[MacabreMikolaj]

So I've caught the trick training bug, mostly because it really gives you another way to bond with your horse on the ground and get them listening to you which is what I like. I chose Zierra for this trick because I've owned her since she was born, I know her inside out and I know how her mind works. I don't trust Jynx yet with this sort of trick, she's better with the docile and submissive tricks. It's also helped improve my relationship with Zierra, who's been sort of back burnered due to her leg injury (which is now RE-INJURED, grrrrrrr, she's in solitary confinement after tearing a chunk out of her leg this weekend).

DISCLAIMER - I do NOT advocate anyone training their horse to rear. This is a controlled and complex trick that DOES require a certain knowledge and education about equine behavior, response and reaction. I am doing this because it is something fun for us to do to keep her mind busy and to also TEST our bond and my training on her. Zierra is a forever horse, she will never have another home, of this I can be sure, and irregardless, I do not have anymore fear that this will lead to "unasked" rearing then feeding her a cookie would lead to "unasked" biting.

On that note, Zierra is also a very angry mare who likes to think she's scarier then she is. Anyone who knows her will testify to the fact that she believes pinning her ears makes her dominant and the minute someone challanges her, she runs away scared. The reason why she is pinning her ears in these pictures is because she knows I have carrots and hopes she is asserting that I must give her these carrots. At no point have I, or will I ever, be afraid of her biting or acting aggressive. It's just who she is.

Attention please!

She is very scary, no?

Atta girl!

Very controlled, loving it!

A quick lunge around, as part of our sessions to keep her alert, focused on me and not allowing her to rear before her cue.

Mounted!

No halter, booya!

She believes she is above moving for her carrots

Her yucky injury :-( No tricks OR riding for awhile!

Iz goopy...yeck.

 

[Dani9192]

how the heck do you teach a horse to rear??

 

[RedTree]

wow that is soo cool I would personally never try it unless it was a mini or something really really small lol
but how did she injury her leg?

 

[EveningShadows]

Oh she's such a faker...LOVE the "she is very scary, no?" pic.

Teaching a horse to rear is like teaching any other trick...ask a little, reward alot.

And teaching a mini to rear is often just as dangerous if done wrong as a full size horse...if not more because you won't expect it from a little ankle biter. Regardless of the SIZE of the horse, the correct training must be there to make it safe. And goodness knows how she did that to her leg...we're assuming on one of the trees in the pasture because the feeder is fine and it's certainly not a kick. Either way we've kept it wrapped since, think tomorrow we might leave it unwrapped...depends how well it's healing.

 

[PaintsPwn]

LOL I wonder what it is about Arabians and the sideways faces? I worked at a horse theatre, and one of them (sorrel, maybe it's the redheads) started doing that when I was taking a pic of her!

As for training a horse to rear, you just kind of have to play around with it and see how your horse reacts. Cowboy's been lightish on his front end, but he's never actually reared, but if he had a 'tude on the ground, he'd toss his head up. I started by cuing him to lift his head up, and I'd reward. Eventually the head got momentum, and the feet would pop up - and he'd get lots of cookies. Now he'll do it simply from cue, but the only time he's allowed to rear is if he backs up far enough away he can't hit you, or if you're right beside him. And he's not allowed to do it unless he's told. He's finally going all the way up.

Anyway, that's just how I trained him, and it worked for him.

 

[Alwaysbehind]

I hope that wound is not as nasty as it looks. It looks like it needs (or needed) some medical attention. Hope it heals quickly.

 

[MacabreMikolaj]

Agreed with PaintsPWN. I actually started Zierra on her back - because she's quite well trained to pressure, by lifting my reins above her head (as you can see in the picture) and saying "UP" loudly, I started rocking her onto her hindquarters and rewarding that small movement. I then had someone on the ground tap her between her front legs and lift their hands as well. And we just escalated it from there.

The single most important thing to remember is you MUST mix it up. Rearing is a trick horses learn to run away with fast, and I always shake my head when I see it being done wrong. I will ask Zierra to rear, and then I will promptly ask her to back up afterwards, solidyfing for her the difference between up and back. We had a momentary issue where she was jumping INTO me to rear (to grab her carrot quickly), so we began doing small lunging circles, pivoting and moving her shoulders based on where I was touching her with the whip. This enabled me to both cue her to rear and make her stay back by the touch of the whip on her chest.

I never ask her to rear without moving on to OTHER activites in between to keep her mind focused and guessing. You CAN properly trick train a horse to rear without it being an issue, but people without any real training education think it's easy to train by yanking on a horses face and cause all sorts of problems!

Alwaysbehind: I've doctored much nastier cuts then she has now. She's in solitary confinement and we're dressing the leg with ointment and keeping it vet wrapped. She's also getting 24CC's of penecillin a day to bomb any infection. There is literally nothing a vet could do at this point that I can't. The swelling has already disappeared and the dressing is being changed daily, to keep a close eye on the wound. We'll be starting with an anti-fungal spray by tomorrow.

 

[MacabreMikolaj]

Pics from when I took her bandage off yesterday. Shay-la has more from today when she changed her bandage for me.

 

[Rule of Reason]

how the heck do you teach a horse to rear??

My question is WHY?

I thought I was going to see real tricks like bowing or shaking hands or standing on a platform. Even Spanish walk. But no, she has to rear.

 

[MacabreMikolaj]

My question is WHY?

I thought I was going to see real tricks like bowing or shaking hands or standing on a platform. Even Spanish walk. But no, she has to rear.

Actually, it IS a real trick. Just as much so as a bow or laying down. It is the point of cue and command, and having the respect of her to listen to me and focus on me. This is not a "cool trick to show off", this is something fun I wanted to do with her.

And at the end of the day, quite frankly, she's my horse and not yours and you don't know a **** thing about me, so take your uppity attitude and shove it unless you have something productive to add.

We all know it's so much more "tricky" to see a horse standing on a platform or shaking legs like a dog instead of rearing - which is EXACTLY the same thing. WHY? To solidify a relationship and recognize the strength in the control you have over your horse.

 

[PaintsPwn]

And at the end of the day, quite frankly, she's my horse and not yours and you don't know a **** thing about me, so take your uppity attitude and shove it unless you have something productive to add.

We all know it's so much more "tricky" to see a horse standing on a platform or shaking legs like a dog instead of rearing - which is EXACTLY the same thing. WHY? To solidify a relationship and recognize the strength in the control you have over your horse

LOLOLOLOLOL!!!! That was superbly said!

 

[kiwigirl]

When I first subscribed to this forum I saw threads on teaching a horse to bow and other tricks and I thought, Really? Why? However I kept my thoughts to myself because afterall it really is none of my business. As I have spent more time on the forum and got an insight into where people live and time spent with horses I have thought about things a bit more.

I live in the North Island of New Zealand, our winters are very moderate, frosts at night and lots of rain but that is it. I have a young daughter, turning four next month, my husband and I have our own business's and both work from home. Between full time work and family the time I get with my horse is precious, fortunately because of the nature of the climate here I get to ride all year around. Time with my horse is spent exploring the country side.

If I was in a part of the world where for nearly half the year everything was buried in a heap of snow and riding was a luxury during winter. You know what? I would spend my precious horse time doing what I could - which would probably be training my horse to do tricks!

 

[BackInTheSaddleAgain]

Nice work, girl! Keep it up. You guys must have a close and trusting relationship.
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[MacabreMikolaj]

Haha, thanks guys.

kiwigirl - that is almost essentially EXACTLY it. I hate to say it, but I've officially become sick of riding. I've started taking Dressage lessons again, and it's basically shown me that I am dog tired of riding in stupid circles in three feet of snow.

It's not bad in summer, but you just CAN'T do certain things in winter - I can teach my filly to lope, but I sure as heck can't work on specific aids when she's flogging almost up to her knees! We can't even go for trail rides because the roads are sheer ice.

I have an inkling you guys will see very little of our tricks when summer rolls around :lol:

 

[RiosDad]

If I was in a part of the world where for nearly half the year everything was buried in a heap of snow and riding was a luxury during winter. You know what? I would spend my precious horse time doing what I could - which would probably be training my horse to do tricks!

I live in the great white north, Canada and while we get snow it is not for more then 2 or 3 months if we are lucky. I say lucky because some of the best riding is in the the snow. People who don't take advantage of snow are missing out of some of the best riding.
Last night I went for a 2 hour ride through the snow. I started out with a heavier jacket but traded it for a light one before heading out. The hat went in my pocket and before long the gloves followed the hat.
The footing was fantastic, no crops in the fields so you can run unlimited miles. I run snowmobile trails, groomed trails, hard packed trails with absolutely no fences.
The sun is so bright you can't see without sun glasses, the sun is powerful and it fries your head, no bugs. It is a fantastic time to ride, one of my best times of year.
Don't feel sorry for us in the snow, envy us.
Rain, mud are the worst times to ride. As is extreme heat and dry.

Until last week we were lucky if we had 6 inches in the fields, yes there are a few drifts along line fences but overall it barely covers his hooves.

 

[MacabreMikolaj]

*grumbles*

Ontario is a lot different then Manitoba. We can typically expect a good 4-6 months with snow. There is a certain level of snow I enjoy before it goes "too far". At this point, the crop fields are past the horses knees. Which makes for a great workout, but is worthless as all hell when you don't have a barn to put a sweaty horse in.

Maybe that's why I'm so PO'ed at winter. We don't have a barn, so we CAN'T get them sweaty without risking illness. Only one wears a blanket, and nothing dries right when it's -40. It's been a bit nicer lately, but having an Arab mare with a bum leg that blows up if you ride her too hard kind of limits what you can do.

Hence, the trick training. I never thought I'd get into it. But I must be getting old. I'm ready to trade it all for a **** stall and some closed walls! :-(

 

[riccil0ve]

But I must be getting old. I'm ready to trade it all for a **** stall and some closed walls! :-(

This made me laugh really hard. Don't know why, I just think it's hilarious. I suppose I take advantage of having stalls. =]

 

[PaintsPwn]

Stalls are awesome, and worth the investment if you ever sell your property -nods- Cause then, it's considered 'Equestrian' Property... Fancy, eh? ... No Canadian pun intended.

 

[MacabreMikolaj]

Oh trust me, stalls are FIRST on the list when we buy property. Well, after fencing of course, haha.

Right now, we "board" at Shay-las moms farm. I wouldn't plug another nickel into that place - the more money is saved, the faster we can get our OWN property and actually build some decent fencing and a barn! :lol:

 

[PaintsPwn]

I see! That willl be exciting! For some reason I thought you had your own place. I remember you now saying in another thread that you board >.<