One of the best tricks to teach your horse is ‘touch’. It is SO simple but has many uses.
You can use ‘touch’ to help your horse accept and approach scary objects.
It works like magic!
Horse Training Articles
3 Principles
Most horses will happily do anything you ask if these 3 principles apply:
- The horse is physically able to do it.
Your horse must be able to physically do what you are asking and it must not cause him any pain or discomfort. If your horse finds something difficult or painful they just won’t want to do it. (And we want trick training to be lots of fun for you – and your horse).
If you have an older horse or one that has injuries then look at tricks that are easier for him to do. For example I rarely ask Trigger to do a Full Bow (down on his knee) because of his age. But there is a trick called the Simple Bow which is much easier for older horses to do and still looks really nice.
How To Teach Your Horse Treat Manners
Some people worry that using treats during training will cause their horse to become pushy, nippy and turn them into a horrible food monster!
Unfortunately this is likely if your horse doesn’t learn how to behave around treats. For most horses food is their favorite thing and they just want some… NOW!
Thankfully it is easy to teach your horse to have perfect manners around treats.
31 Things To Do With Your Horse (other than riding)
Sometimes you can’t ride. Sometimes you don’t want to. Here are 31 fun and useful things to do with your horse – other than riding.
Continue reading “31 Things To Do With Your Horse (other than riding)”
Horse Play Equipment and Toys
Playing with your horse engages his / her brain, improves communication between you two, helps your horse become used to new and different things and is good fun for both of you! 🙂
Here are some ideas for equipment and toys that will make training really enjoyable for you and your horse.
Most items are cheap and easy to find. (My favorite horse ball only cost $5).
Once you start looking, you will find suitable equipment and toys everywhere! 🙂
Do you want new and interesting activities for you and your horse?
Then trot over here to get a copy of The Horse Happiness Handbook…
Which trick should you teach your horse first?
Easy. Just start with something that your horse does naturally.
This will usually be a behavior that they enjoy or do in response to something that is going on around them. It is much easier to use a behavior your horse already does and build on it to create a trick.
Watch your horse, particularly around feed time, to see if there is something they do that could be turned into a trick.
Continue reading “Which trick should you teach your horse first?”
