Horse trick training can be a fun way to showcase your horse’s personality and your love for each other. Many tricks are very easily trained to a well-behaved horse, provided you as the trainer use patience and consistency. The most often used method of successful trick training is conditioning and positive reinforcement.

To begin horse trick training, you need to decide what specific behavior you are trying to achieve. Make sure you know exactly what it is you want your horse to do. Once you begin reinforcing her behavior, changing your mind about the specifics of the trick can be confusing for the horse. Be sure the trick you are trying to teach is not too complex. Start with something easy that can be mastered before moving on to move difficult trick training. Keep your training sessions short and enjoyable. Be sure to reward good behavior with praise and treats, but do not reward your horse for bad behavior or failing to perform.

A good example of simple horse trick training is to teach your horse to “smile.” The easiest way to do this is to introduce a strange smell, which will likely make the horse curl his upper lip. With your horse in a halter with a lead rope, stand directly in front of him. Hold something strong smelling, such as a cut onion or a small amount of ammonia under his nose and use whatever command word you choose. You may wish to say, “Smile!” or “Say cheese!” or whatever works for you. Once you have decided on a command word or phrase, use it consistently. Be sure to say the exact words and use the same inflection each time. Using varied commands, or even changing your tone, can confuse the horse and slow the training process. While most horses will respond to a strong smell by curling their upper lip, your horse may not. If this is the case, try lightly tickling him on the upper lip while repeating the command phrase. Be sure to praise and reward him when he curls his lip. The behavior may be subtle at first, but your horse will soon learn there is something good in it for him if he “smiles” – namely, praise and a treat. Once your horse has mastered the trick with the strong odor, begin moving the source of the odor away until you are able to remove it entirely. You have now conditioned him to curl his lip on your command and he has successfully learned a trick.

Horse trick training should be done in very brief sessions, on a frequent and consistent basis. Once an easy trick like smiling has been mastered, you can move on to other types of horse trick training. The key is to keep the training fun and keep the rewards consistent. Always praise and reward good behavior; never offer rewards or praise for poor behavior. Horse trick training is a fun way for you and your horse to show off your bond and amuse you friends and family.