Though I agree w/Ted 99.9% of the time & tell any & all greenhorns to watch & listen carefully to his presentations, I rarely comment. That said, the advice of doing in-hand ground work, daily if necessary, is absolutely KEY to building a relationship of mutual respect/trust.
I'm new to horses (3 yrs.) and am only now getting into riding. I have learned from the most respected natural horsemen that groundwork is foundational to riding and a good relationship with your horse. What is so sad and surprising is that there are so many people who "poo poo" in-hand work (outside of longeing their horse in crazy circles) and think that it's for wimps. I am so grateful that Ted says, "If you're HUMBLE enough to work with your horse on the ground..." Bravo, Ted!
