I don't know if it's called stacking for horses, I know it is for dogs. I need to teach my arab mare to do the halter horse 'stand', but she follows right at my side and if I move off she follows me. So, how do I get her to stand pretty for the judges and strech out that neck?
I thought Onyx to do it, but I don't really know how to explain how to do it... lol, just work with her on standing in one place while you move around her then once she has that down work on teaching her to pick her head up. Onyx pretty much just did it right off the bat, I just put my hand in the air and he does it. Lol, sorry im not much help.
WOW! What a neck on that guy! What stallion is this? Is it one that is local to you or is it a more famous one? I love the four white feet! I'm pretty sure Mana is going to end up with four white feet too, but I won't know till he sheds out... I am diggin' his face with all that white! And of course your little Onyx is a doll as well! Hmm, I guess I'll just have to play around with her a bit and see what she'll put her head up for (besides avoiding the bridle. :) ) And just give her a treat when she does it...This could be hard....
The only problem with that is Deja would just walk up to me for it. She isn't mean about food, but she tends to forget her manners when she wants something. That's why I try not to give treats except on special occasions. I will try though, maybe use keys or a shiney thing too?
You could start off by teaching her to ground tie maybe? When she learns the "STAY" (or halt or stop or blue(i use blue, not very many to her people use it so there is less confusion) really any word to connect the movement to the word) command you can start working her front and back legs to get her to move them into place just by touching them with a finger or the tip of a crop....you can give each leg a "name" so that when you give the cue to move, she knows which to move. Once you have the stay and legs under control then you can move on to her head, maybe by holding an object you find she likes ( be it a carrot, keys, just something she is interested in) and giving the que "UP" when you move the object (and hopefully her nose) up and "DOWN" when you move it down. It will take lots of practice but you might just get her to stack after you really really work on reinforcing those commands. Just a suggestion, can we get some pics of her? GOOD LUCK!
Hehe! One of my most favorite things to do is to show off my little lady, even if she isn't in shape. (She's been a brood mare for the last three or four years.) I am working to get her toned up for next spring. Here are some picks from a few weeks ago and one or two from yesterday when I was playing with her mane and tail.
As far as standing, you just need to do it gradually; like get her set up, asking her to "stand", but don't step away from her. For an Arab, you want those front legs and right rear set squarely under her, and the left hind slightly to her rear, and directly under her haunch (for a reference point)...alot of people 'overstretch' Arabs, but that is how they are supposed to be set. In your last photo she's pretty much ideal, her right rear just needs to be more squarely under her.
When she has her 'cue' word "Stand" down, then start taking a step away from her...if she moves, simply correct her, and try again. You want to be able to go to the end of her line (usually a 8 ft showlead), so you can stretch her neck out, and move it up and down.
When showing an Arabian, you want to show off the expression they have, so teach your mare how to 'target' a dressage whip by showing it to her, and treating her. She will eventually learn to 'follow' where ever you 'hold' the whip (be it in the air, or near the ground, so you can show off her arched neck).
When you ask her to move with you, especially at the trot, don't inhibit her motion...just let her move freely (obviously, maintain some control, so she doesn't dart in front of you, but let her 'show off'); EVERYTHING about showing an Arabian is about the expression and showy-ness of the breed! You want to exhibit her in such a way that she just 'comes alive'!
Teaching an arabian to 'stack' 
