what nifty "trick" does your horse do?

[my bfg]

When my mare was on box rest a few years ago she learnt to poo in a trug, if the trug fell over she would reverse up and poo over the low "window" of her converted field shelter.
Even when she was only stabled at night she still used the trug or very near it
She now has a stable with a mini (about the size of 4 stables) t/o area and she does her business outside - which makes for very easy mucking out as just need to tidy the bed where she's had a nap and poo pick the t/o bit - love my girl!

What nifty things does your horse do?

 

[spookypony]

That is nifty indeed!

My pony is clicker-trained. He knows "left" and "right" when asked to touch a target. We are now working on "red" and "green".

 

[Princess16]

That is nifty indeed!

My pony is clicker-trained. He knows "left" and "right" when asked to touch a target. We are now working on "red" and "green".

I CT mine he knows a lot of the commands but how did you differentiate between red and green? Am intrigued !

 

[Sleipnir]

Mine has learned by himself how to open any latch, turn on the radio, turn on/off the lights, open doors by the handle, untie himself or any other horse, steal a whip and chase people around, whacking them on the head if possible (or horses in the field, using a branch), position the feed bucket on his hoof so that it's on an incline and it's easier not to miss a morsel, among many other wonderful things. He's a master of niftyness.

As for things I've taught him - he knows how to tell between red, blue, green and yellow, and also the letters A and B. Not very practical, but it's a lot of fun for us.

 

[BBP]

Nothing as clever as pooing in buckets! Most recent taught trick is when he's loose I run and jump on a block or wall or fence, call him over and he'll come running or strolling over and line up next to me so I can vault on bareback/bridleless. Quite handy! I dot blocks around and run from one to another, call him, vault on, treat, leap off the other side, run to the next block and go again. It's good fun and he learned it in 2 days.

He also does Spanish walk, sits, chases sticks, plays football (can dribble either with nose or just front legs), backs up and goes sideways on voice from anywhere and rides bridleless and saddle less when he's in a good mood. Oh, and spins on the spot. He's a really fun horse to train!

 

[Orca]

Steals my coffee mug and tips it using her mouth to drink from it. I've changed to cardboard mugs

 

[Princess16]

Nothing as clever as pooing in buckets! Most recent taught trick is when he's loose I run and jump on a block or wall or fence, call him over and he'll come running or strolling over and line up next to me so I can vault on bareback/bridleless. Quite handy! I dot blocks around and run from one to another, call him, vault on, treat, leap off the other side, run to the next block and go again. It's good fun and he learned it in 2 days.

He also does Spanish walk, sits, chases sticks, plays football (can dribble either with nose or just front legs), backs up and goes sideways on voice from anywhere and rides bridleless and saddle less when he's in a good mood. Oh

, and spins on the spot. He's a really fun horse to train!

Wow I'm impressed ! We need to see a video ! Have you done all this by CT?

 

[JFTDWS]

Mine kneels down for me to mount bareback.

 

[Spotsrock]

Mine unties herself and goes on a food hunt. She's taught my gelding to do it too as she gets lonely.
Elderly mare used to be able to undo gates and stable doors including kick bolts.
Nothing constructive tho.

Oh! My mare used to look for gates or tree stumps/large rocks out hacking and just head over to them when I was pregnant so I could get off for a wee and she'd line herself up alongside it so I could get back on!

 

[Enfys]

Not really nifty tricks, pretty normal actually, but really, REALLY useful - I can drop her rope, or reins, or just get off her and she will stand, and when riding, the moment we stop she switches off, totally, just stands there until reins are picked up again.

She also morphs from a rather ordinary looking pony

into a fire breathing dragon (according to many other horses) when ridden

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10pfX6SkXCs

 

[BBP]

Mine kneels down for me to mount bareback.

That's a handy one. After mine hurt his sacroiliac I decided that might be asking a bit much of him, especially as I'm at the heavier end of what I'd expect his little stick legs to carry.

 

[Holzdweaver]

Im quite jealous of all your horses abilities xD

Mine has learnt to take his head collar off when hes tied up and bored by running the leadrope down his neck and over his ears. Doesnt go anywhere, i think he just does it to prove a point.

Hes learnt that standing on the hosepipe stops the water and annoys me by standing on it, and when i straighten up to shift him off it, he takes his foot off then when i bend down again he treads on it again.

Hes also learnt that he will not ever get away with biting me and doesnt even try but will take a chunk out of my partner when im girthing up or adjusting rugs. We used to have issues with this but now hes comfortable he no longer objects with me and even if i tell him off, he still does it to my partner. So now i have to tell the OH to stand away from him unless he wants to get bitten.

He has been allowed security detail of the herd and takes his role very seriously and has learnt all manner of tricks to keep away those he deems as unsuitable companions for his friends. who on earth puts a TB in charge of such things!?!

He has taught the yard owner to bring him in early in bad weather by staring through her windows and creeping her out by making her feel like she is being watched. He has taught himself that if she closes the curtains on him, he can if he stretches just about see in the side window to keep up his stalker staring and at this point she will cave and go get him in.

He has learnt how to take off and lose flymasks so well that i never find them. ever.

wish he would learn something constructive!!

 

[BBP]

Wow I'm impressed ! We need to see a video ! Have you done all this by CT?

I've been having a look and I only have videos of when he was first learning stuff a while ago. They aren't very exciting but if you are bored...
Learning to line up at block.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?list=UUu4QGVwA-IyPvNHiNvf_T-g&params=OAFIAVgM&v=QVBt59x_zGY&mode=NORMAL

Learning to spin and rein back (ignore the frantic Spanish walk, it's what he does when he's desperately trying to figure out what the game is!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?list=UUu4QGVwA-IyPvNHiNvf_T-g&params=OAFIAVgL&v=_1ic53EiQQQ&mode=NORMAL

Some bridleless jumping. I'm not the best rider so don't often jump without a saddle.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?list=UUu4QGVwA-IyPvNHiNvf_T-g&params=OAFIAVgT&v=9JOpaU58PuU&mode=NORMAL

I'm afraid I chatted like a demented monkey. Instead of clicking I always did really excited 'ja' or 'good boy' and he always knows he's done well. I do have a clicker now in an effort to shut myself up!

 

[Kezzabell2]

We've been doing carrot stretches as instructed by the physio, now every time I stand by his bum, facing forward, he turns /bends around looking for munchies, but doesn't get snatchy when I don't have anything

 

[only_me]

Mine does this! Constantly and over and over, playing fetch with himself. It's like having a massive dog
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RBF8H1zFBVo

And he keeps challenging himself - this is him trying to spin the rope while rearing
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SLo-VIV_k7k

He is also a very friendly horse, adores his donkeys and is besties with the 2 alpacas. One even spat at his face today and he just stood there quite happy
Self loading is also very handy!

 

[FlyingCircus]

Gives kisses.

Endless kisses.

Regret teaching that trick!

 

[millikins]

I have a very small, very bright pony who has learned what attracts attention. She can open any latch fastening, she'll let herself out of the gate but if she doesn't get the desired response of nooooo Trixie and being chased, she turns round and comes back in. She deliberately flicks the kick bolt over if I'm in a stable with one of the others (very annoying one), will stand with both front feet in a bucket of water if she has an audience. When on box rest she had a chain across the door as she hates being shut in and would stand with a front leg hanging over the chain causing a great commotion from humans trying to un tangle her until I hid and realised she was doing it on purpose and was quite able to take it back if she was ignored. She's fun

 

[Spot_the_Risk]

Harley will shuffle closer to the mounting block or whatever I'm balancing on if I say 'one more step Harl', he's helpful at times.

 

[Shooting Star]

We're in the process of turning the annoying attention seeking habit of removing all of the rugs from the rail in the stable and changing it into a game of select your own rug.

After his lordship ended up with multiple rugs on due to being a pain in the ar$€ he's now realising that it's his choice and pays to chose what to pull down (or not!) - preference at the moment seems to be a thermatex in the stable and 50g for turnout

 

[Dubsie]

Our pony will only poo in one line, along the fence, so for the next poo he stands adjacent to the last so it plops in place with no gap between. Makes poo picking very quick and easy. He also taught our other pony to do the same.

 

[LHIS]

He can untie himself (and make it look like he had nothing to do with it), he can get under the chain across his stable door (quite impressive) and knows his left from his right. Only the latter is useful. 😉

 

[twiggy2]

mine managed to gauge the direction of the wind today to carry a well timed fart straight into my friends face whilst we were talking at the end of my saddle fitting

 

[twiggy2]

Our pony will only poo in one line, along the fence, so for the next poo he stands adjacent to the last so it plops in place with no gap between. Makes poo picking very quick and easy. He also taught our other pony to do the same.

we have one at work that poos in a half moon shape

 

[Whoopit]

The nifty trick mine does is to behave himself at all times! 😄

 

[Gloi]

He's learnt to pull out the electric fence posts with his teeth, by grabbing hold of the part where you push them in the ground with your foot. I don't think it's nifty but the other ponies do.

 

[Snowfilly]

My old boy could find his way home from anywhere. We did a lot of hacking, anything up to 40 miles or so and I have no sense of direction.

I taught him 'find home' as a voice command, along with slack reins, and started with doing it in the field, encouraging him to turn and head up to the stables. Then graduated to asking him on rides near the turning for home, and praising when he moved in that direction.

Eventually, he was able to stand, think and bring us home from anywhere. Came in very useful the time I got lost in a wooded valley about 20 miles from home and couldn't find a way out, and saved the day when I got some sickness bug while miles from anyway and had to let him find the way home while I was too sick to do anything except lean over his shoulder every ten minutes.

He could also untie himself, open doors, and be turned loose to graze at lunch stops, then come trotting over to be saddled up if you called.

 

[Gloi]

Mine knows his way home from anywhere too and he always knows the shortest route. I've tested him sometimes when I've not been sure which is the shortest way and let him pick and when I've measured on the map later he's never been wrong. I've never particularly encouraged it but if I ever give him a choice of route he always heads for home.

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

When tied up outside his stable Jake is long enough that you cant get behind or in front of him, he has now learnt that when I, or others say 'excuuuuse me Jake' that means he needs to move. And he duly shuffles his bottom out of your way to get the wheelbarrow past and will then shuffle his way back.

He also looks to find me whenever I say 'Jakey Poos' in a ridiculous high pitched voice, I was hoping it would help me to bring him in without trudging up the field, but it hasn't, and now he just expects a mint.

 

[Shadrid]

My girl does a "head hug". Stand in front of her, open my arms and say "head hug" and she puts her down and against me and lets me hug her head. Nothing compared to some horses but this from a mare who's never really been touchy feely with humans or horses and used to barge through anything (cob - goes through not round!) and everyone (me - two black eyes, rope burn etc).

She's clicker trained now and has become so much softer and responsive to everyone who handles her. Love her!

 

[only_me]

There are definitely pros to having a well behaved horse - left horse tied up in his yard today while I went to do something. Both gates in the yard wide open - 1 that goes directly into field, and the other into the rest of the main yard. One storage door in yard open & has an open bag of feed sitting at front.
I came back to find him still standing in same place but he had broken the string! But still standing there
A very good boy