# Trick Training Thread



## ChingazMyBoy (Apr 16, 2009)

Hey,

Well I thought that it would be good to create a thread for all the people who are teaching/taught their horse(s) tricks. You can ask for advice, show pictures, videos and just talk about how you taught your horse tricks and what trick it was. 

~~~~~~

I've taught my ex-race horse TB a few tricks I've taught him to bow - with and without rider, Paw, Smile - His still trying to work that one out and at the moment I'm teaching him lay down. 

The first trick I taught Chinga was bow, it was the hardest. He would back up or when he started to bow he would freak out and pull his head back up. But now he can do bow very well. 

To teach him smile, I gave him a kiss on the nose one day and he "smiled", so I automatically said smile and gave him a treat, now everytime he does it I say Smile and give him a treat.

Paw was also another trick that happened by "accident". I was getting him to bow one day and he started pawing. So I told him good boy Paw, and rewarded him. He gets better everytime.


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## ChingazMyBoy (Apr 16, 2009)

Bow:


First time bowing with a saddle -



First under saddle bow - I forgot to sit back -


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## ChingazMyBoy (Apr 16, 2009)

Paw - He did paw when I asked for bow:


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## Fire Eyes (May 13, 2009)

_You shouldn't make him bow with bent legs without you on him, let alone with you on him. It could really hurt his legs, even break them. 
Try teach him to do it like this;_


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## Lonestar22 (May 22, 2009)

I wanna teach my donkey to bow. Any suggestions?


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## eventerdrew (Mar 13, 2009)

eeek. That could really hurt his tendons/bones/ligaments

You should probably have someone hold the leadrope because he could put his foot through the halter and break his neck.

Just looking out for Chinga 

$0.02


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## paintluver (Apr 5, 2007)

My boy is learning to bow. We are kind of stuck though at the moment...


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## CrazyChester (May 5, 2008)

PLEASE, anyone that is more experienced correct me if I'm wrong..




ChingazMyBoy said:


> Paw was also another trick that happened by "accident". I was getting him to bow one day and he started pawing. So I told him good boy Paw, and rewarded him. He gets better everytime.


but...

Wouldn't that be rewarding bad behavouir? Because you didn't ask or properly train him to 'paw' wouldn't that make him think, "Oh, if I paw she will give me a treat."? If a horse paws in the wrong situation couldn't it be dangerous for you? :? Please..feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.


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## ChingazMyBoy (Apr 16, 2009)

eventerdrew said:


> eeek. That could really hurt his tendons/bones/ligaments
> 
> You should probably have someone hold the leadrope because he could put his foot through the halter and break his neck.
> 
> ...


 
Thanks and that totally makes sence. I'll focus on getting his legs straight.


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## Fire Eyes (May 13, 2009)

ChingazMyBoy said:


> Thanks and that totally makes sence. I'll focus on getting his legs straight.


_That can still pull muscles. It's better to get one leg bent down under him._


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## ChingazMyBoy (Apr 16, 2009)

Fire Eyes said:


> _That can still pull muscles. It's better to get one leg bent down under him._


So like in the second picture, but with the straight leg.


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## Fire Eyes (May 13, 2009)

ChingazMyBoy said:


> So like in the second picture, but with the straight leg.


_Yes, but try not to let him put too much weight on his fetlock. It looks like he's leaning on it in that picture. 

Good job getting him down though.
_


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## ChingazMyBoy (Apr 16, 2009)

Thanks, he use to freak out when I put my hands between his legs so its a big change.


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## ChingazMyBoy (Apr 16, 2009)

paintluver said:


> My boy is learning to bow. We are kind of stuck though at the moment...


 
What are you guys stuck with? There are many helpful members on the forum that may be able to help.


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## mom2pride (May 5, 2009)

I have taught horses to bow, lay down, nod 'yes' or 'no', and smile. My current girl will learn how to bow, as that is one of my favorite tricks to teach.


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## ChingazMyBoy (Apr 16, 2009)

Would any one happen to know a way to get a horse to lay down without force?


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## CloudsMystique (Mar 3, 2009)

ChingazMyBoy said:


> Would any one happen to know a way to get a horse to lay down without force?



A way to get them to lay down without force is to hose them off, take them to a big dirty patch in the pasture, and give them a treat when they lay down to roll. But not all horses will do this, and it takes a REALLY long tim.

There is a way that uses some force, but not much of it.

Just to show you which leg to hold up and which way to pull his head: 





Now, instead of just pulling the horse down and rewarding him, you can reward him every time he goes down a little bit. Every time his body moves in the direction you want, let go of his leg and head, reward him, and try again. Eventually he will realize what you want and go all the way down. This is a much better way to teach them, because it helps them realize that they can do it on their own... they don't have to wait for you to pull them down. They will learn the trick BETTER, but don't expect him to learn it in one day. This is a slower way of teaching it.




Anyway... My gelding only knows how to smile on command. He doesn't like to bother with tricks. This is a picture of him doing stud lip, not smiling on command. It looks exactly the same, though, and I don't have a picture of him smiling.












My mare knows how to kiss, shake, open a door (one that's cracked, not closed all the way), bow, and rear. She can do all of those tricks with JUST a voice command. I'm currently teaching her to bow with me on her back, smile, and rear higher. She rears really high about every three rears she does, so all I'm doing is instead of rewarding her after each rear, only rewarding her when she rears high. Luckily my mare is REALLY friendly and people-oriented, like a dog, so I can just scratch her as a reward. She likes it just as much, and doesn't get nippy that way : ]

I don't have very many pictures of her tricks... just bow and rear. I'll have to take some others.

This was a LONG time ago... When she was first learning it. She can do it without the treat now.










This is the best picture I have of her rearing... I'll have to take some more.


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## SavvyHearts (Sep 29, 2009)

ChingazMyBoy said:


> Would any one happen to know a way to get a horse to lay down without force?


When a horse is 100% ready the horse will offer the lay down. But the "bow" is the first steps to it. 

Right now my one horse can kiss and hug. We are working on the Spanish Walk, Laying Down, yes and no, and smiling.


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## HorsesAreForever (Nov 9, 2007)

Chance can Smile, Spanish walk, and ALMOST bow. I had her down ONCE so its a work in progress!


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## cowgirl4jesus94 (Jun 14, 2008)

How do you start teaching the spanish walk? What are the beginning steps?


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## RadHenry09 (Mar 22, 2009)

^^ I have always wondered that myself , I would like to teach my mustang how to do the Spanish walk too.


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## CloudsMystique (Mar 3, 2009)

Spanish Walk...


Do whatever cue you want to use (tapping the shoulder with a whip works well), lift up one leg, stick it out, set it down, praise horse. Repeat a few times a day for quite a while. Then do your cue and see if he'll do it without you lifting his leg for him. If he does, practice that for a while, and teach him again with the other leg. You will have to start over from scratch. Horses have a problem transferring tricks from one side of their body to the other... So don't be surprised if your horse acts like he has no idea what you want him to do when you switch legs. He actually doesn't. So just be patient. Once he learns it on that side, do back to the other side to refresh his memory. Then you should be able to get him to do one leg and then the other. Once he is solid with this trick on the ground, try it from the saddle. Tap him on the shoulder and see what happens. If he doesn't do anything, try having someone stand on the ground and give him the cue while you're on his back to remind him. Then try it again from the saddle, and it should work. Good luck : ]



Oh, and if he doesn't want to lift his leg up that high, don't worry about it at this point. Once he knows the trick extremely well and won't get confused, you can train him to lift his leg higher by giving him the cue over and over until he lifts his leg as high as you want it. Then stop and praise him. He'll get the picture.


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## Lily of the Valley (Sep 27, 2009)

I wanna know how to teach a horse to, like...not lie down on their side, but pull their legs under themselves and lie down so I can just slide onto their backs. Anyone know what I mean? >.>


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## CloudsMystique (Mar 3, 2009)

Lily of the Valley said:


> I wanna know how to teach a horse to, like...not lie down on their side, but pull their legs under themselves and lie down so I can just slide onto their backs. Anyone know what I mean? >.>





I know what you mean... Most horses will do that automatically when you teach them to lay down. You usually have to teach them to lay on their side.


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## RadHenry09 (Mar 22, 2009)

Thanks CloudsMystique...I am gonna try that...


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## Lily of the Valley (Sep 27, 2009)

CloudsMystique said:


> I know what you mean... Most horses will do that automatically when you teach them to lay down. You usually have to teach them to lay on their side.


So teach them to lay on their side, then teach them to stop when they're in the position I want?


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## CloudsMystique (Mar 3, 2009)

Lily of the Valley said:


> So teach them to lay on their side, then teach them to stop when they're in the position I want?


No... That's not what I meant. I mean if you teach him to lay down like I said, he should lay down the way you want, not flat on his side (unless you push him over once he lays down). So just don't push him over.


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## Lily of the Valley (Sep 27, 2009)

CloudsMystique said:


> No... That's not what I meant. I mean if you teach him to lay down like I said, he should lay down the way you want, not flat on his side (unless you push him over once he lays down). So just don't push him over.


Ah, gotcha. Cool. Hopefully I'll have a horse that I can teach that someday.


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## ChingazMyBoy (Apr 16, 2009)

CloudsMystique said:


> Spanish Walk...
> 
> 
> Do whatever cue you want to use (tapping the shoulder with a whip works well), lift up one leg, stick it out, set it down, praise horse. Repeat a few times a day for quite a while. Then do your cue and see if he'll do it without you lifting his leg for him. If he does, practice that for a while, and teach him again with the other leg. You will have to start over from scratch. Horses have a problem transferring tricks from one side of their body to the other... So don't be surprised if your horse acts like he has no idea what you want him to do when you switch legs. He actually doesn't. So just be patient. Once he learns it on that side, do back to the other side to refresh his memory. Then you should be able to get him to do one leg and then the other. Once he is solid with this trick on the ground, try it from the saddle. Tap him on the shoulder and see what happens. If he doesn't do anything, try having someone stand on the ground and give him the cue while you're on his back to remind him. Then try it again from the saddle, and it should work. Good luck : ]
> ...


That sounds really cool, I'll have to give that ago sometime!


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## HorsesAreForever (Nov 9, 2007)

Chance learned the spanish walk by copying me. When ever I lefted my leg she did, so I rewarded it. Eventually we got to where When I lift my left she lifts her left etc. Now we got like 4 steps. We havent worked on it in a long time! She also will step up to ANY platform there is like a mounting block or a pedastool its fun


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## Audra0729 (Feb 25, 2009)

looking forward to teaching my paint to bow. as soon as spring rolls around lol


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## CloudsMystique (Mar 3, 2009)

HorsesAreForever said:


> She also will step up to ANY platform there is like a mounting block or a pedastool its fun



Mystique does the same thing! It's so funny : ]


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## riccil0ve (Mar 28, 2009)

I don't get what the Spanish walk is. Anyone have a picture or video? I'd like to trick train my yearling. She's bored and I think if I taught her to bow, lay down, etc, it would give us something to do without being too taxing on her body or mind.


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## cowgirl4jesus94 (Jun 14, 2008)

riccil0ve said:


> I don't get what the Spanish walk is. Anyone have a picture or video? I'd like to trick train my yearling. She's bored and I think if I taught her to bow, lay down, etc, it would give us something to do without being too taxing on her body or mind.







 =)


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## riccil0ve (Mar 28, 2009)

Aww, so cute!

I just want to say, I did teach my yearling to bow, at least down on her left knee. It took her like, two minutes. The other side, she just isn't as balanced, so we haven't gotten all the way down yet, but it's still exciting. The next step is the other leg, obviously, and then I'm going to teach the lay down from there, maybe a "play dead" kind of command. =]


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## Visibre (Jul 14, 2009)

My Dutch warmblood can do: Jambette, Spanish walk, spanish trot, modern bow, classic bow, Bow on 1 knee, kneel, lay down, lay dead, sit, sitting jambette, rear, buck, capriole, back crunch, front crunch, smile, yawn, shake yes, shake no, back up, following backwarts, holding something, giving kiss, and much more

My welsh pony can do: Hold something, get something of her back, spanish walk, front crunch, jambette, rear, buck, capriole, sit, lay down, bow on 1 knee, lay dead, kneel, holding something in rear, walking sidewarts, and more...

My welsh×Shet yearling can do: lay down, jambette, lay dead, rear, backwarts, sidewarts, she's very playfull


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## ChingazMyBoy (Apr 16, 2009)

Wow thats awsome Visibre


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## trIplEcrOwngIrl (May 13, 2009)

Visibre said:


> My Dutch warmblood can do: Jambette, Spanish walk, spanish trot, modern bow, classic bow, Bow on 1 knee, kneel, lay down, lay dead, sit, sitting jambette, rear, buck, capriole, back crunch, front crunch, smile, yawn, shake yes, shake no, back up, following backwarts, holding something, giving kiss, and much more
> 
> My welsh pony can do: Hold something, get something of her back, spanish walk, front crunch, jambette, rear, buck, capriole, sit, lay down, bow on 1 knee, lay dead, kneel, holding something in rear, walking sidewarts, and more...
> 
> My welsh×Shet yearling can do: lay down, jambette, lay dead, rear, backwarts, sidewarts, she's very playfull


WOW!! that's soo cool! I would love to teach my mini's to do lot's of tricks but I still have trouble getting them to lift their feet:-(. Oh well, maybe once they get there feet worked out, we can start a bow. that would be so cute if they could spanish walk/trot! I'll have to post a vid if they ever learn that! haha!! any tips with the feet?:?


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## whitetrashwarmblood (Aug 24, 2008)

CloudsMystique said:


> Spanish Walk...
> 
> 
> Do whatever cue you want to use (tapping the shoulder with a whip works well), lift up one leg, stick it out, set it down, praise horse. Repeat a few times a day for quite a while. Then do your cue and see if he'll do it without you lifting his leg for him. If he does, practice that for a while, and teach him again with the other leg. You will have to start over from scratch. Horses have a problem transferring tricks from one side of their body to the other... So don't be surprised if your horse acts like he has no idea what you want him to do when you switch legs. He actually doesn't. So just be patient. Once he learns it on that side, do back to the other side to refresh his memory. Then you should be able to get him to do one leg and then the other. Once he is solid with this trick on the ground, try it from the saddle. Tap him on the shoulder and see what happens. If he doesn't do anything, try having someone stand on the ground and give him the cue while you're on his back to remind him. Then try it again from the saddle, and it should work. Good luck : ]
> ...



I tried this with my mare tonight, and she got in within 10 minutes.
I tapped her shoulder with my finger while I lifted her foot up and out, and said "step up!" 
Now she'll lift her leg up when I just tap her shoulder.

Although, she doesn't lift her leg up very high. 
Should I wait until I've taught her to lift up her right front as well, before I teach her to lift her leg higher?


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## CloudsMystique (Mar 3, 2009)

whitetrashwarmblood said:


> I tried this with my mare tonight, and she got in within 10 minutes.
> I tapped her shoulder with my finger while I lifted her foot up and out, and said "step up!"
> Now she'll lift her leg up when I just tap her shoulder.
> 
> ...



Awesome! I don't think it matters which one you teach her first... Just make sure she knows it really well before you go to the other step.


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## CloudsMystique (Mar 3, 2009)

I got a video of Fendi smiling...








I also taught it to Mystique. She learned it in literally... about two minutes. It took Fendi weeks, haha. I'll have to get a video of her now.


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## gypsygirl (Oct 15, 2009)

what is a good way to teach them to bow on one knee ? my mare will put her head between her legs, but im not sure where to go from there...


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## CloudsMystique (Mar 3, 2009)

gypsygirl said:


> what is a good way to teach them to bow on one knee ? my mare will put her head between her legs, but im not sure where to go from there...


You just have to pick up her leg and hold it as she goes down.

Hold it just like this: http://www.whmentors.org/mpic9/willy_picking_up_hoof.jpg


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