Horsemanship & Horse Groundwork

What equipment do you need for horsemanship?

Horsemanship is often regarded as a training method in Western riding. However, horsemanship should be understood as much more than just a way of handling horses. Achieving harmony between horse and human is paramount, which can only be accomplished through clear communication, precise signals, and mutual respect.

To achieve these harmony goals, horsemanship encompasses not only the daily handling of the horse but also, in a broader sense, groundwork. For clear communication, certain aids are beneficial and should be essential components of your tack room:

• Rope halter
• Horsemanship rope or lead rope, alternative: lunge rein
• Horsemanship stick, alternative: long whip
• Possibly a neck ring

In order for the signals to reach the rope halter precisely, the connection between the halter and the hand must also be correct. That's why many horse people in horsemanship rely on a heavy horsemanship rope. It should feel heavy in the hand, so that it is not whipped up by the next gust of wind to make an unintended demand on the horse. In addition, groundwork ropes are longer than a normal lead rope (4 to 7m), and usually have a leather flap at the end.

We recommend always wearing gloves when working with a rope, so you don't get injuries or abraisions if the horse pulls hard on the lead rope.

A horsemanship stick serves as an extended arm, allowing the horse to be guided in its movements or for specific body parts to be touched. It also aids in desensitisation, where the horse is stroked all over its body. For this purpose, a string can be attached to the end, which additionally extends the reach. Unlike a whip, a horsemanship stick is thicker and more stable. Without a string, the stick can also be useful for giving direction when riding with a neck ring. If the horse does not respond sufficiently to lateral aids on the neck ring and through the leg, the stick can be held parallel to the horse's head as a visual boundary to encourage the horse to turn.

Would you like to learn more about horsemanship, its basics and the necessary equipment? Then you'll find everything you need to know in our guide on horsemanship.