Most riders imagine “trail training” as hours in the saddle, covering miles of dirt roads, canyons, and creek crossings. And while those miles are essential, they’re only safe — and successful — if you’ve done the groundwork first.
Here in Los Angeles County, our trails are beautiful but full of surprises. One day you’re riding past hikers with trekking poles, the next you’re crossing a busy street to get to the next trail segment. If your horse can’t stay calm and responsive with all four feet on the ground, it’s unrealistic to expect them to keep it together when you’re on their back.
Groundwork = Communication
Good groundwork isn’t just about teaching your horse to lead nicely — it’s about creating a clear communication system. On the trail, you might need your horse to:
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Stop instantly
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Yield their hindquarters or forequarters to avoid an obstacle
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Back up calmly in a tight spot
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Stand still while you check tack or wait for a friend
If those responses aren’t reliable on the ground, they won’t magically appear in the saddle.
LA County Trails Demand More Preparation
Many LA County riders deal with urban trail connections — stretches of road, sidewalks, or neighborhood paths you have to navigate to reach the open trail. This means:
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Cars passing just feet away
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Barking dogs behind fences
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Trash bins, strollers, and cyclists appearing out of nowhere
Groundwork builds the trust your horse needs to follow your lead instead of reacting to their environment. That trust can be the difference between calmly walking past a barking dog… and spinning into traffic.
Our Groundwork Focus in Training
In our Los Angeles horse training programs, groundwork is non-negotiable. Before any horse hits the trail, they learn:
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Soft yielding to pressure from the halter, both laterally and vertically
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Moving their hindquarters and forequarters independently
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Standing tied patiently
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Staying out of the handler’s space — no crowding or pushing
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Staying calm while exposed to tarps, flags, traffic cones, and other “scary” things
By the time they’re under saddle on the trail, these skills are already second nature.
The Payoff: A Safer, More Confident Horse
When your horse understands and respects your cues from the ground, trail riding stops being a gamble. Instead of reacting to every sound and movement, they look to you for direction. That’s how you build a horse that can confidently handle LA County’s diverse and unpredictable riding environments.
📍 We provide LA County horse training that starts with groundwork and ends with a calm, reliable, trail-ready partner. Based in Palmdale, serving Acton, Agua Dulce, Sylmar, and surrounding areas.
👉 Ready to get your horse trail-ready the right way? Contact us to learn more about our training programs.