How important are vocal cues to YOU?

I use vocal cues almost as much as I use leg cues. How often do you use them?

We all know the ones almost everyone uses.. "Whoa...", "Easy..." and so on.

In my experience, I've rode better and my horses have worked better if I'm constantly talking to them or even singing... it helps me breathe, relax and therefore, it helps the horse relax and just makes the whole ride better. I know this doesn't technically count as vocal cues, but it helps SO much.

Just some random food for thought.

I'd like everyones opinions as well!

They are very important, sometimes all it takes is a "heyyyy" & my horse does what I am asking for. I have to remind myself to keep it down when I am showing, you can be marked down for being too vocal.

My horse responds to a click for trot or walk, a kiss for cantering, "up" for a jump, "back" to back up, and just a woah to slow down or stop.

All of them have a specific physical cue to go with.
Most of the cues are just a shift of my weight, only backing up (and side passing) uses leg

Personally I don’t use them much myself, though I do tend to chatter away to horses while I’m training them. I lived with a tribe of Bedouin in Jordan though and they have special noises and words they use for all their animals, including when they are hearding goats, and they are all different for donkeys, mules, hoses and camels. I found when riding camels in particular the voice commands seem to be very important. I guess it’s just a matter of personal preference.

I try and get my horses to respond more off of my seat then my verbal cues. Because when I am out working on the ranch I don't want to have to think about what I need to verbalize to my horse, and I don't want my horse looking for verbal cues when I am shouting and talking to other people. It gets much less confusing if I have my horse focused on my seat.

Not very important anymore, I'm pretty quiet now unless it's a whoa or a throaty growl.....

It also depends what discipline your involved in....some are more vocal than others......

Not so much for riding except for "watch your feet" when there is an obstacle on the trail. But "watch your head" in the trailer when closing the doors/windows and her name in an angry tone when she's misbehaving. "Stand" when I drop the lead so she knows she's not allowed to graze. "Come" and "Supper" and "Wanna go for a ride" are all commands she recognizes and responds to. Those are the first bunch that come to mind, but she probably knows more just because I use the same words repeatedly with her.

I don't use any verbal cues at all when I am riding, unless you count 'good boy'.

Whoa...easy.,,here...QUIIIIIIT. Lol

I jibber jabber to my horses like crazy.
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Not very important to me. Like someone already said, I use a "throaty growl" kind of warning if the horse is balking or going for chow on the trail. For things he knows are not permitted. I use "easy" sometimes. But I don't know if he really knows that. It's more for me to make MYSELF think "easy" and not tense up.
I often say "Thank you" to him when he does what I ask, and if he is drifting away mentally, and I pick up the rein , sometimes I say, "Hey, over here!".

He does know "Over" when asking him to step over during grooming. And he knows "Step" when lining up at the mounting block.