What tricks does your horse do?

[chickenzoo]

I know tricks are often frowned upon with horses, but I taught my well behaved Quarb gelding tricks to help our communication. Once he understood I was asking a specific task he was sooooo much easier to train. I started him with just a brightly colored 2ft post on the ground. When ever he stepped on it, I said "foot - touch" and gave him a cookie or praise. Once he understood, he was very eager to learn other things.... I have taught him:

To smile
To bow down with one or both legs
To shake hands
To pick up a front leg on command and do a parade walk
To stretch all the way out as far as he can
To lay down
to back up by his tail
to pick stuff up with his mouth and bring it to me
to put both front legs up on a big stump, or pick up one leg - wave and smile while up there.
to touch things with either his foot or nose on command if I point to something and say "touch nose" or "touch foot"
to go over to a cone and walk around it and come back
to touch the end of a whip with his nose no matter where I place it or if it is moving : ie - I can move the whip around me in a circle and he will keep up with it until he touches it.
move his hip towards me.

It was funny when i had been teaching him to lay down. I had to strap up one leg and hold it while I gave the command. I tried one day with out the strap and just by holding his leg. He tried and tried but couldn't figure how to do it w/o the strap. He walked off and I thought he had just given up trying for me. Next thing I know he is over picking up the strap and bringing it to me.......... I put it on and he instantly laid down....... smarty horse. He has now learned how with out it, but he was confused and was telling me how he knew how to do it.

 

[welsummerchicks]

Our horses appear to think up a great many tricks, all on their own.

1. Remove fence from post, hold up end of fence and wave it in the air, toward the window of house where humans can see

2. Using blanket as insulation, lean on electric fence and pull down fence

3. Lift up chair and shake it

4. Pick up mounting block and shake it like a dog shakes a rat

5. Take longe whip in mouth, carry it and put it somewhere where people will not find it

 

[michickenwrangler]

I've taught my horse to arch her neck and left up a forefoot. We've dubbed it the "Ta-da!" trick.

A girl who rides out at the barn loves the minidonkey they have. She's taught him a number of tricks including to fetch.

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

My horses can "Ta-Da" make food dissapear!

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

Max has this "neat" trick that when you lift his left-rear hoof to clean it, he farts on you. EVERY time.

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

The only "trick" our horses know is that when we say "up" they lift up their foot for cleaning. hey are usually real eager about lifting their front feet because we stretch out their legs before riding and they really like the way that feels.

 

[theoldchick]

I've got a horse who thinks he's a border collie. When I ring the dinner bell for the heifers he'll round 'em up and bring 'em in. Completely unrideable because of his past experiences with aggressive humans, this gelding 'appeared' in my pasture in the middle of winter. He wanted no part of me for a long time and I didn't push the relationship. He eventually warmed up to me and I can halter him with no problem. He'll enjoy a grooming session - but when I saw the scars along the bridge of his nose and lower jaw, I knew somebody had been harsh with him. Since he does such a good job cow herding on his own I never tried to ride him. He's great getting balky cattle into the chute for vaccinations and parasite control. Nobody makes him do this, he just does it. He likes his job and I like him.

He wasn't worth much to somebody but he's the best 'cow dog' I have.

 

[RiverOtter]

I love to see a horse do tricks!
But there is a reason it's frowned on and that's that horse's get sold. A horse "shaking hands" is waving his front feet around and that's aggression (if you don't know he was taught to do it). So is moving a hip towards you. And if one starts laying down, or stretching out, or rearing, while being groomed or saddled (because the handler has unknowingly given him his ques) it's a good chance he'll be punished for it.

It's a lot of fun, but a big responsibility if you look at it that way. Chickenzoo, as I understand it from other posts, your horse has a home with you for life, so this wasn't directed at you specifically, just thought I'd clear up for any who might be confused as to why
Quote:
as I know it would seem like a harmless thing to those who aren't "into" horses.

Sounds like you have a lot of fun with your smart guy!

 

[Bunnylady]

You know RiverOtter, that doesn't just apply to tricks. A friend had a horse that she swore was crazy. This animal was really difficult to catch. You could pet her on the shoulder, or the neck, but get your hands anywhere near her face (where the halter was kept) and off she'd go. Only, she didn't run away, she ran in circles around you. I was feeding for my friend one time, and figured out that what this mare was doing was free lunging. My friend had never free lunged horses, so she had no clue what the horse was doing! This animal was really eager to please, but a heavy-handed trainer had left her with some real trust issues. Apparently, she was displaying lessons she had learned, but they were so out of context that they seemed really bizarre!

I have a miniature horse that I have started teaching tricks to. She nods her head "yes" and shakes it for "no." Sometimes she tries to do them both at the same time, and looks like a demented bobblehead! She also knows "head down" (useful if she gets pushy about the treats) and "target." Someone suggested that I could teach my mini mule to count, but she already paws too much! Instead, I am working on teaching her to smile, and maybe sing.

 

[lou]

My horse gives hugs. But sometimes she hugs to hard when she gets overzealous. But it sure is cute. Lou