Teaching a horse to trot up in hand (vet visit etc.)

[Dyllymoo]

Its just dawned on me that J doesn't/ hasn't trotted up in hand without a lot of persuading form behind and even then it was one or two steps.

I've been meaning to "teach" him but never got round to it, now we have 4 days to get him savvy to it. Food will be a help I'm sure but I need some tips. I will start with a schooling whip but I'm wondering if someone with a lunge whip behind would be good (he literally doesn't bat an eyelid at whips.... )

Any tips?

I probably also need to teach him to lunge but that's not going to happen (he lunges with 2 reins only so I'm hopeful the vets will be ok with that?

 

[Pearlsasinger]

What happens if you set off running? Will he just look at you as if you are mad, or will he keep up with you?

 

[Dyllymoo]

What happens if you set off running? Will he just look at you as if you are mad, or will he keep up with you?

The first one, and he drags behind me and wont trot. If we are in the field and he follows me occasionally he trots to follow if I run, but 9/10 he wont. He has had physio etc. which is when we have needed to do it but they just laugh and say "don't worry".... I cant imagine the vet saying that, and I don't think I'm going to be allowed to trot him up myself (not that that helps at the minute)

 

[MarvelVillis]

The way I taught my youngster (rightly or wrongly!) was when I was leading him back to his field. He was obviously keen to get back to the field to be with his mates so he had a nice walk on the go. Used the voice command of 'aaaaaaaand trot', starting jogging and he naturally started trotting. I had quite a long walk from his stable to the field so was able to practice it quite well. Just make sure to throw in a few transitions on the way so they remain listening. It's a good workout too! He's not broken in yet so I do it occasionally when we're walking out in hand.

 

[windand rain]

Always teach mine on a halter they move forward with you go back when told and trot up when you go quicker doesnt take very long either. It is amazing how many horses do not trot up My very slow to move ponies have won no end of ride and run gymkhana games because they keep up with the runners

 

[Roxylola]

Stay at his shoulder and chase him forward rather than dragging him. Carry a schooling whip, possibly as you say someone behind or on the other side to chase too. I wouldnt try food - unless its maybe someone in the distance shaking a bucket

 

[ForeverBroke_]

I taught mine by asking 'walk on,' be it with a vocal aid or a hand gesture, and if no response he would get a little tap up behind with a schooling whip. Was easy for him but for my other horse when I had a bit more time / no time restraint I would let him get away with a few jog steps in hand if we were walking, and add the 'trot on,' command and then let him eek it out into a trot so he started to learn the command.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I have to say that I think it is usually in the body language of the handler. If you tickle him behind your back with the schooling whip, don't look back, or he will slow/stop. Look forward, rather than at him as you set off, use a sharp voice, going up at the end, 'trot on!' Expect him to do it!

 

[Hallo2012]

I have to say that I think it is usually in the body language of the handler. If you tickle him behind your back with the schooling whip, don't look back, or he will slow/stop. Look forward, rather than at him as you set up, use a sharp voice, going up at the end, 'trot on!' Expect him to do it!

this totally.

however a plastic bag tied to a schooling whip if he is really THAT oblivious.....!

 

[Dyllymoo]

I have to say that I think it is usually in the body language of the handler. If you tickle him behind your back with the schooling whip, don't look back, or he will slow/stop. Look forward, rather than at him as you set off, use a sharp voice, going up at the end, 'trot on!' Expect him to do it!

I'm not the only one that has failed to trot him up unfortunately, so he really is just in a "no thanks" attitude. I will try the schooling whip, I've probably let the leading slip a bit as I would always insist he was with me, but others now get him in in the mornings (don't get me started) so its slipped a lot.

I will have a practice tonight

 

[SEL]

I've just had to sort this with the new pony for the physio. I did it in the same spot over a few days so she'd learn we were going there for a reason (down the side of the farm drive) & then hopefully take what she'd learnt to another location.

I ran first and she just walked behind looking confused. So a schooling whip with a bit of a wiggle at the same time as the voice command. Only took a few attempts. I did forget to teach her to back up so need to sort that too.

Fortunately no lunging for the physio because we are trying to unlearn the wall of death circle galloping!

 

[EnduroRider]

I have to say that I think it is usually in the body language of the handler. If you tickle him behind your back with the schooling whip, don't look back, or he will slow/stop. Look forward, rather than at him as you set off, use a sharp voice, going up at the end, 'trot on!' Expect him to do it!

This, and also when you start to run, make sure your first few strides are really ''up'' and bouncy so you are increasing the energy before you simply run away from the horse.

 

[daydreamer]

Another useful tip is to have the rope in your outside hand with your forearm held across the front of your body. You can then hold the schooling whip in your inside hand which makes it much easier to use at the girth to encourage forwards.

 

[SpotsandBays]

For mine I did it in the field (don’t have a school) with a schooling whip. Got him walking, say clearly “trot on” little tickle with the whip as I began to pick up pace. He actually picked it up pretty quickly. And another clear message when you’re going back down to walk “and walk”. We need to practise again to be honest as he can be a little slow in the pace when I’m getting him to trot in the ring.

 

[Micropony]

Mine hadn't been taught to trot up when I had him vetted for purchase, and needed someone chasing from behind with a lunge whip.

Recently had a couple of natural horsemanship lessons. Wouldn't normally be my sort of thing, but the trainer was coming to the yard anyway for others, so I thought me and the boy could join in for a bit of fun. Also thought if he could learn to trot up for the vet, that might be quite handy one day.

He now trots up really easily both in hand and at liberty. She had me leading with a carrot stick in my outside hand, waving it behind me 'like a tail' and looking over my outside shoulder at him. Wither scratches to reward him for staying with me. Lots of turns and circles, all at walk. Walking faster, slower, stopping, starting, and then jog on into trot. He got it really quickly, but I have probably just explained it really badly.

Not convinced how important the carrot stick thing is, a lunge whip or schooling whip seems to work just as well. You don't touch the horse with it, just wave it about like a tail.

It was all preceded with what to me seemed like fairly random stuff: standing in front of him and waving carrot stick about, rubbing it on him and trailing the stringy bit over him, getting him to yield shoulders and quarters to pokey fingers with less and less pressure, getting him to move back away from me and stand quietly.

I am not usually into this sort of thing at all, but I have to admit my horse really seems to enjoy it, especially without headcollar/lead rope. And he now trots up really easily, result!

 

[SpotsandBays]

Mine hadn't been taught to trot up when I had him vetted for purchase, and needed someone chasing from behind with a lunge whip.

Recently had a couple of natural horsemanship lessons. Wouldn't normally be my sort of thing, but the trainer was coming to the yard anyway for others, so I thought me and the boy could join in for a bit of fun. Also thought if he could learn to trot up for the vet, that might be quite handy one day.

He now trots up really easily both in hand and at liberty. She had me leading with a carrot stick in my outside hand, waving it behind me 'like a tail' and looking over my outside shoulder at him. Wither scratches to reward him for staying with me. Lots of turns and circles, all at walk. Walking faster, slower, stopping, starting, and then jog on into trot. He got it really quickly, but I have probably just explained it really badly.

Not convinced how important the carrot stick thing is, a lunge whip or schooling whip seems to work just as well. You don't touch the horse with it, just wave it about like a tail.

It was all preceded with what to me seemed like fairly random stuff: standing in front of him and waving carrot stick about, rubbing it on him and trailing the stringy bit over him, getting him to yield shoulders and quarters to pokey fingers with less and less pressure, getting him to move back away from me and stand quietly.

I am not usually into this sort of thing at all, but I have to admit my horse really seems to enjoy it, especially without headcollar/lead rope. And he now trots up really easily, result!

I agree, not into the natural horsemanship stuff either but this element you’ve explained above I found really useful for teaching my other horse space and moving away from me etc

 

[Pippity]

When I got her, mine had no concept of trotting on a leadrope and looked frankly bemused when asked to do so. For her pre-purchase vetting, she had to be chased with a lunge whip, and even then didn't do much beyond a couple of strides.

I just made sure that the voice aids were installed (double-click for 'trot on') from ridden work and lunging, then tried them on the leadrope. She needed a light thwack with the rope behind my back to encourage her the first time, but now she trots up like a pro.

 

[conniegirl]

When I’m teaching a young horse to trot up for the show ring i start in the school.
You will need a schooling whip and a helper with a tea towel!
Get the horse between you and the fence so they can’t swing thier bum away from the schooling whip. Make sure you have a good forwards walk, give the command “trot” make it quite loud but also quite upbeat, at the same time give them a tickle with the schooling whip and get helper to flap tea towel behind them (it is supposed to be a spooky thing but never touch them with it). Lots of vocal praise as you are running but do not stop until you have trotted the length of the school.
Repeat as needed (may take a few sessions, may take 1 go) until you get to the point that the pony is anticipating the trot command, at that point remove the helper.
Then you can work on turning the loud “trot on” into a click of the tongue and doing away wuth the schooling whip.
short sessions of no more than 10 mins work best. I quite often did 10 mins inhand work, then mucked out/did chores for 30 mins then another 10mins inhand work. I find it helps them process it quicker.

 

[twiggy2]

Teaching alongside a fence is perfect as they cannot swing their hindquarters away to avoid the whip.
I am a bit more old school I turn onto the straight and say 'trot on' whilst bouncing into trot myself, tickle tickle with the whip and if it does not happen the tickling becomes more insistent, make sure you stop asking a while before you run out of the long side of the school and repeat coming out of the short corners, be careful not to stop him of he shots forward, give praise and keep up, if trot does not happen the whip becomes more and more insistent, quicker and quicker.
Dint use food it will just make him turn it on you and disengage his hindquarters and losing any forward impulsive.
Also don't hold the lead rein in you outside hand and the whip in the hand closest to him, it turns you in to face him and blocks his forward motion.
Plenty of short sessions, once you have it cracked alongside a fence then apply it everywhere, it's basic manners to go where you want at the speed you want, in the direction you want.
Good luck.

 

[Dyllymoo]

Thanks everyone, I'm going to give it a go this afternoon.... its very windy here so might give him some impulsion in the school. We only have a fence once side and unfortunately it isn't right up to the edge of the school so could prove challenging but we will try

 

[conniegirl]

A wall, a fence, a hedge, or jumps set up as a temporary fence, anything to stop him swinging his quarters away from you to avoid the stick

 

[Dyllymoo]

Just trotted him up on the yard. First attempt he needed a little flick of the schooling whip. After that he knew what to do. Obviously just being a bit lazy before which is fine.