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Need help with a training a solid WOAH and Ground Tie

1K views 3 replies 4 participants last post by  Skyseternalangel 
#1 ·
I'm working with an rescued auction horse. He's a grade/quarter horse build, gelding. He's generally a good boy, but he has a "wandering woah." When I ask for a "woah" he stops well, but then starts to creep towards me, one step at a time, same with ground tying.

I've tried asking for a woah, &/or asking to "stand". Praising when he stands quietly and when he walks off, then sending him away, moving his feet and directions. This has worked pretty well and he's 90% there. He stops and listens very well, but then he'll make a minor step to balance himself or to stand square, and then he'll do it again, balancing his other side, but the foot is maybe 3 inches in front of where he was before. Then he'll stand for a full minute or two, and then do it again, rebalance, but 3" in front of where it was before, and slowly he wander toward me.

He's stopping on a dime and I'm fine with letting him re-ballencing himself, but where do I draw the line? How do I get him the last 10% of the way; to stand still, and not wander step by step when I ask to woah or stand.


Thanks in advance!
 
#2 ·
if he tries to move off of his ground tie, i would not make him move around, but just back up into the position he was in before.
 
#3 ·
We actually were just working on ground tying the other day with my horse and a 2 year old who's never done it before.

A few things I think you should address, and I appologize if you've done this before but I just want to be thorough :) .

1. make sure that he is parked square and not all stretched out when you want him to ground tie - give him a chance to succeed.

2. make a clear and consistent cue. I like to ask my guy to drop his head about an inch once he's where I want him ... this is his "Park" cue.

3. When he moves his feet at all back him up to where he was ... even if it's just him moving three inches - he's parked, he should not be moving. when he moves foot 'A', make sure that 'A' foot steps back, even if he overshoots it and steps too far back at least he know that he made a mistake.

4. Once he's standing reasonably well, and got the idea, I like to walk around him, petting him. This kinda cements the idea that I don't have to be in front of him for him to stand there. If he moves, correct him calmly, but go right back to what you were doing.

5. Initiate walking off BEFORE he does. The 2 year old I was working with had a short attention span... asking him to stand for two three minutes at a time was beyond him, but thrity seconds was perfectly fine. Thus I began with fifteen-thirty seconds, and slowly built up the amount of time I wanted him to stand for, always being sure that I decided to walk off before he could think of the idea.

Those are the tips I can think of off the top of my head, and I hope you guys make it that last 10% of the way :) Of course practicing helps too. Ground tying him for grooming, and saddling are excellent ways to teach him to stand where you want him without the lesson getting boring.
 
#4 ·
If he's on a lunge line or lead rope and I ask for a woah (or ho as I call it) you send a vibration down the rope/line. and stop once the horse stops. If they don't stop, up the pressure and release IMMEDIATELY as soon as the horse begins to stop. This works with my horse.. he loves to cuddle after lunging. If they are just kind of chilling in space, making a motion with your hand to block them (like lifting them up in front of you (slowly) and then waving them if he keeps coming (upping the pressure.) Again, drop your hands down slowly once they stop.

If I ask my horse to stand still for mounting (an example) and he shifts, I put him back exactly how he has before he did it. So if he stepped sideways away from the block 3 steps and then back one.. I ask him forward 1 and then ask for 2 steps sideways toward the block. Same goes for crossties..

It helps to work on ground tying in a small area of space that is large enough not to feel too crowded. I love working in a round pen or a double stall or stall with a run. Nothing bigger than a paddock.

Remember to praise your horse when he gets it right!
 
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