Horses can understand 8 Words. Which words would you choose?

I think a lot is picking up body language as that's how horses communicate with each other but I think they do understand some words. We had a horse that lunged really well and when I had a lesson he'd listen to the trainer more than me! so if the trainer said "pick up canter between A and K, he'd canter immediately, so we started saying "go up a pace" and he cottoned on to that too. My trainer tells the story of a very well known trainer putting someone on their dressage horse and he called a test in such a way that the horse did a pretty accurate test without the rider really doing anything except stay on, didn't see it myself though!
 
They can understand a lot more than eight words if you work closely with them and train them well. My old mare knew 'walk' 'trot' 'canter' 'this one' (to jump a fence I point at whilst loose schooling) 'up' (to rear on command) 'touch' 'back' 'wait' 'no' 'good girl' 'whoa' 'come' 'away' and there were a few others. My current mare is only five and I have only started teaching her new words this summer. She knows at least eight now and will soon know more. My dogs on the other hand appear to understand every word you say!
 
Mine are pretty good reading physical cues. Their party piece is that I can feed one and hold the other off by kind of wagging my finger and saying "wait there" (though usually they get fed together) and of course producing a reward when the wait has finished
 
moleskinsmum said:
ETA I never use whoa as a command - my slow down command is more like a long drawn out sing-song woooooooooo which is totally unlike any other command
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Me too! Apparently makes me sound like a madwoman when passing uninitiated other people...
 
With my 5yo we have mastered the words; back up, wait and my favourite of all 'head down' - he's 17.2 and Im 5ft4, very handy for getting the headcollar on :). He also learnt 'kisses' but he was a rough lover so I stopped that one.

I am working on 'go get help', 'call 999', 'go to fridge, bring chocolate' and 'don't hurt yourself today'.

All of them know 'wait' especially when it comes to feed time, I make them wait for about 2-5 secs until they can put their head down to munch.
 
We have three ponies and they each know their own name as if you call one the others ingonre you while the one you call responds. so I suppose that means they know the three names. Dinner is another popular one with the ponies. The naughty highland houdini kow the tone of voice you use when she is being naughty and you draw out her name she stops and looks at you as if to say "" who me" i didn't do it.
 
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