Did you know that you can also teach horses tricks? Horse training also involves trick training. The experience can be fun for both the trainer and the horse. There are times when the usual training routine gets boring. You can amuse yourself by teaching your horse neat tricks.
How to be Ashamed
Your horse should already be used to a halter and lead by now. Let your horse stand in the stall, near the fence, or the aisle. Get a carrot and hide it behind your back but turn around a little so that your horse can see it. Then tell him ‘shame on you.’ Make your horse lower his head. When he obeys, you can now give him the carrot. Repeat this about five times each day until he finally gets it. Make your tone a scolding one.
Saying ‘No’ by Head Shake
When an insect bites your horse, you will notice that he shakes his head. Horses have a short attention span, so you need to make the lessons quick and simple. You can teach this trick when your horse is relaxed and standing still.
Get a nail and stand on your horse’s left side. Prick the horse near his withers but make it light, just like the bite of a fly. Experiment on the pricking until you find the right spot where your horse shakes his head. When he shakes his head, give him a reward or a pat. Praise your horse. Put your horse away and after an hour, repeat the procedure but this time, ask a question that requires a no answer. Again, you must consider your voice tone when asking the question; repeat this a couple of times.
Keep on repeating, but this time, use your whip as a cue. You can still use the nail for pricking when your horse does not shake. Eventually, he will learn the cue when he sees the whip and shakes his head.
Nodding
You can also teach your horse to say yes by nodding. Again, you will need a nail to teach this trick. Refresh the ‘no’ trick before you start teaching this new trick. Take the nail and prick your horse lightly on the chest. When the horse bites, it means that you’re pricking him too hard. The initial reaction of the horse is to pull his head down to bite the fly. Praise your horse when he moves his head downwards. Find the right spot where you can get an immediate response from your horse. Keep repeating this process.
Allow your horse to rest and then do the same thing. This time, ask a question that requires a ‘yes’ answer. Get the whip and use it instead of the nail. Use the nail if the horse doesn’t respond. As you keep on repeating the lessons, on the cue of the whip, your horse will bend his head downwards.
How to Smile
Horses look funny when they smile. You can also teach them how to smile. Remove the halter and lead and let him stand by the fence or in the stall. Place something that smells strange to the horse like an onion or ammonia near his nostrils, then say ‘smile.’ Repeat this procedure until you’ve removed the ammonia or onion. Eventually, your horse will smile when you touch his muzzle.
