WHERE you practice your horse trick training can have a big impact on how quickly your horse learns new tricks.  If you train your horse in an area where they are relaxed and comfortable they will learn much quicker and retain more of what you teach them.

Introducing a new trick object

To really get the most out of your trick training sessions your horse needs to be focussed on you and what you are trying to teach them.  The worst place to teach your horse tricks is in an area where they are unsure and constantly looking around.  A horse that is nervous and worried has very little ability to learn new things.  All their attention is focussed on what is going on around them and not on you.

Try and practice your trick training in an area familiar to your horse.  I use a small yard that serves as my training area and is also the area I feed my horse.  He is very comfortable and relaxed in this area.  He is in the right frame of mind and he is focused on what I am teaching him – he isn’t worried about his surroundings.   Once my horse is completely accomplished at doing a particular trick I will then practice in other areas.

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It’s amazing what you can use to teach your horse new tricks or to get them used to just about anything.  I’m always on the lookout for cheap and fun items to use as my trick training equipment.

Fun trick equipment

I really like to use Pool Noodles to get my horses used to things that move and brush against them.  Trigger is happy to eat his feed while these colourful noodles lightly bang against him and fly around on windy days.  This helps when I am out riding and we are moving through some thick bush – he doesn’t mind at all if branches brush against him.  He is also good when strange objects flap in the wind.

To get him used to the Pool Noodles I just started by tying up one (on a calm day).  At first he was wary of it but his feed was just there and it didn’t take him long to move past it to his feed bin.  He still kept an eye on it though!

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