How to Teach Your Horse to Do Tricks

Want to teach your hooved pal something new? Read this article to get what tricks your horse can learn in no time.

Every trick should be followed by a treat. That could be an apple, croutons, sugar, carrots, etc. It all depends on the preferences of your horse.

How to Hug

How to make a horse move its head as if it’s hugging you? Even a beginner can learn this trick. The horse’s favorite treat should at hand. Choose a quiet and peaceful place where no one will disturb you. You can train your horse right in the stable if the stall is spacious enough. It is important to understand that horses are easy to train. They can recognize verbal commands with no probs. Besides, the horse’s hearing is excellent, in contrast to sight.

Step 1. Stand at the side of the horse. The best position is when you have your back to it. You will understand why a bit later.

Step 2. Bring the treat to the horse’s nose but do NOT let it eat the snack. And say clearly “Hug me!”. In essence, the animal doesn’t care what you’re saying but you shouldn’t come up with special words and signs for commands. The simpler the better.

Step 3. Move your hand slowly with the treat back to the horse’s rump. That is, the horse’s natural movement is to reach for the yummy. Then the chum will have to turn his head towards you and bring it back as far as possible, around you. And voila, you’re hugging!

Step 4. Feed your clever buddy with a treat and praise him.

Step 5. Do 5-6 repetitions, the number of repetitions varies depending on the temper of the horse. Don’t forget about the verbal command. Without it, nothing will come of it.

Step 6. Remove the treat and hug without it. If everything has worked out, congratulations on your first trick!

How to Do Kisses

If you’re obsessed with your hooved friend - teach him to kiss you on the cheek. This trick is also pretty simple. But read carefully, the details are very important. So please be patient and grab a treat.

Step 1. Feed the horse with a treat from the palm of your hand. Let him eat it.

Step 2. Hold the treat in the other hand and take a step back, so that the equine steps forward to you.

Step 3. Put a treat on your cheek and say clearly “Kiss me”. When a horse wants to eat a snack, the pet will kiss your cheek. The main thing is not to get frightened at this moment that the horse will bite you. Otherwise, you will frighten the animal, and all efforts will go to dust.

Step 4. Now tell the command and don’t give the animal a treat. If there’s no reaction, you need to start all over again. It usually takes up to 5 times, then the horse figures out what’s happening. After the kiss, the treat can be given as a sign of gratitude.

Step 5. After the equine learns how to kiss you, give it a rest. And after 20 minutes rest, repeat the lesson. Warning: don’t take the risk to teach your horse to kiss your neck or lips, or other parts. The cheek is the most suitable option. In any other case, the horse may accidentally bite you. This may end up badly.

The Final Word About Teaching Horses

Practise is everything. If you teach your horse a trick but you won’t train it, the animal is likely to forget all the lessons. You can teach your horse these simple tricks in a few lessons. That is a good way to bond with a horse. Enjoy the lessons!