How to Teach Your Horse or Horses to Count

As amazing as it is to observe, counting horses are, in reality, performing a clever #trick. A horse who can count has been taught to respond to the head bobbing of the audience. People automatically bob their head while the horse is counting. When the horse has reached the correct number, they stop nodding. Consequently, the horse stops 'counting'. 

Tricks are a great way to introduce horses to clicker training to reinforce good behaviour and proper manners. Once a horse has mastered the trick, he will be very eager to perform, particularly if he thinks it will bring a tasty treat his way. With patience, time, effort and a lot of positive reinforcement you can teach your horse to count

Familiarize your horse with clicker training and be sure you understand how the process works before you start. Begin by simply clicking and offering a treat until your horse learns to associate the click sound with a reward

Select cues you wish to use to let the horse know the trick is about to begin. For example you might want to say, "What is...." and then make a show of scratching your #head. The head scratching serves as a visual cue.

Give the cue, press the clicker and wait. By now the horse is used to being given a treat any time the click sounds. When the treat is not offered, the horse will start to wonder why and if you're lucky, he will stamp his foot. If not, reward any sort of response to the cue, including head bobbing or snorting---at least initially. Then, reduce the reward and offer treats only in response to foot stamping. Eventually, the horse will stamp his foot in response to the cue.

Add a large head nod to the cue. Now that the horse is stamping her foot when you pretend to think, you must shift the visual cue to nodding. The goal here is to encourage the horse to stomp her foot every time you nod your head. Every time the horse stomps her foot in response to the head nod, hit the clicker and offer a treat. Remember to reward good intentions and to be patient. It will take a while for the horse to understand what you want her to do.

Shift the focus to someone else's head. Recruit a partner in crime and have him stand off to the side and nod his head. Sound the click and give the treat as soon as the horse responds to the other person nodding. Repeat this as many times as necessary, slowly diminishing the visibility of the signal, until the nodding is subtle as the #horse is likely to see with an actual audience. Be sure to offer a reward after each counting session.

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How to Teach a Horse Shake Your Hand

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  Impress your friends with your friendly, hand shaking horse. Teaching this trick is easy and rewarding. Training goes quickly once the horse understands his reward. You can teach horses other behaviors like nodding, shaking their heads, bowing and rearing using this method. Use the following steps to teach a horse how to shake hands.
  

  Purchase a bag of hard, disc-shaped peppermint candy.
• Cut or break the candy discs into quarter. 
• Place the candy pieces into a re-sealable sandwich bag.
• Put the sealed bag into your pocket when you go to train the horse.

Teach the Trick

• Place the halter and lead rope on the horse and lead him to a place where there are few distractions.
• Stop the horse and stand in front of and slightly to one side of him.
• Choose a key phrase, such as, "Let's be friends," and emphasize the word "friends." The phrase, "Shake, Pardner" is another alternative.
• Say the phrase.
• Reach down and grasp the foreleg on the side you are standing on and pull it forward and up. If the horse resists, keep pulling until she lifts her hoof.
• Set the hoof down and praise the horse by petting or scratching him.
• Continue this process until the horse does not resist when you pick up the hoof.

Condition the Response

• Give the horse a piece of the peppermint candy when the horse gives you the hoof willingly. Rewards the horse with candy the first 10 times he gives you the hoof willingly. After that, give the candy randomly but only after she performs correctly.
• Watch for him to raise the hoof without you grasping it. When he does, he gets a candy.
• Feed her a candy the first 15 times he picks up her hoof for you.
• Randomize the rewards after the fifteenth successful behavior.
• Continue training him daily but for no longer than 20 minutes at a time. Soon you will have a horse that shakes hands.

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How to teach your Horse New Tricks

Horses are creatures of habit and therefore willing partners when asked repetitive commands. A horse of any age can learn simple tricks with the right motivation. When it responds quickly to the cues, it can master more complicated ones. Problem horses can bond with a trainer by learning tricks, paving the way for learning more traditional riding skills. Trick training is also useful for days when the weather prevents riding or the horse is becoming ring sour.

You'll Need

Halter
Lead Rope
Horse treats

• Select one trick that takes a simple cue to perform. Teaching a horse to nod "yes" or shake its head "no" are good requests to teach first.
• Offer palm-size horse treats to entice a response. Commercial equine cookies, apple slices or carrots pieces will keep the horse's attention.
• Request the action verbally while giving the cue. Softly touch the whip in the area you want the horse to move, such as behind the poll for a head shake. This will associate the word and touch with the command so that future requests will not always need a treat.
• Praise the horse with tone of voice, a pat on the neck as well as the treat. Positive reinforcement is important even if the response is only slight.
• Repeat the request and respond with praise a couple more times to reinforce the cue.

Tips 

Spend only 10 minutes for teaching a new trick. If the horse does not respond to the cue, try later in the day or the next day. Once the horse understands the cue, practice several times a day for a few minutes every day for several days to reinforce the command. Do not give the treat if no response, but do not punish the horse physically or verbally either. Make this a fun training session, with the reward when it reacts correctly. Avoid biting and other bad horse behavior by not always giving treats after the horse has learned the cue. If the horse becomes demanding, stop treats completely. Avoid biting and other bad horse behavior by not always giving treats after the horse has learned the cue. If the horse becomes demanding, stop treats completely. Children can teach a horse tricks but the sessions should always be supervised by an adult.

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