Trick Training?

[MajorClementine]

Who has trained their minis to do tricks? I don't have much time to drive while being mom to a new baby so I would like to find new things to do with my minis here at home.

Any good training resources or ideas of other fun things to do with my minis would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[candycar]

I have 2 books on trick training. Trickonometry and Trick Training Horses. I think I like Trickonometry best. Mine do a lot of tricks, mostly taught before I got the books! I have never gotten one to lay down for me yet. It's hard with a mini 'cause they are so close to the ground! Smile, shake, count/show foot and turn around are the easiest to teach. If your mini is very mouthy there are lots of things for it to do.
I recently taught one of mine to "dance" with me when I sing "Fly Me To the Moon" She already knew all the tricks, we just had to put them together in a show.

My super star Jelly Bean

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Shaking hands is easiest. Standing on a pedestal is pretty easy. Learning to bow is a little harder. It amazes me how astonished people are when a horse will shake hands!
I should do more tricks with mine; they are so pleased with themselves when they do a trick. I see it especially on the pedestal--look at me! I'm so tall and smart!
I took a young horse to a sale one time as he was not working out in harness. He was a flashy pinto. We walked around before the sale, meeting people and shaking hands. I overheard a woman talking on her phone, probably to her husband, trying to persuade him to let her buy the horse. She said "he can shake hands!" She was not the buyer, but it was a fun eavesdropping.

 

[MerMaeve]

I really want to trick train too!

 

[Cayuse]

Try looking into horse agility, I do some of this with mine and they like it.

 

[Tony Greaves]

If anyone is interested in trick training, check out Trick Horse Training

They have a wonderful book and several DVDs and trained a mini for us a couple of years ago. They are friends of ours, Allen Pogue and Sue DeLaurentis. They are now in New Mexico, but used to be in our area. I highly recommend them.

This is one of our 26" stallions, Little America's StruttinAnniversary.

 

[MajorClementine]

Thank you! Off to check it out.

 

[Just1littlehorse]

Check Sam Vanfleet on Youtube, she trains mustangs but she has some great how-tos