Voice commands?

debsey1

debsey1

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Does anyone else find they can get by on just voice commands? I use my voice a lot when in the school and when out hacking. I also use leg aids as well but I am finding lately that my voice seems to have more of a impact on him. Maybe he is more sensitive to my voice, I never shout, I quietly say " walk-on", "and trot", "and canter", "stand" etc. Others I know on the yard hardly speak to their horses at all! Maybe I should just shut up! :)
 
I used voice commands a LOT with my arab. He picked up on them really well when he was being broken in, and so I carried on using them when we were riding as well. I was gradually reducing the amount I used them though so that he was actually responding to my leg aids, rather than just off the voice. I guess it depends on what you want to end up doing with your horse - I was aiming Roo to do some dressage, so I did need him to go from my legs & seat rather than my voice eventually, as judges don't like it when you are chattering all the way through your dr test!! :)

I do just chat to my horses a lot when I am riding though :)
 
oh yeah definitely !! transitions are much smoother, he listens more etc etc

my old horse used to get carried away galloping on hacks, he was a big lad and really didn't feel me I could pull for England and no response, but if I whisper 'oy trot' the reply was instant :D
 
My horse used to work in a RS and if we are out on a hack with sis in the lead, when she calls back 'walk' to let me know that she is about to change pace, my horse immediately walks. I have to give the aids again to keep her going a bit further, so that we can catch up.
I have a friend who can control a group of about 10 horses taking themselves from the yard, down the lane about 300 yds to their grazing. If they get too fast she calls 'steady, walk' and if they stop too long to snack she tells them to 'walk on'. Then one person can shut the gate behind them. It saves a lot of human trips up and down the lane.
 
I've always found horses go better for me if I talk to them. I find if I get on something that's been ridden by a show person, or a child (someone that may not necessarily have learned to talk to them for whatever reason), then they really seem to appreciate a chatter.
 
I got an instructor to sort my boy out after his summer break [long story] and on tte second lesson he was trying it on a bit, she came up to me and whispered, you need to use four letter words with this boy, lol, yes I know!!!! he has quite an extensive vocabulary!
 
i always talk to mine and she is much happyer if i ask her to walk on rather then kick or pull on her mouth.

the only thing i found was that when i have a reader that if im not careful she listens to him and i get canter to early and so on, but i wouldnt change our system for the world
 
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