Dressage Ground Work Tips

[HotToddy]

Hello! I’ve got a 2 year old QH filly who has not been trained under saddle yet, but has been introduced to ground work. I’ve been lunging her, and her wtc transitions are good! We’ve been practicing her balance, and I introduced poles to help her work on her self-carriage.

I’ve already encountered people telling me that QH’s lack the athleticism to succeed in dressage. They don’t extend, have “locked up shoulders,” etc. But I’ve heard of multiple stories of people succeeding in dressage with their QH partners.

She is western pleasure bred, and she’s a good mover. Though sometimes she has a little more woah than go in her, it depends on how interesting I make our work. I’m looking for any tips for ground work that might help prep her for dressage later on. I’m not planning to actually break her until she’s 3 or a little older. But I want to give her as solid of a base as possible to set her up for success.

Any advice would be appreciated!

[Scribbler]

You could consider starting the basic lateral movements inhand at walk and trot. Shoulder in on a circle walk/trot and then shoulder in straight and leg yield walk. Start with turn on the forehand and develop from there. You can do all this in a rope halter.

You can also longe square turns instead of always circles.

You also want to encourage her to be forward. Don’t let her get locked into a western jog or slow trot.

[AnotherRound]

I think its a little early for close circles, but as Scribbler says, the shoulder in and lateral work will be good for her with you on the ground. Horses can very easily and quickly translate their responses on the ground to us on their back. And I disagree with what anyone has told you about quarter horses per se; Most are well bred performance horses and they have a quick mind to learn and excel at work. However, don’t go to fast with her. She’s yet a baby, and does not need a schedule we might ask of older horses. Don’t let her sour because her mind isn’t suited to the questions being asked, or by pushing long sessions, even if she isn’t backed yet. I agree about always asking her to go forward willingly. I would not ask for close circles or sharp turns. Her bones and joints don’t need that yet. Let her grow. She has pleanty of time yet to buckle down to work. Keep her lessons to a few times a week, and 10 minutes only. After she does well, stop, and reward her and let her out to run and play. Let it be and take it up again days or even weeks later. Just my opinion on babies.

[KayGee]

I did the 6 Feet on the Ground thru North American Western Dressage with my horse for his yearling and 2 year old years. Even if you don’t compete, you can use it as a guide for groundwork and adapt it to your horse’s skill level.
Every horse is an individual. I’ve known plenty western pleasure bred horses who weren’t cut out for wp, and I’ve known well bred warmbloods that never made it past 2nd level. Enjoy the journey and milestones with your horse.

[SuzieQNutter]

Every horse and rider improves from dressage.

Quarter horses can be build downhill, but it is not impossible. There was a quarter horse that competed at the Grand Prix Dressage Championships. He had competed in Western Championships and won the week before.

I will never forget their pa de deux. Them dressed as a cowboy. A paint and rider dressed as an indian. The entrance was a gallop on the quarter lines and a sliding stop. The rest was virtually cowboy chase indian. The Indian doing a piaffe. The cowboy circling around them in Medium canter, etc.

At 2 year old they are usually thrown back out to mature. They are too young and immature yet.

Western horses are started too young for the futurities in a lot of people’s opinions. Same as the thoughts on racehorses. They were not allowed to compete in showjumping in ponyclub until they had 4 year old teeth in wear.

[Scribbler]

By square turns I did not mean sharp turns at speed.

Rather you walk with the horse as he walks in a straight line, and then you turn him 45 degrees and let him walk in a straight line again. Rather than just doing circles on the longe. It’s not very demanding work and it gives another kind of balance. The horse won’t be turning that sharply.

[NotGrandPrixYet]

I second AnotherRound’s advice, and I really wouldn’t ride her until she’s more mature (4.5-5 years).

[J-Lu]

@HotToddy

Hello! I’ve got a 2 year old QH filly who has not been trained under saddle yet, but has been introduced to ground work. I’ve been lunging her, and her wtc transitions are good! We’ve been practicing her balance, and I introduced poles to help her work on her self-carriage.

I’ve already encountered people telling me that QH’s lack the athleticism to succeed in dressage. They don’t extend, have “locked up shoulders,” etc. But I’ve heard of multiple stories of people succeeding in dressage with their QH partners.

She is western pleasure bred, and she’s a good mover. Though sometimes she has a little more woah than go in her, it depends on how interesting I make our work. I’m looking for any tips for ground work that might help prep her for dressage later on. I’m not planning to actually break her until she’s 3 or a little older. But I want to give her as solid of a base as possible to set her up for success.

Any advice would be appreciated!

Firstly, I’d ignore what other people tell you. Ride your horse like she can succeed and see where she “tops out”. My friend in TX went to GP with her TX bred AQHA QH. My current barn neighbor (next pasture) and friend has a QH who went to Congress but has the movement for dressage.

I’d teach her to longe or work in a round pen and go forward over ground poles/cavaletti. I’d work with her to longe larger than a 20m circle by walking out with her. Alternatively, after she knows the voice cues, see how she free-longes in a larger arena around you.

“Forward” will be your friend. Any disciplined approached will help teach your horse that her life is about learning and she’s going to learn from you. Even if you teach very basic groundwork stuff like backing, standing and waiting, moving to the left or the right…etc. All of this is about your horse paying attention to you and listening to you. That will be transferred to your under saddle cues when that happens. Your horse will look to you for instruction, and that’s what you want to enhance.

Good luck!

[HotToddy]

Thank you all for your responses! I currently only work her about 15 mins a day on a 50’ line, and we do a lot of working up and down the center line so I’m not having her go in a circle 24/7. I don’t want to be too hard on her joints. I’ve also been working on some free lunging with her. Currently she responds to vocal queues very well, and I don’t have to add a ton of pressure to keep her going.

I think I’m going to be introducing some of the lateral work with her to see how she takes to it. She’s a smart girl and she enjoys the challenge. She doesn’t get too lazy unless she isn’t challenged. When she’s engaged and interested she has a lot of forward motion to her.

@AppaloosaDressage Thank you for your input! I love hearing stories of other QH’s doing well in the dressage discipline. I know not all QH’s take to it, but I think it’s a bit closed minded to act like they’re immediately going to fail just due to their breed! Like you’ve said, it depends more on the horse than just their breeding.

As far as starting her, I’ve seen a lot of the discussion about what age to start. I have no intention to ride her for any great length at 3, it will mostly be green breaking her. Short w/t sessions in the indoor and outdoor arena. But no real hard work for her. I had the vet come out and do rads of her legs to ensure she could handle it without causing any damage, and I also asked his opinion on the extra stress in her back. He expressed concern if I wanted to do anything like jumps, pole work, rides longer than 20 mins, etc. But he didn’t seem to think short sessions would be too much for her.

I’m honestly not looking to compete with her. I’ve never had a drive in that direction, my interest in dressage is purely for enjoyment and connection with her. So beyond testing to achieve levels, I doubt there will be anything more than that. So I have plenty of time to let her mature before I do any hard work with her.

For lateral work on the ground, where do you think would be the best place to start? What is the easiest first introduction to them to set the groundwork?

[HotToddy]

I should specify when I say 15 mins a day, that’s normally 3-4 days a week. Not every day! I try to work two days max and then give her a rest day.

[SuzieQNutter]

@AppaloosaDressage

Just to stand up for the QHs in the dressage arena, some of you may remember the rescue I got about a year ago https://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/forum/discussion-forums/dressage/10339664-three-and-4-year-old-stallions-free-but-not-even-halter-broke-update-again
(feral almost four year old cremello stallion by QH halter stud)
I love doing dressage on him. On a cold windy day, the QH is the most most reliable mount, not the wbs who have been under saddle for years. He’s also the bravest, marching past objects that the wbs snort and bulk at. He doesn’t spook, he looks, carries on, or at worst canters two strides then looks and carries on. It’s wonderful to ride a horse that gives you a safe feeling and still has a go button. Yes he is a downhill QH, but he tries, he’s brave and inquisitive. and super smart. Easily one of the most fun to ride horses in the barn because he’s forward but not hot and reactive.

Years ago I didn’t think I would speak so highly of QHs, but their temperaments are something a girl could get used to.

Side note, we did a lot of long lining in arena and around property before starting under saddle, laterals in hand, come to mounting block, that kind of thing.

I bought a warmblood mare who would freak if someone moved a jumper.

She was in a place where the owner kept the horses obese. She was in a yard with no grass and would stand most of the time.

I brought her home. She was taken off the grain and was in my gelding so walked with him. She no longer shied under saddle.

My boy, TB, bought because he was too much if not ridden at least three times a week, was also brought home, taken off grain and let out in a paddock.

Mother Nature has a sense of humor and it doesn’t matter what time of the day I go to ride him, as soon as I put my foot in the stirrup a strong breeze to gale starts.

It doesn’t matter if I don’t ride him for days/weeks/months.

The first time I took him to a dressage training day it was a gale force wind day. They had judges boxes with trasparent plastic shut on the front. The gale force winds rattling them non stopped. He didn’t bat an eyelid.

This has nothing to do with breed. It has to do with how they are kept and trained.

[HotToddy]

@SuzieQNutter

This has nothing to do with breed. It has to do with how they are kept and trained.

I think that is the point she was trying to make. Too many times people make their opinions solely on breeding. Like my being told QH’s can’t do dressage, only WB’s can, etc. It’s a case by case basis, with consideration for who the horse is and how they take to their training.

Or that’s how I took it, at least. 😊

[SuzieQNutter]

@HotToddy

I think that is the point she was trying to make. Too many times people make their opinions solely on breeding. Like my being told QH’s can’t do dressage, only WB’s can, etc. It’s a case by case basis, with consideration for who the horse is and how they take to their training.

Or that’s how I took it, at least. 😊

A dressage horse can do anything!

[AppaloosaDressage]

@HotToddy

I think that is the point she was trying to make. Too many times people make their opinions solely on breeding. Like my being told QH’s can’t do dressage, only WB’s can, etc. It’s a case by case basis, with consideration for who the horse is and how they take to their training.

Or that’s how I took it, at least. 😊

What I was trying to say, rather ineloquently I suppose, is that conformation aside, temperament and work ethic go a long way as well, in any breed.

[Scribbler]

@HotToddy

Thank you all for your responses! I currently only work her about 15 mins a day on a 50’ line, and we do a lot of working up and down the center line so I’m not having her go in a circle 24/7. I don’t want to be too hard on her joints. I’ve also been working on some free lunging with her. Currently she responds to vocal queues very well, and I don’t have to add a ton of pressure to keep her going.

I think I’m going to be introducing some of the lateral work with her to see how she takes to it. She’s a smart girl and she enjoys the challenge. She doesn’t get too lazy unless she isn’t challenged. When she’s engaged and interested she has a lot of forward motion to her.

@AppaloosaDressage Thank you for your input! I love hearing stories of other QH’s doing well in the dressage discipline. I know not all QH’s take to it, but I think it’s a bit closed minded to act like they’re immediately going to fail just due to their breed! Like you’ve said, it depends more on the horse than just their breeding.

As far as starting her, I’ve seen a lot of the discussion about what age to start. I have no intention to ride her for any great length at 3, it will mostly be green breaking her. Short w/t sessions in the indoor and outdoor arena. But no real hard work for her. I had the vet come out and do rads of her legs to ensure she could handle it without causing any damage, and I also asked his opinion on the extra stress in heback. He expressed concern if I wanted to do anything like jumps, pole work, rides longer than 20 mins, etc. But he didn’t seem to think short sessions would be too much for her.

I’m honestly not looking to compete with her. I’ve never had a drive in that direction, my interest in dressage is purely for enjoyment and connection with her. So beyond testing to achieve levels, I doubt there will be anything more than that. So I have plenty of time to let her mature before I do any hard work with her.

For lateral work on the ground, where do you think would be the best place to start? What is the easiest first introduction to them to set the groundwork?

Teach her to move her haunch away from pressure icalmly and then stop When you remove pressure. Not the wildly skittering “respect” you see in some bad ground work.

I wouldn’t force a turn on the forehand but rather develop the haunch move in to a shoulder in on a small circle around you with the hind legs tracking outside the inner track

Once this is easy you can start to push the horse a away from you in a leg yield and then shoulder in on the straight maybe along the rail. All of this obviously bent away from direction of movement .

[ParadoxFarm]

AppaloosaDressage, very pretty boy!!

[MontanaDun]

You might think of ground driving also. Fun for you and the youngster. Also, I second or third or whatever number we are at that quarter horses can do just fine in dressage. I schooled my big guy to second level and if I were a better rider, he could have gone further. I was scribing at a show several years ago and a young woman came in a hony-sized palomino quarter horse and proceeded to lay down the prettiest test you ever saw. Obedient, light, engaged, forward. It was a delight.