Vocal commands - good or bad?

[darkhorse123]

Is it ok or frowned upon to teach your horse to respond to vocal commands when changing pace?

I have had a few instructors who all had different opinions - out hacking with others, would you consider it rude if a fellow hacker "clicked" their horse into trot for example?

I ride a lazy cob and he does respond to clicks - one rider got upset when we lagged behind the group we were with and i verbally clicked him into trot saying it could have set her boy off - it didnt and we were way behind and needing to catch up

Thoughts?

 

[FairyLights]

I think vocal commands are very useful.

 

[Arizahn]

I have entire conversations with mine! She was owned by a lady from England, and I find that she responds better if I talk in an English accent.

I think clicking and vocal commands are fine - I draw the line at shouting or swearing at the horse, mind.

 

[biggingerpony]

I talk to mine all the time!! I click my tongue every stride when doing showjumping so I keep rhythm and know her strides, even in competitions! Find it relaxing as well. I use voice commands on the lunge and find it useful! I have to call it the 'c' word out on hacks otherwise she gets really excited!

 

[QueenOfCadence]

Well my horse is very well trained in voice commands simply because I like to lunge without a lunge rein, side reins and a whip - I believe it's good for them to atleast know the basics. Mine understands walk, trot, canter, woah (to transition down), clicks (to transition up), go go go (to lenghten/extend the stride in current gate), shh shh (to collect/shorten stride in current gate) and whistling means that he should stop and come into the middle (not to be confused with walking). It's lovely to have those commands in place because it gives us (more me than him probably) a solid form of communication if all else fails.

However, at shows it's not seen as good to use voice commands (especially in dressage where you WILL get marked down for them) - so if you do school them, make sure that you don't grow dependent on them and that they don't become a habit

I love my voice commands though and I'll often use them when we're hacking out - partially because I like to give ponio a good challenge and partially because if I'm hacking out I'm probably to lazy to give a proper aid

Here's a few photos of my little palomino monster free lunging :

Sorry this trot one is a bit blurry - I had a raindrop on my lense , but I'm assuming you'll get an idea from the palomino blur on how he works in the trot aswell

As you can see how works well on voice commands and even knows to drop his poll (from the multiple "good boooooy"s that he gets when he does it)

 

[olop]

My boy responds very well to vocal commands - he knows woah, walk, trot, canter & up (for jumping encouragement!) He also knows steady (for when he gets excited!!)

I recently got told off in my dressage test (I dont normal do dressage so was just for fun) & was told I was too vocal & should have been eliminated On my test sheet is was commented taht I was "cheating" never mind!

But vocal commands are a very useful tool for us

 

[Magnetic Sparrow]

Vocal commands good. Useful for lunging, leading and when things go deeply pear-shaped.

 

[whisp&willow]

ive always used vocal commands to back up physical ones.

whisper lifts her feet for me when i touch her fetlock and say "lift" she moves back using a vocal "back" and "over" and she moves over.

i have always used my voice while riding too, with whisper, and others i have ridden... i find that it is very usefull.

xx

 

[Stacey6897]

Very useful for training, horses can learn as wide a vocabulary of words as dogs can, but not allowed in some competitions

I rode a horse in Canada, the aids to canter were inside hand up, outside leg back, make a kissy noise! She'd strike off from halt, walk or rein back, but only if you made a kissy noise

 

[PennyJ]

Talking and giving clear instructions = good thing.
clicking = bad thing, it can mean so many different things depending on who is doing it.

I'm talking every day riding for pleasure, not any competition stuff. All I ask is that I have a nice peaceful pleasant time when I'm out riding, it's meant to be fun, if giving my horse clear vocal instructions helps achieve that, then I'm all for it!

What makes me chuckle is that horse is so well mannered for me (I think because I talk to him) compared to my daughters when they ride him. If he starts, I just say "manners!" and he "remembers" to do it properly. It is all, however, a constant battle of wits with him, he likes to try and make me laugh too when not putting in an odd spook just to make sure I'm still paying attention...

 

[darkhorse123]

Well my horse is very well trained in voice commands simply because I like to lunge without a lunge rein, side reins and a whip - I believe it's good for them to atleast know the basics. Mine understands walk, trot, canter, woah (to transition down), clicks (to transition up), go go go (to lenghten/extend the stride in current gate), shh shh (to collect/shorten stride in current gate) and whistling means that he should stop and come into the middle (not to be confused with walking). It's lovely to have those commands in place because it gives us (more me than him probably) a solid form of communication if all else fails.

However, at shows it's not seen as good to use voice commands (especially in dressage where you WILL get marked down for them) - so if you do school them, make sure that you don't grow dependent on them and that they don't become a habit

I love my voice commands though and I'll often use them when we're hacking out - partially because I like to give ponio a good challenge and partially because if I'm hacking out I'm probably to lazy to give a proper aid

Here's a few photos of my little palomino monster free lunging :

Sorry this trot one is a bit blurry - I had a raindrop on my lense , but I'm assuming you'll get an idea from the palomino blur on how he works in the trot aswell

As you can see how works well on voice commands and even knows to drop his poll (from the multiple "good boooooy"s that he gets when he does it)

Stunning horse and excellent pics - ty, my cob is very voice responsive but i wondered if i relied on it too much - ty x

 

[Snowysadude]

I think they are good, I lunged my horse from my chair at the edge of the arena today as I am too ill to do it myself he listened perfectly and completley ignored my friend in the middle, much to her amusement. Also helpful for long reining and then can be used when ridden - although my instructor does say not to as you cant make noises in dressage.

 

[QueenOfCadence]

Stunning horse and excellent pics - ty, my cob is very voice responsive but i wondered if i relied on it too much - ty x

^^ Thank you darkhorse! Love him to little bits and pieces. He's a cob x tb and very stubborn - but wonderful once het gets over the fact that he has to work

 

[PennyJ]

I think they are good, I lunged my horse from my chair at the edge of the arena today as I am too ill to do it myself he listened perfectly and completley ignored my friend in the middle, much to her amusement. Also helpful for long reining and then can be used when ridden - although my instructor does say not to as you cant make noises in dressage.

I think your boy must love his mummy very much.

 

[darkhorse123]

I think they are good, I lunged my horse from my chair at the edge of the arena today as I am too ill to do it myself he listened perfectly and completley ignored my friend in the middle, much to her amusement. Also helpful for long reining and then can be used when ridden - although my instructor does say not to as you cant make noises in dressage.

wow that is amazing! I thought it was only me - because i couldnt ride when i first got my horse (long story - horse bought for daughter who rode, she got fed up so id to learn quick)
I did lots of groundwork inbetween riding lessons and not being naturally horsey i spoke to him a lot

Hence he knows words - click to change pace, back up - trot - stand etc.
Im glad its not just me!

 

[darkhorse123]

^^ Thank you darkhorse! Love him to little bits and pieces. He's a cob x tb and very stubborn - but wonderful once het gets over the fact that he has to work

Snap - my boy is a cob x tb too!

 

[indie999]

Took me a year to find out my previously driven horse knew the word Whooooa...but not very useful when you were cantering along and he is strong in the mouth/sides like steel etc. So say the word Whoooa and was happy to comply and become happy plod immediately!

I remember Harvey Smith saying its not what you say its the tone you say it in!(He was swearing a lot when he said something really beautiful and nice but in a nasty tone..just to emphasise his point)!! Always remembered this.

Mine on the ground knows NO

Mind you sometimes the dog and horse get a bit muddled up!(or I do).

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Vocal commands are very very useful, particularly when backing childrens ponies.
Many was the time I could 'interrupt' my daughter on a small pony that was getting out of shape when just getting going by using voice commands to bring pony back under control. She was a very neat tiny rider, but still needed help when bridging the gap from taking them from lunge to free riding the 1st few times.

Works a treat with my big Fuzzy if we get in a pickle as will come back to trot/walk/halt on voice only (and then scratch head as to why we did that instead of canter sideways )

 

[mulledwhine]

Maybe I am a bit hippy , but I think you have afew aides, seat, legs arms and voice!!! It annoys me when I see a horses ears trying to get a bit of feed back and all they get is a kick on the ribs !!! Voice voice voice I'd also helpful :£

 

[darkhorse123]

Maybe I am a bit hippy , but I think you have afew aides, seat, legs arms and voice!!! It annoys me when I see a horses ears trying to get a bit of feed back and all they get is a kick on the ribs !!! Voice voice voice I'd also helpful :£

see i agree - though plenty dont - i know when out hacking if he ignores my ridden commands he will always respond to a spoken "stand" or "trot" - very handy and safe to know when you have to cross a main city ring road daily

 

[Easy Rider]

Horses clearly respond to the voice so you are not using all the tools at your disposal if you don't use it.

However - like all the aids - the better your horse's training gets, the less you should need to use it. If you constantly chivy a horse with your legs, sooner or later, he will learn to ignore your legs. Similarly, if a rider talks or clicks constantly, he will begin to tune it out.

So I'd say if you use it, make it count, and if you can get a response without having to use it, so much the better.

 

[Mrs B]

Mine thoroughly understood what I said this morning as he decided the far corner of the arena had a monster in it (he is a lovely dope on a rope, unless he thinks work is on the agenda on a day he doesn't feel like it) and dropping his shoulder, executed a lightening speed handbrake turn from F to A in one leap which wrenched all the muscles in my back...

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I have a friend who can turn a dozen horses out of her yard, to a field gate 500 yds down the lane by voice command only. If any go too fast she calls 'steady' and if they stop to graze on the verge she tells them to 'get on'. The only thing she hasn't taught them is 'shut the gate'!. Someone has to follow them down to do that.
My Westphalian, who was imported from Holland, responds very well to voice commands. She comes in each night, through the field gate, across the yard and into her own box, on the command 'in'. If she does think about straying another 'in' gets her going the right way. She, too, lunges to voice commands and, out hacking, if my sister (hacking companion) says 'and walk' to signify a change of pace, my horse immediately drops to a walk without waiting for the aids.

 

[starryeyed]

I constantly talk to mine! I think it's important to use vocal commands, but if you're going to be dressage-ing then bear in mind that it's very frowned upon so obviously it's important not to rely on them completely!

My boy is really good with voice commands, on the ground and when ridden - he always impresses me! Sure he can understand every word I say. Saying this, he can be ridden silently and still understand what I'd like him to do, he does however wait for some praise after he's done a move 'correctly' to reassure him that he's done it right, and used to get very worried & upset when i didn't - so i tend to slyly whisper "good!" if we're supposed to be quiet haha
He also voice-lunges - I use 'walk', 'trot', 'canter', 'stand' and he even does 'swap' to change sides. He knows that 'quicker' means to lengthen his stride/move, and that 'steady' means to slow up. To get him into the centre or to move him closer he comes to "come here". He's very well mannered in the stable too, knows 'back', 'wait', 'over', 'up' (for his feet) and 'forward' - for when i need to stretch his legs, he will lift them forward rather than up.
And his most impressive is that he knows his lefts and rights!

I'm sure my loan horse hasn't really been talked to before, she only responds to clicks (i found out accidentally) and has no idea what certain commands mean when spoken. I've been practising groundwork with her as she's very bargy and since she's learnt what the words actually mean she's becoming a lot better.

 

[Cocorules]

Snap - my boy is a cob x tb too!

I have a cob x tb - this gives me hope!

 

[Orangehorse]

Driving horses have to respond to the voice.

Mine got away from me one winter evening and were heading at speed towards a concrete yard and barns full of cattle. Thinks - will cause the cattle to stampede. So I shrieked "Woa" at them at the top of my voice and they stopped. Thank goodness they did respond to the voice.

 

[Snowysadude]

wow that is amazing! I thought it was only me - because i couldnt ride when i first got my horse (long story - horse bought for daughter who rode, she got fed up so id to learn quick)
I did lots of groundwork inbetween riding lessons and not being naturally horsey i spoke to him a lot

Hence he knows words - click to change pace, back up - trot - stand etc.
Im glad its not just me!

Haha I will get a video of it tomorrow if shes not riding him . I am horsey but still talk to him like hes a child (a spoilt one at that!). Hes quite bright though he does silly tricks (not videoing after the last post) like paw (hoof), nodding when you tell him to only and bowing as he had a lot of time off with no riding and I got bored! Bless him

 

[liz4949]

Yes great to form a bond with your horse, I natter away to mine all the time! He also understands loads of words and it just makes life so easy that I don't know how people manage who don't train their horses to voice commands. We do dressage so have to be careful not to be overheard but have taught him that me quietly sighing means steady so works great!

 

[hackneylass2]

I don't know how people can cope without voice commands! I definitely think it creates a bond, also...as Orangehorse said, it can work when other aides fail Voice backed up with physical aides makes sure in most cases that your horse will understand both and either...must be a good thing I find it natural to talk to horses, they will understand many more voice commands than you think if you are clear and stick to the same command words. Liz, my horse would collect at a slow exhalation and extend with a sharp intake of breath (most times!) so tone and legarto/staccato work too....just the sound, no words needed.

 

[traceyann]

I hardly give my horses any leg aids its all by voice im far to lazy for all that leg moving. And i had three of my horses so long they know what im thinking before i do as i do them. Most the time.