| There is nothing cuter than a horse that seems able to | | | | like a pesky fly will start to annoy and anger the horse |
| answer questions. What seems like a complicated trick | | | | so could you. We don't want to work this lesson to the |
| is actually very easy to teach. There is only one | | | | point of making the horse angry. |
| safety precaution that I know of during this lesson and | | | | The cue for 'Yes' is a little more tricky. You will take |
| that is if your horse is a nipper or biter you need to | | | | your same pointy object and now you will touch his |
| solve this issue before teaching the 'Yes' trick. | | | | chest between his front legs. Again, start light and |
| You will need only a pointy object such as a syringe tip | | | | work the area until your horse shows a response. |
| (no needle of course) or a golf tee works well. For the | | | | What you are looking for in this lesson is that the horse |
| no cue you will go to the withers starting along the | | | | take his nose toward his chest. Praise him every time |
| base of the mane and start pressing the tip all around | | | | the nose moves in the correct direction. Stop if at any |
| the area until your horse shows a response. If you do | | | | point the horse tries to nip at the cue as in this case it |
| not get a response anywhere around this area press | | | | will be your hand. Ask lighter and look for less from the |
| a bit firmer until the horse shows a response. What | | | | horse. Do not continue this lesson if you feel you may |
| you are looking for and working off of is the response | | | | get hurt. |
| a horse would give to a fly biting him there. He will | | | | Once you have found the horses cue spot and the |
| raise his head or even bob it, but we want to bug him | | | | correct amount of pressure, work for a consistent |
| until he shakes his head. | | | | response to a lighter cue. When the horse is |
| Once you find your horses cue spot you will praise him | | | | responding to just a touch pair it with the cue spot you |
| for each head shake and repeat the cue lighter and | | | | would like. Again, ask with the new cue spot and |
| lighter until you can simply touch the spot with your | | | | reinforce with the old until the horse responds to the |
| finger. You can link it to another cue at this point such | | | | new cue first. |
| as a word or different location. Simply apply the cue | | | | When your horse is consistent with both cues you can |
| you want him to use before cuing him on the current | | | | now impress your friends with how smart your horse |
| spot. When he does not respond, cue the original spot. | | | | is. If you place your cues close enough you can even |
| Work until the horse responds to your new cue spot. | | | | cue your horse from the saddle and make it seem as |
| At this point I want to caution you, if it is taking awhile | | | | though your horse has an opinion about trail obstacles |
| for your horse to understand what he is to do, break | | | | when out on a ride with others. Have fun with it. |
| this lesson up throughout the day or even week. Just | | | | |