Horsemanship Guide

Every rider has come across the term horsemanship. It is usually associated with the well-known horse whisperers, but what exactly does horsemanship mean? Translated into English, a „horseman“ is a „horse person“ who tries to understand the behaviour and communication patterns of horses and to use these for trusting and peaceful work between horse and human.

Although horsemanship generally stands for a species-appropriate and needs-oriented approach to the horse – not only in terms of working together, but also in terms of keeping and maintaining the horse’s health – in the broadest sense horsemanship is also understood to mean active ground work with the horse. This is desirable for every horse-rider pair. It promotes mutual trust and thus enables harmonious cooperation. By trying to understand the horse’s body language in detail, one automatically works on one’s own non-verbal communication and in this way not only works on the horse, but also on oneself.

Basics of Horsemanship

The basics in horsemanship work lie in the gentle training of the horse based on mutual trust. There are now a wide variety of methods, with different approaches and goals.

A comprehensive overview of the concepts of horsemanship work can often be found in the literature. In order to find the right concept for oneself and one’s horse, one should consider what goals one wants to achieve. When working, one uses the language of the horses. In the herd, they communicate mainly through touch and movement. The hierarchy, for example, is clarified through an interplay of approaching and driving away the opposite horse. If a horse voluntarily avoids his counterpart, this can also mean that he shows him respect and gives him his space. Showing affection is usually done through gentle touches, such as nudging. These signals are also used for horsemanship work.

The exercises, which are structured differently depending on the trainer and method, are not the goal, but rather a means to an end. They are intended to strengthen trust, train body language and promote concentrated cooperation between horse and human.

The accessories – what do I need for horsemanship?

Which accessories are used for horsemanship training depends very much on the trainer’s concept.

Rope headcollar

Due to its narrow diameter – usually approx. 6 mm – and the resulting small contact surface, the knotted halter has a very distinct effect on the horse’s head when pressure and movement are applied. The horse learns to give in to the pressure within a very short time, as it is directly rewarded when the pressure is released by the disappearance of the unpleasant pressure.

Correctly fitted and knotted, the noseband of the rope halter sits very similarly to that of a correctly buckled English riding headcollar, namely approx. 2 finger widths below the cheekbone. Under no circumstances should the nose piece be buckled too low on the horse’s sensitive nose bone. The cheek straps should ideally sit behind the cheeks.

It is also important to make sure that the knotted halter is not too big, otherwise it will move too much and can slip – a knotted halter that is too tight, on the other hand, can cut in uncomfortably and also does not allow for precise action.

Here you will find step-by-step instructions on how to fasten the rope halter correctly:

Ground work rope

The ground work rope is also called a rope in horsemanship groups and is approx. 4 m long. It can be used not only for ground work, but also for loading, for training in composure or simply for leading the horse on a walk. The rope is not suitable for tying up, as they are usually equipped with a bullsnap or a safety snap. The rope should lie well in the hand and have a certain weight of its own, as the signals are transmitted better to the knotted halter in this way. The groundwork rope often has a leather rattle to facilitate communication.

Horsemanship Stick

The horsemanship stick is seen as an extension of the arm in horsemanship training. It can be used to reach any part of the body and to give specific signals or to desensitise the horse during calmness training. With horses that repeatedly question the hierarchy and come too close to humans, the horsemanship stick is often used to visually show the horse its own area. The stick is in no way to be regarded as a substitute for a whip or crop. The material is stiffer, so that a more precise communication is possible. In addition, the leather flap at the tip of the stick makes it possible to attach a small rope – the so-called string – which increases the range accordingly.