Useful skills

[Cherryblossom]

I went to ride today, and Poppy has lost a shoe, so I decided to start teaching her to ground tie, which is not something I’ve ever done before, but seems like a useful way to spend a few days without a shoe!
I was thinking that with all the knowledge there is on horse and hound, between the very experienced and those practicing niche areas like equitation etc, there must be many more things that aren’t part of a standard training that are useful nonetheless. Please help me keep away the autumn blues with tales of your most random useful things you’ve taught your horse!

 

[Ample Prosecco]

I taught both Amber and Lottie to rest a hoof in my lap while I sat on a mounting block for studding up. My back can’t cope with studding the normal way! I also teach all my horses to pick me up from anywhere so I can scramble on to them on either side from lorry ramp, wall, fence etc

 

[Cherryblossom]

I taught both Amber and Lottie to rest a hoof in my lap while I sat on a mounting block for studding up. My back can’t cope with studding the normal way! I also teach all my horses to pick me up from anywhere so I can scramble on to them on either side from lorry ramp, wall, fence etc

Pick you up?? You’re going to have to explain that? the studding is genius though!

 

[Ample Prosecco]

Pick me up as in I stand where I need to stand and Lottie positions herself next to me so I can get on! Rather than me place her first then get myself into position.

 

[Ample Prosecco]

Like so.... but from anywhere. Not just a mounting block. This was just to demonstrate!

 

[TheMule]

My horse jumps anything for a pony nut- started as just play in the field when he was 2, and I haven’t formally trained him, but he can do some pretty cool stuff now

 

[stangs]

Not random - all things that horse needed major work on - but I've used R+ to train: accepting syringes in the mouth so worming in future will be easier; accepting suncream on his nose; "smile" (so I can see his incisors - ultimate goal is to be able to inspect his teeth properly without sedation and at liberty). Currently working on crunches to improve his core muscles.

Tempted to do something like this too.

Also really want to teach him to nod on command. I have this idea where the dentist asks whether he'll need sedation and then both horse and I nod. Idea may be funnier in my head than in real life.

 

[Britestar]

I've taught mine to pee before we go for a ride, or before loaded into the trailer.

She's a pain if she needs to pee when being ridden, so get it out the way before I get on.

 

[Birker2020]

Taught Bailey that she could only have her precious snack-a-ball if she ate her tea first. If she didn't finish it and stuck her head over the door I'd say "eat your tea" and she'd go straight back to it. She knew I was serious!

I taught her to walk to the mounting block at the end of our riding session by laying my reins on her neck. She would walk to the block calmly and leg yield herself up to the side if it so I could get off onto it.

I also taught her to knock the tub over in her paddock when the staff turned her out in the morning. They used to watch her trot over to it and 'Umph' as she knocked it over with her head to get to the dry frost free hay underneath.

Loved her so much, she was very special.

 

[teapot]

You can park my best mate's horse at the mounting block (outside arena) go open the arena gate/sort poles etc and he will not move from that spot!

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I trained my IDx to take me to the mounting block at the end of a ride, so that could dismount onto.it, without having to risk landing heavily on my bad ankle. The first time my friend rode her, she was rather surprised to find the mare took her to the mounting block, too!

 

[Spotherisk]

Harley just learnt that my ‘one more step’ request meant sideways shuffle a bit closer to the mounting block.

 

[MissMay]

I always think stand is the most useful. So you can do things without dragging them unwillingly behind. Or make a dash to grab something

 

[Highmileagecob]

I tried for years to get the old cob to ground tie. He would do it willingly but always got distracted by something after ten seconds or so, and start to wander off. I had to pick my places, and wouldn't entirely trust him in the open. He is the only one on the yard that can allow a mounted rider to open and close gates though, and he will position himself by the mounting block. I also taught him that unless he stands beside me with no pulling away, I will not remove his headcollar. Think that took ten minutes to sink in. The other useful thing he learned is raising a hoof from a gentle tap on the leg. My back can't cope with a tug of war now.

 

[SpeedyPony]

Both of mine will pick things up from the ground- very helpful when you injure your back! I'm trying to get this to translate to ridden as well with the youngster- would be nice not to have to get off when I drop my crop

 

[dottylottie]

i think the most under appreciated thing i’ve taught mine is a proper “back up”. i put more effort into teaching the 4 year old because she was just so ignorant, but i can really tell the difference between them now. i can’t cope with having to bodily shove a pony back so i can get us through the gate etc!

did take the baby a while to master marching back with her legs in diagonal pairs, AND adjusting one leg at a time for a square halt though safe to say she’s now a very moveable pony lmao

 

[Alibear]

Like others, if I stand on something raised, Amber will come and line up at it, ready for mounting.
The ground tie is pretty damn solid now; you can wander off and come back, go move poles, cones, go rope something etc, and she'll stay put. Regardless of whether we're at home, in the forest, in the show pen, etc..
Even at a recent show where we ground tied facing the open exit gate, all the other horses stood there waiting to come in!
In hand, she yields her hind end; if I look at it and slightly drop my head, she'll side pass on an arm up down gesture. Change direction if I point to the new way. Softly back up etc.
Leading politely on a loose rein is another useful one for an easy life in walk and jog. Matching steps in hand goes with that.

All the things that I had to learn, you need to teach them, so being good for the dentists, osteos/chrios/bodywork. Having rugs, boots, fly masks etc put on and off, including the ones you pull on over their head.
Tieing up to the trailer sensibly, not snapping the tie so you can reach to eat the grass
Lifting feet and holding them nicely that's actually one I still need to improve with her.

Not giving stuff about random paraphernalia in the school, feed sacks, bales, banners, buckets. piles of wings etc.

 

[millitiger]

Mine will wee on command- very useful as he is like a toddler holding his willy if he needs a wee and hasn't been.

 

[Cherryblossom]

Shoe is still off, so started working on getting her to pick me up at various mounting blocks.Ground tie coming on well (helped by the fact that she’s intrinsically lazy!) She’s a nightmare to tie to box when out and about- pulls away as soon as you’re out of sight, but stands perfectly tied if you’re there and can be left at home, which makes training so it difficult. I’m hoping that the ground tying will help her learn that when she’s out somewhere she has to stay there.

 

[Cloball]

Ground tie is a work in progress sometimes she will for a very short period but considering she wouldn't stand still at all until a couple of months ago I'm pleased. Going back she does too well and will offer it whenever she doesn't know what I'm asking
I've taught her to pick her feet up for me at least that's what she does now when I stand at her shoulder and say up up. I swear she only started doing it when she saw one of the other horses
I'm working on turns on the forehand and leg yield in hand now.

 

[DabDab]

I've taught mine to pee before we go for a ride, or before loaded into the trailer.

She's a pain if she needs to pee when being ridden, so get it out the way before I get on.

I need to teach Arty this. I've had some horrendous competitive outings because she's just desperate for a wee but won't go. She tries to only wee in her stable. She will wee in the field in a patch of long grass but even there seems to hold it if it is close to fetching in time

Any tips?

 

[Surbie]

I taught mine 'one more' to take an additional step at the mounting block, 'wait' so I can tie a haynet without having to wrestle him for it, and 'round' when I want him to turn (across the school, around a gate etc). He knows 'march' means I want him to walk faster.

Things I regret teaching are raising a leg for a treat as invariably legs are waved around when he thinks he deserves one/is due an offering. Also teaching him to show me where he wants to be scratched. It was sweet to start with as he'd shove his head in my hands or point to his elbows. However invariably that is now his sheath area and he will do everything possible to encourage that, including pushing me with his head or looking imploringly at me and then his sheath, with a leg cocked as high as a tubby coblet can manage.

 

[smolmaus]

"Touch" things for treats. Gets her approaching things she might otherwise be suspicious of. I am trying "are you looking" if I see something in the distance or that she can't go up to that I think might be scary (usually very large farm equipment) and she also gets a treat for looking calmly or looking and then disengaging but I haven’t really figured this one out yet. Work in progress.

Turn on the forehand, back up are very solid. I also have "come here" when I look and point at a spot near my feet that is coming along okay and the combo makes mounting block parking easy peasy, she never really clicked with parking herself if I'm elevated but our method works fine and they're all very transferable skills. I can't reliably move her shoulders for a turn on the quarters yet, still working on that one.

I regret teaching her to lift her feet independently as they get waved at me now when she wants attention. She's very careful about it but it freaks other people out!

Eta: perfectly timed leg-wavey crosspost Surbie!

 

[Britestar]

I need to teach Arty this. I've had some horrendous competitive outings because she's just desperate for a wee but won't go. She tries to only wee in her stable. She will wee in the field in a patch of long grass but even there seems to hold it if it is close to fetching in time

Any tips?

I take her to a patch of grass near where we mount, and sing the 'pishy' song .

Once shes performed she gets a treat- sometimes she puts herself in position and asks for the treat!

We now have 3 that reliably do it and one who's a bit hit and miss.

 

[Maryann]

I am working on getting my young horse to lower his head when I fiddle with his forelock. I fiddle with it and then lots of verbal praise when he lowers his head. Verbal praise is already associated with neck scratches. I would rather not stand on things to plait.

 

[Sealine]

My horse is currently out at night. Over the summer I've taught him to have a pee whilst we are on our morning hack by taking him to his favourite pee place on the way home. If I don't ride past the pee place I take him for a pee on a grassy area at the yard with the reward of me getting off and letting him have a couple of mouthfuls of grass. If I get off before he has a pee he just wants to eat. Saves me a fortune in shavings

 

[DressageCob]

Mine parks very well. I can park him in the middle of the arena and hop off then erect a full course of show jumps and he won't move. The other day he parked while another horse continued to work in the arena, I went off to pick up that horse's poop and he stayed there chilling.

the only other thing is that we did carrot stretches ages ago when he had a slightly sore back. Now every time I touch his tummy, such as doing up a surcingle or attaching a girth, his little nose pokes down between his front legs to see if there's a sweetie there.