The Mustang Diaries: Oakley Haltered Groundwork - Session 1

As I entered the training arena with Oakley two days ago, I carried no equipment, only the quiet assurance I hoped to project onto him. We began with free lunging. The objective was simple: to encourage him to move around me, responding to my body language and voice commands without the constraint of a lead rope.

Then, we moved to yielding his hindquarters. This exercise, crucial for establishing respect and control, involves asking the horse to move his hind end away from pressure. The moment he yielded, even slightly, I released the pressure, rewarding his cooperation.

Desensitizing to the lead line and stick/string came next. These tools, often associated with restraint, are essential for safe handling. Throwing the lead and stick/string over his body and then around his legs assured him that my tools aren't there to inflict pain.

Practicing approaching him was perhaps the most profound lesson of the day. He has previously been tough to approach. Requiring very slow, gentle movements to coax him into allowing me into his space. We worked on trusting that people aren't going to hurt him and that it is going to be okay when someone walks up to him. We got to the point where he was very willing and calmly accepted my attempts at walking into his space.

Finally, we moved on to the basics of leading. With each step, he seemed to gain confidence, responding to the gentle pressure of the lead and the reassuring presence of my hand on the rope. I do not doubt that he will be leading like a true gentleman in the near future.

All in all, this was an excellent first REAL groundwork session for Oakley!