Work in Hand

To work a horse in hand is a very good and suitable tool during the years of training. Without the weight of the rider it is for most of the horses easier to learn movements like piaffe or spanisch walk.

To do a quality job it is not as easy for the rider as it looks like. Mistakes happen as easily as when you ride because you have to watch and control a lot of things at the same time.

But if you are skilful enough you are able to prepare the horse for many movements you are showing under saddle.

The touching points of the horse. .

In our work with little ponys the work in hand has a major function because in this case we have to do everything from the ground. All lateral work, spanish walk and piaffe are the first movements we practice in this way.

First touching with a special elastic long whip on one hindleg. It is not nessecary that the horse lifts up his leg so much. Important is the reaction to the whip and the voice. With a very sensitve horse you only have to tap a little bit on the canon bone.