He’s a nudge, he crowds you and he pushes by you to rush into his stall. We’ve all known horses like that. Whether he’s eager for a horse treat or exerting his dominance, the behavior is unsafe and makes for a less obedient horse. Some simple groundwork training will show you how to teach your horse that he must respect the space between you two.

First, keep in mind that your groundwork training is ongoing, from the second you take him out of his stall to the end of your day when you lead him back to his stall. Keep a dressage whip (or a similar length groundwork stick) with you whenever you lead him, whether in a halter or in full tack. The whip or stick will be used as a visual aid or to lightly touch the part of the horse in the same manner that you would your hand. It is not used as a punishment tool here and not used to hit him.

When you start your groundwork training, do so in the arena first so he can become accustomed to the working off the cues of the whip and your body.

Begin facing him. Hold the whip horizontally in front of his face, level with his eyes and say “back” as you walk toward him. You may have use your free hand to push his chest until he gets the idea. Eventually, as you practice this, your horse will immediately back up when you turn the whip horizontally in front of his face. Do not allow him to make you back up. In the wild, an animal that backs up is submissive. If your horse enters your space and you back up, you’ve immediately told him that you are the submissive one. So, whenever possible and when it’s safe, do not back away from your horse. Make him back away from you.

Now teach your horse to walk obediently beside you. Holding the whip again horizontally across his chest, teach him to halt or slow when you touch him with it on the chest.  If your horse normally rushes into his stall, this exercise will be the groundwork you’ll need to halt him at the door and make him wait until you are ready to walk him in. If he crowds you while leading him, push him off you with your hand to his shoulder and hold the whip out between you two.

To teach him to move further away, you can stand in front of his left front leg, take a step toward him and use the whip to lightly touch his left side and have him move off to the right. Switch sides and have him move to the left by touching the whip to his right side as you take a step toward the right side.

This type of groundwork is good to get a horse focused before you ride and to close out your schooling while cooling him down after a ride. Practiced consistently, you can turn your horse from an ill-mannered buster crowding your space to an obedient, safe horse that is well schooled on the ground.