teaching voice commands

[Cocorules]

what is the best way to teach voice commands. Pony will happily walk trot stop back up in response to halter pressure or because I stop walk jog move towards her. She just does not associate this with voice commands and I want to be able to lunge but she is just not ready. I have experience with more reactive horses but this is my first really unreactive one.

 

[jeeve]

if you are consistent, each time you give the cue to walk, trot and canter verbally as well as your physical cue while doing ground work, then they will associate it. It takes time and consistency. (My trainer taught my fellow, he was there approx 12 weeks, and when he came back I found he knew all the cues, so it was done for me)

 

[JanetGeorge]

It's all about timing. I start while leading: you give voice command a second BEFORE alternative aid and again while giving aid. So to 'whoa' - say: WHOA! Pull on halter/headcollar and repeat WHOA. Stand for a moment or two - repeat WHOA and pull on headcollar if he tries to move off.

Then WALK On - as you do. Re-inforce with a tap from schooling whip and WALK On. Do NOT confuse him by doing anything other than WHOA and WALK on until he has those right! Make sure you use the same tone of voice each time you give a command. It IS a clear command, not a conversation!

I teach TER-oTT on the lunge - they tend to do it easily so you give the command the SECOND they break into trot - or as you ask them to do it. When you ask them to come back (to walk - or WHOA), then pull on the lunge line and lower the whip BEFORE the command and then give command.

Never had problems doing it this way. Just be consistent - one command at a time!

 

[soulfull]

I was taught that animals will associate the word with what ever they are doing right that second so for instance, I use the halter to make them back up and as they start to tilt/step back I say back, if you say it too soon they associate it with standing or moving neck etc.

Don't get me wrong even doing it a too early they will eventually twig on as they are so intelligent BUT it is supposed to be quicker and easier to use the word 'when' they are doing it

On the lunge again I get them to say trot by clicking or the whip then say trot. Once they understand the words then you can ask them to do it and loads of good boy

 

[Dry Rot]

This what I call "chaining". Give one command (verbal, body language, pressure on the halter, whatever) that the horse is used to and immediately give the second command you want to chain to. You are seeking an ASSOCIATION with the second "command" (though the word "trigger" would perhaps be more accurate rather than "command" as it is NOT an order).

This will work when your horse is being lunged and spontaneously breaks into, say, a trot from the walk. Just repeat "Trot on" even though you didn't ask for it. The aim is to fix an association in the horse's mind between the word and the action. So the word command is really all wrong.

When I'm training the recall to a dog, I am often asked why I keep telling the dog to "Come here" when he is in fact already next to me! The answer is simply that I want that association between the words (Come here), being next to me, and getting the pleasant sensation of having his ears scratched -- not to be confused with an authoritarian demand or command, but "he's calling, so if I go to him I will get my rears scratched! Yippee!" and dog comes at a gallop.

 

[soulfull]

This what I call "chaining". Give one command (verbal, body language, pressure on the halter, whatever) that the horse is used to and immediately give the second command you want to chain to. You are seeking an ASSOCIATION with the second "command" (though the word "trigger" would perhaps be more accurate rather than "command" as it is NOT an order).

This will work when your horse is being lunged and spontaneously breaks into, say, a trot from the walk. Just repeat "Trot on" even though you didn't ask for it. The aim is to fix an association in the horse's mind between the word and the action. So the word command is really all wrong.

When I'm training the recall to a dog, I am often asked why I keep telling the dog to "Come here" when he is in fact already next to me! The answer is simply that I want that association between the words (Come here), being next to me, and getting the pleasant sensation of having his ears scratched -- not to be confused with an authoritarian demand or command, but "he's calling, so if I go to him I will get my rears scratched! Yippee!" and dog comes at a gallop.

exactly what I meant but you explain it so much better

 

[bumblelion]

This what I call "chaining". Give one command (verbal, body language, pressure on the halter, whatever) that the horse is used to and immediately give the second command you want to chain to. You are seeking an ASSOCIATION with the second "command" (though the word "trigger" would perhaps be more accurate rather than "command" as it is NOT an order).

This will work when your horse is being lunged and spontaneously breaks into, say, a trot from the walk. Just repeat "Trot on" even though you didn't ask for it. The aim is to fix an association in the horse's mind between the word and the action. So the word command is really all wrong.

When I'm training the recall to a dog, I am often asked why I keep telling the dog to "Come here" when he is in fact already next to me! The answer is simply that I want that association between the words (Come here), being next to me, and getting the pleasant sensation of having his ears scratched -- not to be confused with an authoritarian demand or command, but "he's calling, so if I go to him I will get my rears scratched! Yippee!" and dog comes at a gallop.

^^^this!

 

[BlueCakes]

I'm sure the above replies are much more techinical than mine, but..


I have had two horses, one from young, and one that was previously schooled and experienced before I bought him, both which knew voice commands.

Basically, all I do is talk to them and when I am going to ask them something, i just ask them, and they learn what it is I am asking for.

So I'll use the aids of trot on and say trot on. etc etc. Very useful for lunging and trotting up etc.
My Boy can do walk, trot, canter, stand, stay, come here, back up.. etc.

 

[Cocorules]

thanks for the replies very helpful

 

[LaurenBay]

I am helping my friend with her youngster, He was completly unhandled when she got him so had to teach him the very basics (his 2 1/2)

We just made sure that we always gave the voice command for anything we asked him to do so that he would associate the word with it and then hopefully as time goes on, understands what we want him to do with voice command only.

Example, If I were too walk into his stable and he moved over, I would say "over" if he were too back up I would say "back". Once he started to trust us and let us touch him, we would then ask him to move back by pushing his shoulder gently and saying "back". Or picking up feet we said "up"
Walking to the field we would say "walk on" "stand" etc.

He now knows how to back up, stand, walk and trot with voice commands only.

It is all about the timing though and repeating.

 

[Dry Rot]

exactly what I meant but you explain it so much better

I think we cross posted, except I'm a bit slower! We think the same, that's the main thing.