3 Simple Tricks to Teach Your Horse

Updated on March 30, 2023

Horse Tricks

Teaching your horse to do simple tricks can be fun, especially when they perform the tricks on cue. Here you will learn a few “tricks” you can easily teach your horse: The “lift your hoof”, “bow”, and the “hug”. These aren’t difficult or stunning tricks to teach like rearing up, but they are good stretching exercises that aid in creating a trusting bond between you and your horse.

1. Lift Your Foot

This is a trick that can cut your grooming time down and eliminate the occasional disregard your horse presents when you are trying to lift its foot to clean it. Your farrier will appreciate this one, too!

Here are the steps you need to follow:

1. Set aside about 20 minutes for two or three days for this trick.
2. Starting on the horse’s front left foot, gently pinch the tendon on the back of the leg until your horse lifts its foot up. Hold the foot for 20 to 30 seconds, then lower it to the ground. Do not drop your horse’s foot.
3. Move to the left rear foot and do the same thing.
4. Then the right rear and right front.
5. Step back for a few minutes, and starting at step two, do it again, all four hooves.
6. Again, step back for a few minutes and start at step two and do it again.
7. Keep doing this until you get to ten times around. By the tenth time, your horse will get the idea of what you’re going to do, and he/she will either shift his/her weight when you move from hoof to hoof or tilt it up for you.
8. Call it a day after ten times, or the routine gets mundane to you and your horse. You don’t want to lose his/her interest because then they are not paying attention and will not learn.
9. The next day, starting at the front left, do your round of hooves ten times. At the end of day two, your horse will be presenting, if not lifting, his/her hoof for you when you move around to each hoof.
10. By day three, when you move to the first hoof, front left, your horse will lift it in anticipation of the routine! If not, then continue the routine for four or even five days if that is what it takes for your horse to pick up the routine. The routine becomes imprinted and will continue whenever anyone wants to lift their hoof!

How to Train a Resistant Horse to Lift Its Hooves

Some horses are resistant to having their hooves picked up. There are a few tricks you can use to get him/her past this.

• If, when you pinch the tendon on the back of the leg, the horse merely stands there like he/she doesn’t care, lean into him/her at the same time as pinching the tendon. This will push the horse off-center and encourage him/her to lift their hoof.
• If you have a horse that will lift his/her foot, then try to put it right back down, and try holding the front edge of the hoof when you’ve lifted it (where your toes would be if it was a human foot). Holding the front edge instead of, let’s say, the ankle gives you leverage on the hoof, which isn’t hard on you to hold, but will make it more uncomfortable for the horse to try and put the hoof back down.

Beware: If you’re working with a horse that insists he/she is going to put his/her hoof back down, and the toe hold doesn’t change his/her mind about it, don’t try to force the issue; let go! You will only hurt yourself if you try and force the horse to keep it lifted. The horse will win.

When you’re teaching a horse to lift his foot, notice the words, “Teaching him/her to lift his/her foot.” NOT, “You lifting his/her foot.” If the horse is putting his/her foot right back down, just do it again. Repeat the steps, pinch, lean into him/her, lift, hold the toe, and let him put it down if he insists every time. Then, do it again. He/she will get tired of the game and let you hold it up longer and longer until finally he/she holds it up until YOU decide to set it back down. Setting it down is important. Dropping the hoof unexpectedly and the resulting hoof hitting the ground will not endear you to the horse lifting his hoof for you, right? He/she will be of the mindset, “If I lift my hoof, it will be dropped, and that doesn’t feel so good, so forget that.” If you become frustrated because he/she keeps putting his/her hoof back down and you walk away, he/she won, and they’ll do it again.

2. Take a Bow

The “bow” is so easy you won’t believe it, and it looks so cute when they perform it. It’s also a very good stretching exercise for your horse! Set aside about 20 minutes to teach this trick. It’s progressive, meaning: the training moves further along each time (see video above).

1. Have several pieces of your horse’s favorite treat in the hand furthest away from the horse’s head.
2. Say the command, “bow,” while presenting the treat near the shoulder. When your horse reaches for it, allow him/her to take it from your hand gently; no twisting their head and snapping it from you allowed.
3. Hold the next piece just a bit further down, nearer to their foot, and give the command, “bow” along your horse to have the treat when they reach their head down to get it.
4. Continue lowering the treat until your horse reaches down to their heel to retrieve it. Always use the command “bow.”

Once you can get your horse to reach to their heel for the treat, call it a day and work on it again tomorrow.

1. This time start at the heel. Hold the treat at your horse’s heel and say the command, “bow.” If your training the previous day went well, then your horse will immediately lower its head to retrieve the treat from its heel. If not, then raise the treat up a little and work your way down to the heel.
2. Once you have your horse taking the treat from its heel readily, move the treat back further so your horse must bend its knee to reach the treat. If your horse tries to back up to reach the treat, position him/her with a wall or fence behind him/her so backing up is not an option.
3. As your horse becomes better at reaching for the treat behind its heel, move the treat further and further back until you get the deep bow you are looking for.

Always have a word of praise ready for when your horse does well. Any time your horse doesn’t readily reach for the treat, move it forward to where he/she will readily reach for it and work your way back again.

The “bow” is a sign of trust between you and your horse. It’s a vulnerable position for your horse to assume, so be sure you make it a safe environment for him/her to perform it for you. Other horses in the area or a dog nipping its nose will only cause your horse a great deal of stress, a total lack of concentration and a lack of trust in you to protect him/her.

3. The “Hug”

Everybody likes a hug from their horse, and this trick couldn’t be easier than giving a hug! When your horse performs this trick, you’ll really feel like they are enjoying hugging you as much as you’re enjoying the hug.

1. Stand on the right side of your horse facing outward.
2. Holding your horse’s favorite treat in your right hand, present the treat to your horse, and as your horse reaches for the treat slowly draw your hand back away until your horse has brought its face around your body in a hug!

Here’s a BIG Hug!

© 2012 Joanna