How long to learn a trick?

Also horses are very much like people in that they learn at different speeds and they find some things easier or more enjoyable than others.

Older horses generally learn quicker than younger horses because they tend to have a longer attention span.  There is also a good chance that a more experienced horse may have already done part of a trick you are teaching them.  Eg. the first part of teaching your horse to bow is to have them easily pick up a leg and most older horses would be used to doing this when you pick out their feet.

Temperament

If your horse is the nervous alert type this can work for you or against you.  An alert type of horse tends to learn very quickly as they are so aware of everything that is going on around them and they tend to be enthusiastic learners.  However, if your horse is very nervous and always worried or distracted they won’t learn as quickly – their mind will be elsewhere.

A quiet, calmer horse will tend to take a bit longer to learn new things and be less enthusiastic but they are safer and more predictable.  They also tend to be forgiving of mistakes and will accept new or strange objects easily.

Attitude

Attitude is different to temperament and is something that a horse develops, due to their experiences rather than something they are born with.   A horse that has had a hard life or has been abused is much less likely to trust or want to work with humans.  This type of horse can be won over, but it takes a lot of time and patience.

Another type of horse whose attitude can make it harder to work with is the one that has ‘switched off’.  He or she might have done the same thing day in day out for years and they lack motivation.  Usually trick training is an excellent way to motivate these horses again.  Because you will be doing something new most days and there is a reward at the end, you will see these types of horses come alive.

At the other end of the spectrum are horses that have a really positive attitude and love to learn.  They are naturally curious and think humans are wonderful.

Previous training

The more a horse learns the easier it becomes to train.  An untrained horse straight out of a paddock has no idea of what you want them to do.  You have not formed a bond or a way to communicate with that horse.  However as you teach a horse new things they will begin to understand from the cues, body language and words that you use what you are asking them to do.  Your horse will learn each new trick faster than the previous one.

The more tricks you teach your horse the better you will also become at teaching.  You will work out the best way to teach your horse, the time you need to take, the best times and places to teach your horse and this will decrease the time it takes to teach each new trick.

Short regular training

I always recommend teaching your horse in short regular sessions (eg a few minutes several times a day) rather than longer sessions spaced apart.  Training this way works well with your horse’s short attention span.

Each day practice a new trick (or part of one) for a maximum of 10 minutes.  Some horses will get the idea on the first day others may take up to a week.  It is worth continuing to practice even if your horse doesn’t seem to be “getting it”.  You will find that all of a sudden they will make the connection.  Once your horse ‘gets the idea’ continue to practice the trick for several days.

Spend time on the basics

Some folk are very keen to teach their horse a new trick and rush through the basics.  They don’t spend time making sure the horse thoroughly understands what they are asking before moving onto the next trick.  This can cause a horse to become confused and actually waste time by having to ‘undo’ the incorrect training.  Spend time making sure you horse understands each part before moving onto the next.  You will find this will actually help your horse to learn tricks quicker than if you try to rush things.

Remember to have fun!

Most importantly have fun!  There will be some tricks that your horse just won’t enjoy doing.  Don’t force it – he will be good at other things.  My horse isn’t that interested in fetching objects so I only ask him to do it every now and again and focus on tricks he enjoys – like saying yes, dancing and lying down.  However I owned a thoroughbred a few years ago that loved the fetch game.  I could throw a ball way down the paddock and he would hoon off after it and canter back with it.  I’d get bored with the game before he did.

I haven’t met a horse yet that couldn’t be taught tricks.  Some horses depending on their age, experience or temperament can take a bit longer than others.  However if you take your time teaching your horse the basics and make it have fun you will find that you will be able to teach your horse just about anything!

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.

I find my horses are also happier to accept NEW OBJECTS, such as trick training equipment, if they are in an area that they know and are relaxed in.  Sometimes I will introduce new things into my horses larger paddock; but only if they are free to come and go (no halter or lead rope etc).   This allows them to get away from the new object (their natural reaction) and then come back to it on their own terms.  I will stand near the object and quietly tell them it is all right and encourage them to come over and check it out.  If you introduce something new in this way you will find your horse will accept it much quicker and as long as he is never hurt by the object, he will become braver when you introduce other objects.

For example I bought a large exercise ball that I eventually wanted to teach my horses to retrieve and push around, so I took it out into their paddock.  I started to roll it around and very quickly the horses were over to check it out.  They would get close to it then snort and run away, but they would soon return, each time getting more and more confident and closer to the ball.  Eventually they were pushing it around and having great fun with it.  It wasn’t so frightening because they could get away from it and then check it out on their own terms.  Now when I come to incorporating the ball into my trick training they will be happy to get close to it and push it around.

The best place to teach your horse tricks is an area that you use already, where your horse feels relaxed and comfortable.  Because they will be in the right state of mind you will find that your horse will retain a lot more of what you teach them and it will be a lot easier to teach them each new trick.

If you feed your horse treats at other times he won’t make the connection between doing something right and getting a treat.  You may also find that several other things will happen – your horse may get confused during trick training or he won’t try very hard to learn a new trick or he will be constantly mugging you for treats.

Only use a small amount of each treat (carrots are about 2.5cm long)

Many people like to give their horses a treat just because it’s a nice thing to do and because we love them, but if you are serious about trick training you need to resist the temptation to feed them treats at any time other than trick training time.

You only need to feed your horse a very small amount of the treat that you have chosen to use.  It must be small enough so your horse finishes it very quickly (they should only be chewing on it for a second or two)…just a taste.  Otherwise you will be constantly waiting while he finishes his treat before you can move on to the next thing.

The treat must be something that your horse really likes.  This will encourage him to work harder to get the treat.   My horse, Trigger, loves some little trick biscuits I make (recipe in Part 1 of the Horse Trick Training ebook) or very small pieces of carrots.  Small amounts of your horse’s normal feed (especially ones with some molasses) works well too.  Try out a few different treats and see which ones really get your horse’s interest.

One thing we want to avoid is creating a horse that becomes pushy or nippy around treats.  There are a few ways you can prevent this from happening:

1. Only give your horse a treat AFTER they have done something you have asked them to do.
2. Give your horse the treat AWAY from the treat holder.  For example, if you have your treats in a bag around your waist, hold the treat away from your body and the bag when you give it to him.  Keep your hand closed around the treat until it is away from you.  Your horse must realise he can’t get a treat directly from the bag or near you.
3. Separate the trick from the treat.  This is covered in more detail in Part 2 of the Horse Trick Training ebook, but involves using a word or sound to let your horse know they have done the right thing and THEN giving them a treat.

Following a few very basic treat rules will help your horse to learn faster and will prevent him or her from developing bad habits around treats.

Horses learn much quicker and are less likely to get confused, if you teach them in small steps rather than attempting a trick all at once.

Make sure that your horse understands each part thoroughly before you move onto the next part.

For example, if I want to train my horse to fetch a ball I will first teach him to touch the ball while I am holding it near him.  Once he gets that right I might lower the ball a bit and again ask him to touch it.  When he is doing that easily I will gradually lower it further and further until it is on the ground.

I will then ask him to mouth or bite the ball while on the ground.   Then I will ask him to pick it up.  Once he is doing this easily I will then roll the ball a little away from him and ask him to pick it up.  If you increase the distance a little bit each day soon your horse should be running after the ball.

I use a ‘Horse Trick Planner’ to plan each trick and break it down into smaller parts (available in Part 2 of the Horse Trick Training ebook).

I find if I spend a little bit of time planning the tricks before I start training my horse it makes it easier for my horse to learn the trick.  This is because I am clear about how I am going to teach my horse the trick and I am only teaching him small parts that he can understand easily.

Watch them and think about what they do naturally each day, especially around feeding time or when you are grooming them.  Could this form part of a trick?  It makes it much easier to teach a trick if they already do part of it.  For example does your horse stamp his foot when waiting for his food?  This is the start of a trick where your horse can count by stomping.

Does your horse like picking things up?

I have owned horses that love picking things up.  If I’m grooming them, they will pick up brushes, hoof picks – anything that is lying around.  This horse tends to be very good at the ‘fetch’ trick.  They can usually be taught very easily to run after a ball and return it to you, or pick up your hat if it falls off.

My horse can open gates.  He came with this trick.  I watched him one day playing with the latch on a gate until he worked out how to open it and then he just pushed the gate open with his nose.  He obviously knew what he was doing and had performed the same ‘trick’ on several other gates.  Without much work I have taught him to open gates while I’m out riding.  I don’t need to get off him.  I just undo the latch and he does the rest. 

Make a note of any ‘tricks’ your horse already does.  These are the best areas to work on when you first start trick training with you horse.

It goes like this…..Your horse performs a trick perfectly and promptly when it’s just you and him (or her). But tell some friends what a wonderful trick horse you have, invite them around for a demo and it’s almost as if your horse never knew the trick!

A trick not going to plan

Some horses don’t mind how many people are around or what is going on, but the majority of horses will see this as a new situation and at the very least will be a bit distracted. Your horse may also be nervous about having extra people around. To a horse, extra people can mean something is about to happen eg a visit from a vet or farrier; two very necessary professionals but people that your horse may not like or is worried about.

You could also be nervous or anxious about showing the new trick and your clever horse to your friends. We all know that horses pick up on nerves and your mood.

The simple solution to this problem is to just practice, practice, practice in different situations and places, with people around. Try and invite a friend / partner / husband / mother /sister to be there when you practice your tricks.

However, before you add a new ‘distraction’ make sure your horse is very good at the trick. They need to understand exactly what is required before you add this extra pressure.

Also remember that your horse doesn’t have to (and won’t) be perfect every time. Trick training is meant to be fun. Save the serious stuff for when you are competing or showing your horse.

You will find that as your horse gets used to performing in different situations and with spectators they will be less distracted. Your relationship with your horse will improve, trust will grow and no matter what is going on around you both, your horse will look to you for guidance. If you ask them to perform a trick they will.

Working out a trick

Active learning is a stage a horse gets to where they understand that you want them to do something and they will try really hard to work out what that is.  For example when I first taught Trigger to follow me backward by pulling (very gently) on his tail he initially didn’t understand what I wanted.  At first he actually pulled away from me.  (Pulling away from pressure is a natural response for a horse).   However because Trigger and I now have an excellent system of communication he will keep trying different things until I tell him that he has done the right thing.

When I first tried the tail pulling trick he tried pulling against me, then he tried stepping sideways, then stepping sideways in the other direction, then standing still but I just stood there and he kept trying.  Finally he stepped backward and I told him this was the right thing to do.

The next time I asked him to do the trick he took only a minute or so to work out what I wanted (he tried pulling away, standing still and then he stepped backward).  The next time he stepped backward as soon as I asked.

It is then just a matter of increasing the length of the trick.  Each time I asked him to step backward for a longer time.  I then added weaving in and out of poles.  Once he understood what I wanted it was easy to add small variations to the main trick.

You will find that it will become easier and easier to teach your horse each new trick (and many other things).  You horse will become very motivated to work out what you want him or her to do. However none of this is possible unless you have good communication with your horse and you horse knows how to actively work to learn a trick.

Make it fun when you are around

Now I understand why.

I used to catch my horse, groom it, saddle it, ride it, put it back in the paddock.  Next day I would catch my horse, groom it, saddle it, ride it and put it back in the paddock etc, etc, etc.  Not much fun for my horse (except maybe the grooming part).

Now I make sure that when I’m around my horses it’s not all about work.  We play games, practice tricks, have a scratch and generally hang out together.

To check that my horse would really rather be with me, I practice most tricks without a bridle or headstall.  That way my horse can leave if he isn’t happy with what we are doing.

For example the other day I was teaching Trigger a new trick.  He became a little confused about what I wanted and so just walked a few steps away from me and looked back at me.  I knew he didn’t understand and so I worked on another way to explain to him what I wanted.  I called him back and we tried again.  This time he got it and he stayed with me.

There are some tricks that you will definitely need gear for and at first you will need to always work with a bridle or headstall.  Even Trigger was impossible to catch when I first got him and would run off at the slightest chance.

But after a while you will find that your horse will want to hang around you, because trick training is fun and interesting for them.  Even more fun and interesting than eating grass with their horse friends!

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!

After a few days he completely ignored the Pool Noodle so I added another and then a few more days another.  Now he is completely uninterested in them.

This is one of the best ways to get a horse used to something strange.  Introduce it gradually, into an area where they already feel safe and enjoying being (their feed area is a good place).  Allow them time to get used to the item.  No fuss.

Check out the Horse Trick ebook for some more ideas for cheap, fun equipment you can buy to help teach your horse tricks and to help make them unflappable in lots of different situations.

Trigger feeling young

I thought he might struggle to learn new things.  But although it took him a little longer to get the idea in the beginning, now he understands what I am asking him and he has been picking up new tricks as quick as a young horse.

Young horses tend to be a bit more curious, which can make learning easier.  An older horse may be a bit jaded or ‘switched-off’ (they have just learnt to do the what they are asked with the minimal amount of effort).  Teaching an older horse tricks can spark their interest in learning and trying new things again.