Welcome to our Ground Work Series! In this series you will be introduced, guided through and learn the tools to help set a solid foundation and accomplish many things such as: -Greater Relaxation -Decreased Anxiety -Willingness -Increased Confidence -Deeper Understanding -Respectfulness -Focus -Trust AND MORE. These fundamentals are so crucial Colton is giving them away because he knows if you implement these approaches and exercises you and your horse will experience the results and be advancing together on your journey of reaching your full potential.

Exercise #1 of this Ground Work Series isolates the hindquarters. Whether you are teaching a horse to lead, re-establishing a foundation, furthering your ground work skills or whatever the case may be- this is a MUST have in your tool box. The Hind Quarters is the horse's engine, and we need to be able to influence the department as we continue progressing. You'll notice this is all done, ideally, on a loose rein. Now if you need to pick up on your horse, definitely do so. At times they'll need guidance so they can find what we are looking for. That doesnt mean baby them and do it for them, it just means if you see they're struggling to find the answer, wait, give them a chance then help if needed. The strength in a foundation really comes from the horse having a strong understanding for what their job is and how they are expected to do it. Be sure you've got the free PDF guide to assist you with each video! This PDF is a great check list of reminders to have in the barn as you're working through these exercises. Have it sent to you here:

This exercise is crucial! Oftentimes I find myself diving into how some programs spend so much time and emphasis on the hind quarters (which is super important, dont get me wrong- thats why its the first exercise in this series) that folks forget how important it is to be able to influence the shoulders. We've all probably seen or experienced a horse pushing a human out of the way with their shoulders. Heck horses do it with each other all the time in the field- when the other horse doesnt pick up on their initial request that is. So here we're going to give you the tools to communicate and reinforce your request for your horse to yield the shoulders. This is extremely handy when you're maneuvering around your horse in the barn aisle and in other day to day instances. Dont just walk around your horse and let them be the center of the world. When you need to get to the other side of them use it as an opportunity to see how refined your communication is with your horse by asking them to move in a manner where you can then get to the other side in the easiest way- by having them move. Alright folks- get busy and let us know in the comments if you have any questions!

This is by far one of the most important and impactful exercises we teach in our ground work program. From regaining personal space to being able to maneuver our horse in the back up without having to feel like we are pushing them backwards, clinic participants have expressed over and over how game changing this is for them and their horses. It's practical, predictable and very applicable in many instances from unloading off a trailer to maneuvering through the barn aisle, being able to have a conversation without your horse pushing through the middle and more. Pay close attention to each step, be sure you have your Quick Tip Guide with important takeaways and things to keep in mind, and dont hesitate to watch this several times. Get your Quick Tip Guide to ALL the Ground Work Series videos sent to you here:

Here we're putting together our foundation exercises of the HIND QUARTERS, FRONT QUARTERS and the BACK UP. The name of this exercise is the complete summary of what this exercise is made up of. I say that because I dont want you to over complicate it. Yes it is simple, no that does not mean it is easy, particularly if you're just getting started. That's OK. It's always a good idea to have a buddy watch you as you and your horse work on this exercise, or video yourself. Building our self awareness of what we are (or are not) doing can be a tremendous asset to progressing in our horsemanship. Colton also offers online video lessons, so if you're looking for a little more 1 on 1 help, we'll put that link below! Get your Quick Tip Guide to ALL the Ground Work Series videos sent to you here: 1on1 Video Lessons Available here:

DONT START HERE. If you saw this was the last video of the series and started here because you think you can see the final product and just go from there, you're making a big mistake. But dont worry, you're not alone! Solid Foundations are built on having independently strong skills, principals, understandings, etc. That is what we have built in this series leading up to this point. We've isolated important areas of our horse and our selves that need refinement so we can continue into a combination exercise. That's what we are doing here. Bringing it all together, building upon the foundation and using our individual skills to create something so seamless it appears as if we are dancing. It can be the same under saddle too, but it starts here first. Get your Quick Tip Guide to ALL the Ground Work Series videos sent to you here: 1on1 Video Lessons Available here: