18 replies to this topic

[Jules]

I don't use a right and left cue... because I can never remember my right from my left! Sometimes I do say "come around," though, if I'm asking for a sharper turn.

ahh yes. Same here.
Gave it a red-hot try when long-reining but 75% of the time would get my lefts and rights mixed up and figured I may just leave that well alone and do a generic 'come/get around' for a smaller turn in either direction

[Sheryl]

Okay, thanks everyone. The problem I have with "haw", "Gee" or or others is I don't automatically remember them! The words left and right I can remember. I can see the value of using "left left" or "left hard" or something like that to mean a sharper turn. I can also really see the value of teaching a verbal command for pivot.

With my riding horse, he responds to verbal cues for gaits either with or without the seat/leg aids. This means that for lunging or something it is more verbal commands. During riding, I use the words sometimes, especially when I am transitioning down out on the trail where he may want to be more forward, it helps remind him to shift down so to speak. He is a BTDT older horse and this seems to work very well for us. I was just not familiar with using verbal cues for right and left - as a rider that has never been a need. I can see the logic to warn the horse for hazards or cones.

[Field-of-Dreams]

We use "come" and "get". Come is the longer word, and right is the longer word, so come=right. Get=left. Shorter words....


I use them when I need hard turns. Sunny knows what I mean! Other than that, I mostly use "walk on", "trot", "easy" and "whoa".

[shorthorsemom]

I use verbals. I have "come right" "come left" "whoa"... and "stand" for gaits I use his name.. "Ike walk" "Ike trot" "Ike canter" etc. I also use "easy" for asking for a slow down... both my boys work on verbal cues and they listen quite well to them, expecially my other boy who is an appy. I don't have him hooked to the cart yet but have noticed during training that he is super smart and he transitions quickly on my verbal cues . He loves when I talk to him and he listens carefully to what I am saying and he is not doing ... LOL that is funny to think about ... couldn't resist using that symbol because it makes me laugh, not poking fun at the other posting that used it. This one is funny too... haha, should have used this one when I talked about my driving accident earlier this year when my boy was bucking. best wishes, great day.

[susanne]

If I ever had any doubt that I talk too much, Mingus gave me absolute proof. At a driving day at a local indoor arena a few years back, I took a turn driving another horse while Keith drove Mingus. I was informed that I was making things difficult for them, as Mingus had his ears on me and was obeying my verbal cues to the other horse rather than listening to Keith.

[Jetiki]

I use left and right for verbal directions, come means turn sharp, and come left now means a serious sharp left turn. I also teach my horses a verbal half halt, I use the word Hup, gets their attention and they know something is coming when i use that word, be it a transition, or turn or whatever. its been very useful to me. My mare knows wait and lets go, but those are specific to her. i don't teach them all that yet as she's the only one going prelim level. I use these words instead of so much rein handling. it does help in hazards and cones. Like if I miss a turn and need to double back to get it, or "wrap" around a tree or something I can say Hup, come left now, and she will literally slow down, spin around the tree or whatever and we'll continue going and I won't have to get in her mouth much at all, just a slight direction left to follow the voice command. Then we take back off again on to where we need to be.

karen

the reason why a lot of people don't like to use left and right is if you have a navigator and are talking to them about left and right your horse can get confused.

[Performancemini]

Horses can learn quite a vocabulary; so I guess you can use whatever you like as stated before. You have your general kisses, clucks, etc. and reining. My husband drove draft; so he used Gee and Haw-but like a lot of you he could never (still can't usually, me too if needed too fast) remember which to use. On the wagon, I bought some of those little sticky alphabet letters ("G" and "H") and stuck them to the inside front corners of the wagon to help him remember at the shows!!! We also use "turn" and "push", "step up" (when we want only one or two steps forward, they learned it), etc. Kinda like teaching tricks I guess, whatever works for you and the horse!

[Sheryl]

I didn't think about this, good point! I can see the merits of using a horse specific word!

You know I already struggle between dog and horse training verbal commands keeping it all straight in my own head - to be quick with them! I can really see the merit though as you progress and compete. I am training my pony so now is the time to start introducing this as long as I can stay consistent....arrggg.

I think verbal commands on the pivot makes a lot of sense too. I can get him to pivot, but seems like if I had a verbal command to go with it he would immediately regiser what I am asking. He is a very smart pony and I swear learns new things faster then I do!

the reason why a lot of people don't like to use left and right is if you have a navigator and are talking to them about left and right your horse can get confused.

[Lloydyne]

I have been looking at clicker training...it's fascinating, but I decided to just use words it's much more natural