Pumpkin is learning tricks!

[ctgponies]

Pumpkin is our 3 year old gelding. He was underweight, wormy, scrubby and weak when we got him in mid-August. He weighed 150 pounds. He is turned out with another gelding and now that he has put on weight and gotten stronger, the 2 of them play all day. Since Pumpkin seems so eager to learn, I decided to teach him some tricks. He learned how to give his hoof when asked in about 3 5-minute sessions. He is so fun to teach! Now he can give the other hoof, can give hugs and is learning how to bow. Since he is so willing to give his hoof, I am teaching him how to march. We have a Christmas parade on December 2nd so I look forward to showing him off.

I have a whole bunch of other tricks to teach him.

Here he is "saying please"

Anyone else teach their minis how to do fun tricks? Any pics?

 

[Kim~Crayonboxminiatures]

I don't have any photos, but I taught one of mine to "shake" (her hoof), and several to "step up" on a pedastel, rock, straw bale, the Gator or whatever pops into my head.

I want to do more with her, but she had some time-off from training to be a mom, and learn to drive, so now it's going to be back to trick training.

 

[StellaLenoir]

thank is so cool! I would love to see him marching!

 

[maplegum]

Bailey shakes hands. He will also walk backwards on command. He was very easy to teach too.

 

[Warpony]

so does anyone have any good book/video/website recommendations on how to trick train your horse? I do OK on the basic stuff and the driving stuff... but I've never figured out a good way to train tricks and I would love to teach mine some entertaining things.

 

[miniwhinny]

Tricks are next springs project...TOTALLY inspired by these minis. Oh and congrats..I think trick training is a great way to bond with your equine buddy. Keep up the good work.



I know this has been shared before but I LOVE it

 

[ctgponies]

I have the Trickonometry book. I use it as a basic guide. There's a really good quiz in there that helps to categorize your horse and gives you a good idea of what tricks will work best.

I taught him the "say please" with one hoof but he figured out how to do it with the other. It's great for his balance. I was thrilled since this little horse couldn't stand up on 3 feet to get his feet trimmed when I first got him. I had to prop him up against the wall.

Treats are a huge motivator with him and he's really smart so he puts it together. I have taught my big horses to give hugs since it's a really good stretch for lateral flexibility. That was the first one that Pumpkin learned. I also teach all of my horses to back up on command so they can get out of my space. Pumpkin gets a locked stifle once in a while so he learned "back up" for that too.

The minis also know "OUT!" when they are misbehaving in the barn. Come to think of it - all of the horses know that one too...I'll post more pics as he learns more. He's like a big dog! He already gives kisses so that should be a fairly easy one to teach with a voice command.

I spend a lot of time just talking with my horses (I'm sure I sound like an idiot most of the time) so I think they pick up on common stuff. My old QH Diego knows quite a few things but he tends to ignore most of them now that he is getting old and crabby

 

[backwoodsnanny]

I have one who smiles on command and Im not talking about flaming she really smiles and shows me her top teeth. There are now 6 out of 11 in the big barn who will hand me their dishes or if I ask drop them out over their doors and one knows how to shake hands though he does this now without being asked sometimes and that can be a pain when you are trying to get him ready to show. The dish thing I taught some of them and others learned just by watching as others got a cookie for giving me their dish. Even my little blind girl Helen picks her dish up but doesnt know what to do with it YET but she will by the end of the winter Im sure. My girl who smiles will smile at strangers in the barn because she is sure when they see her and think its cute that she will be rewarded and most of the time she is. They are sooooo smart and learn very fast now if they would just learn to stand still in halter class. LOL

 

[Fancy Me]

Fancy smiles, shakes hands and bows. It is so funny, all of a sudden she will start shaking an invisible persons hand then looks at me like "where's my treat???" it is so cute!

Pictures.....

 

[EAD Minis]

Roy can Say Yes, rear and lay down.

 

[eagles ring farm]

Here is our mare "Lace"

she is trained to do a few trick she was trained by "All Star Farm" in Ohio