Anyone know Amish driving commands?

We have a wonderful new addition! He is a small stallion, who was formerly an "Amish School-Bus". He drove 5 little Amish children to school, stood hitched for many hours and drove them home 2-3 days a week. He has been described by his owner (we will be his co-owners) as a "trotting powerhouse" and "definitely a roadster horse". Two years ago, he left the Amish and became a breeding stallion. We are hoping to drive, show, and breed him. We just can't get him to move out of a stand-still! He was not trained to a whip, and is not impressed by one, in the least. I have tried clucking, chirping, assorted other noises, along with the commands walk, walk-on, trot, trot-on, etc. We have ground-driven him and hitched him to a cart. He will move forward if you lead him. His owner will be contacting the Amishman tomorrow about commands, but I just wondered if anyone else had had this situation, and knew the commands Amish use with their horses. He does seem to know gee, ha and whoa. This is the little man, Boones Buckeroo Fancy Pants. I might just nick-name him, Whoa Nelly!

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Possibly German??

Ok, I did a google search for "Amish Driving Commands" and there are lots of hits.

Here is what one said:

The basic driving verbal commands are

"Step Up" move forward

"Gee" right

"Haw" left

"Whoa"

And of course there are variations to the above "Step Gee" or "Step Haw"

Alot of folks use a kissing noise to step them up.

All the Amish horses I've driven have usually known a kiss or a cluck to move forward.

Andrea

Kissing and clucking do not work for Fancy. I did a search too, after I posted this topic, and I came up with "step" to move forward, or using the horse's name. Also that individuals often have their own phrases. Fancy was trained by a 10 year old boy, who is now 13. He has trained many minis now and is known to be very gentle.

If he will move forward when being ground driven, I wonder if he knows something is wrong with the cart or something the fit of the harness?

Something has made him feel uh-oh I better not move?

He sure is pretty!

Good Luck,

Bonnie

Regardless of what his commands used to be, you can retrain him to your own. You just have to start in hand and use the same verbal commands consistantly. We have known of horses that were imported from Holland and had to be retrained to English commands.

Myrna

He doesn't move forward (unless being led) both ground -driving and hitched, so it might not be a harnessing/cart issue. I am hoping to find out the commands--it would be easier than re-training him.

wendyluvsminis said:

I am hoping to find out the commands--it would be easier than re-training him.

Click to expand...

For the short term....but when you go to hand the reins over to someone else, they may have a harder time reteaching themselves....

Figured out the command! "Step Walk" and "Step Trot" and he does! He is moving forward nicely! Funny how one word makes such a differance! I could start saying "step" softer and walk and trot louder...I think I will ground drive him a while before I hitch him up again. He is stopping crooked, and I want to remedy that before I hitch him. I will have his teeth checked tomorrow, in case that is causing him to stop crooked. I will take pictures soon!