teaching him to rear/ do spanish walk!!

[junglediva]

does anybody have any tips on how to teach a horse to rear or do the spanish walk with someone on their back? id like to teach baloo the trick becasue i have just tought him the bow any he seams to be a quick learner? any help would be appreciated! i would like tis on how to teach them do spanish walk as i have throuwn the idea of teaching him to rear please?

 

[TarrSteps]

I can hear the massive collective intake of breath.

A) Don't do it. You'll be sorry.

B) BUT. . . If you absolutely insist on learning how to do this, learn from someone who does it professionally, like someone who teaches horses for movies etc. You can hurt yourself and your horse SERIOUSLY if you get it wrong.

Which is not to say I'm condoning it - there are about a hundred far more useful and impressive tricks I'd teach first. Besides, to be perfectly honest, most horses I know could stand to be better in at least a few of the "regular" things horses need to know.

 

[junglediva]

ok then my second thing was to teach him the spanish walk... any suggestions?

 

[Slave2Magic]

If you get the book "Groundwork Training For Your Horse" by Lesley Bayley if shows you in there.

 

[junglediva]

ye thanks. but im asking if anybody has tips here at this minute?

 

[TarrSteps]

But that's a bit like asking for "tips" on how to get a horse on the bit. It's a process, something you teach in small steps, not something you just decide to make the horse do one day. It's just so much easier and less likely to go wrong if you learn from someone properly and/or have a good instruction book. If you want your horse to learn properly, why would you not take it seriously?

Not to mention that not every horse can physically do every trick, at least not without risking damage. (Not joking or being alarmist - apparently trick horses can get all sorts of "sports specific" injuries.)

 

[Enfys]

I agree with Tarrsteps (because she always talks a great deal of sense)

There is only one reason to teach an ordinary (as in not a stunt or High School)horse to rear on cue and that is to stop him rearing full stop. I have never taught the Spanish Walk but there are plenty of sites that give you step by step instructions.

Personally, I am far more impressed by a horse that will STAND, on the spot, without moving a single foot, when it is told to. Or one that will tie, or ground tie without messing about, and one that will actually stop still when told to WHOA. Teaching a horse to drop his head is basic and so useful too, a horse can't spook or run with his head down.

There is a book called Trickonometry that has all kinds of tricks, that are explained sensibly and thoroughly, with pros and cons. The problem with training a horse to do tricks is that if you sell them on they need an instruction manual! I was once sold a horse that had been taught to bow if you touched his knee (the farrier LOVED him!Not.) and rear if you touched his withers, no-one told me though.

I teach mine all kinds of things for fun, just not rearing or anything that would annoy the Vet or Farrier, so I am not saying it is a bad thing at all.

You could take a look here:

www.imagineahorse.com

 

[josiesmithuk]

Nooo don't teach it to rear.

Some idiot taught my section d to rear, but used the same aids as you would to properly ask a horse to stand. It has been the absolute downfall of him, as if you forget and ride him properly in the showring he pops a nice little rear in to end the individual show. I have lost several big qualifiers due to this and he thinks he is being good!!!

Please don't do it

x x x

 

[SirenaXVI]

I would definately NOT teach him to rear but have taught spanish walk to more than one of my neddies!

Thing is, I usually start fairly young (2ish) by training them to lift the leg at the touch of a whip, I take it very slowly and usually start with one leg before progressing to two. However, it is not something I would advocate learning from a book and suggest that you get help on a one to one basis from a professional trainer. The other thing to remember is that once it is established, you MUST make sure it is ALWAYS a forward movement, done badly it can easily turn into a rear.

 

[junglediva]

ok ta xx

 

[rocketdog69]

i wouldnt bother teaching your horse spanish walk either, he/she will end up doing it all the time especially when you dont want them to. I've seen some spanish horses anxiously attempting spanish walk just to get praise and also some of them "go into" it if you walk in front of them and turn to face them.

If youre adamant in your horse learning spanish walk then get a true professional to teach him or you will regret it forever!