident standing beside you at the fence from both sides, the next step is to practice easing into the feeling of…

Desensitizing While Moving

Just like with desensitizing while standing still, the key here is maintaining a solid connection with your horse. The goal is for your horse to…

Lateral Flexion

Lateral flexion teaches your horse to softly follow the feel of the lead rope, which later becomes your rein aid under saddle. It is one…

Introducing the Saddle Pad

Before you ever think about saddling, your horse needs to be relaxed and confident with the saddle pad. This step is about much more than…

Preparing a Horse for Girth Pressure (Pre-Saddling)

Before introducing a saddle, it’s important to help your horse become comfortable with both the sensation and pressure around their girth area. This step not…

Surcingle (Optional)

This is an optional step if you have this piece of equipment.  I did not do this with Chance and Dulce and they were fine…

Introducing the Full Saddle (Pad, Saddle, and Girth Pressure)

By this stage, your horse should already be comfortable with the surcingle or girth preparation exercise. That step taught them how to relax and reset…

Groundwork Review with the Saddle On

Once your horse has accepted the saddle and girth at a standstill and in motion, the next step is to revisit every piece of groundwork…