# Spanish Walk



## koomy56 (Jan 19, 2008)

My horse doing a Spanish Walk..super fun trick to teach!


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## Jubilee (Dec 15, 2008)

Oh how fun! Have you been able to teach him how to do it while you ride him?

That's cool.

Jubilee


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## koomy56 (Jan 19, 2008)

Hello! Yeah, she is on her way. It's a little more tricky when mounted because my timing isnt as quick so she often gets a little hollow. But we're working on it!  Thanks for the comment


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## Jubilee (Dec 15, 2008)

Oh that is so fun. How did you teach him to do that?

Jubilee


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## koomy56 (Jan 19, 2008)

Its really pretty simple. Start out in hand, halter or bridle your choice. Grab a pocketful of treats and a dressage whip. If you are not a treat giver, that's okay a good pat for a reward also does the trick. 
Stick your horse against a wall, like the side of your arena/roundpen. 
Start out and just gently tap your horse's leg with the whip anywhere where you get the most response. My horse made the most response on the front of her knee cap. If your horse is a bit on the dull side, you keep tapping or tap harder until he motions to move his leg. (Even the slightest bit) then reward with a pat or a treat.
One you have established that a tap means to pick up his leg, then you can start adding in the walk. Stay at your horse's head, and tap his belly to motion him forward. Watch his front legs and count every 4 steps he stops on his outside leg, and you tap his inside leg up. Walk immediately and reward. Repeat until he gets the point. Once you can do that both sides, then you can start alternating. 3 or 4 steps right leg, 3 or 4 steps left leg. 
The main important part is that your horse keep walking, and keep the forward movement. Otherwise, his back end will get camped out behind him and he wont have the balance to lift his front legs. So the aid to walk immediately after the leg lift is super important. 
The more your horse understand that he lifts a leg, then walks, then lifts the other, you can ask for the alternating every step.  My horse was pretty funny, she'd do it all on her own just to get a treat. Which was okay in the beginning, and then as you progress you start to train when its okay to do it, and when it's not.  Let me know how it goes and if you have any questions!!!


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## Jubilee (Dec 15, 2008)

I'm going to have to try this sometime. Thank you for sharing!

Jubilee


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## my2geldings (Feb 18, 2008)

Not sure I totally understand how you start adding the walk into doing it but I am going to try this on my baby. He's longing for something to do and I think he would be fun to teach tricks to so I'm going to give it a go. You have a gorgeous horse by the way and that spanish walk is a lot of fun!


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## XxXequinegrlXxX (May 24, 2008)

thats very neat!!! your horse is gorgeous by the way


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## Eolith (Sep 30, 2007)

Really cool. I notice that she steps higher with one leg than the other though.


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## koomy56 (Jan 19, 2008)

lol, yeah, she definately lifts her right leg higher. It's a great suppling exercise too!
Thanks for your compliments, she is beautiful.  She makes me proud. hehe
You start adding in the walk as soon as your horse has the basic idea to lift his leg when tapped. So you tap, then walk forward. Then stop to tap, then walk forward. Just repetition is all!


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## Lois (Jan 24, 2009)

Cool! looks really good already :-D
My little old horse can do it too, she does the same as your horse, one leg goes higher


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## koomy56 (Jan 19, 2008)

Have you noticed the more you do it, the higher she can lift that one leg though? Marti is starting to get more even, and it actually has improved her moevment as well! A well-worth trick!


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## Spyder (Jul 27, 2008)

koomy56 said:


> Have you noticed the more you do it, the higher she can lift that one leg though? Marti is starting to get more even, and it actually has improved her moevment as well! A well-worth trick!


It is a nice trick but something I would not teach my horse.


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## bgood400 (Nov 10, 2008)

thats pretty cool! =]


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## XxXequinegrlXxX (May 24, 2008)

why is that spyder?


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## Liberty (Jan 18, 2009)

ooooooo that's sooooo exciting! I'm inspired to try it now.... I just have to figure out who'll be my guiney pig... Liberty, Intensity, Mysti, or Sofia...


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## koomy56 (Jan 19, 2008)

lol try the one who adores treats the most!  good luck


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