| You will be using both verbal and physical cues, when | | | | teach him 'to be ashamed', which is where he will put |
| you are teaching your horse tricks. A cue is just a | | | | his head under my arm. The cues I decided to use for |
| signal you use to let your horse know that you want | | | | this were to wave my finger in front of him, while |
| them to do something. Each cue needs to be clear | | | | saying "Shame on you". Trigger saw a finger in front |
| and distinct from other cues otherwise your horse can | | | | of his face and got a bit confused and started to say |
| become confused. | | | | Yes. |
| A verbal cue is saying something like "back" or "touch". | | | | I needed to make the 'ashamed' cue a lot more distinct |
| A physical cue is something the horse can see or feel. | | | | when I first started teaching it to him. I decided to put |
| For example you may point at your horse's | | | | my left hand on my hip, as if I was mad with him and |
| hindquarters and this is the cue for him to move his | | | | really waggle my finger and whole arm back and forth |
| hindquarters away. Or you might touch him on his | | | | in front of his face. By making my cue very obvious he |
| shoulder and this is a cue for your horse to bow. | | | | then understood the difference. As he became better |
| Humans use cues all the time. For example if I say hi | | | | at the trick I could make the cues more and more |
| and extend my hand toward you, then you know I | | | | subtle and now I only need to put my hand on my hip |
| want to shake your hand and you will (usually) extend | | | | and gently waggle my finger back and forth. |
| your hand and shake mine. That is a cue. I don't have | | | | You can even make up your own verbal cues |
| to say "shake my hand". You recognise the cue (me | | | | Also put some thought into the verbal cues you will be |
| extending my hand toward you) and you know what I | | | | using. Some words can sound very similar to a horse. |
| am asking. | | | | For example "Walk" and "Whoa". Saying the cue in a |
| Physical cues work better than verbal cues | | | | different tone or speed can differentiate it from |
| Physical cues tend to work better than verbal cues or | | | | another cue. Such as "WALK!" and "whhhooooaaaa". It |
| commands when you are teaching your horse tricks. In | | | | also isn't necessary to use a real word as a cue. You |
| the horse world there are no words. Horses are used | | | | can even make up cue words (as long as you |
| to interpreting minor changes in the body language of | | | | remember the word) to keep the verbal cues distinct. |
| other horses in the herd. A cue can be very subtle | | | | Where will you be when your horse performs the |
| once a horse learns to recognise it. | | | | trick? |
| Cues need to be very distinct if you want to teach | | | | Think also about where you will be when you want |
| your horse lots of tricks | | | | your horse to perform his trick. If you want to teach |
| If you only want to teach your horse a few tricks then | | | | your horse to bow with you in the saddle, there is no |
| you might only need to use a few physical and verbal | | | | point in teaching him using a cue that requires you to |
| cues. However if you want to teach your horse lots of | | | | be on the ground. Unless you are very flexible! |
| different tricks then you really need to think about | | | | Once your horse has learnt a trick really well your |
| which cues you are going to use. Even though horses | | | | cues can become very subtle, but in the beginning |
| are very good at distinguishing between subtle body | | | | make them very distinct from each other. Spend a bit |
| movements, in the beginning if your cues are too | | | | of time planning how you are going to teach each |
| similar it will confuse your horse. | | | | horse trick and also which cues you will use. This will |
| For example when I first taught Trigger to say Yes, I | | | | make it easier and quicker to teach your horse each |
| would point at the front of his head. Then I decided to | | | | new trick and prevent them from becoming confused. |