Tricks/Useful Commands

My lad will lift his leg for his hoof to be picked out when it is tapped - is that what you mean?

We didn't deliberately teach him to do it - its just the request to lift his hoof got lighter and lighter so he would respond to just a light touch. If you go in the right order (left fore, left hind etc) he will often pick the next hoof up in anticipation - but he can't seem to figure it out if we don't go that way round.
 
My lad will lift his leg for his hoof to be picked out when it is tapped - is that what you mean?

We didn't deliberately teach him to do it - its just the request to lift his hoof got lighter and lighter so he would respond to just a light touch. If you go in the right order (left fore, left hind etc) he will often pick the next hoof up in anticipation - but he can't seem to figure it out if we don't go that way round.

Same for my mare. It started with teaching her to lift a foot when I ran my hand down her leg and said 'up', but over time she has got used to it and knows what I want from when I put my hand on her leg. I try and do her feet in different orders so she doesn't ignore the comand and stand there with the leg I 'should' be doing hung there!
 
I clicker train with my mare and to lift her leg I started tapping on it - as soon as she showed the slightest of movement I clicked and treated her and progressed it from there - she does all sorts of sill tricks now but we both find it fun!!

She is the first horse I have clicker trained and i think its very useful at times!
 
This was really important to me, as I have a dodgy arm/shoulder so struggle to hold & pick a hoof at the same time. My mare now offers her feet when she sees the bucket I use to pick her hooves into, and will rest her foot quietly on the bucket for me, so I can do it without the weight of her leg in my hand :D

I always pick them in the same order - front right, back right, back left, front left. Started by touching back of fetlock with 'up command', pick hoof, return to floor, piece of carrot/treat. Then two hooves = carrot, then 4 hooves = carrot when all done.

She now sees the bucket, offers her feet in order, rests each one on the bucket for me to pick & stands like a rock throughout. She still a gets little piece of carrot when we're all done :)

Same with lowering her head for her headcollar/bridle, as I struggle to lift my arm high enough otherwise. Asked her lower head with cue 'head', reward with piece of carrot & a pat. Takes repetition & time, again she now puts her head down when she sees her headcollar etc.

It helps that she's greedy & very food-motivated! They're certainly useful commands rather than tricks, life would be a lot harder otherwise :)
 
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