Pony Learns Bow/Front Crunch - Clicker Training

Today Wallie offered a "deep bow", also called a "front crunch", or in yoga, "downward dog". In the front crunch, the horse steps his front legs forward until he is stretched out, and lowers his shoulders towards the ground. The hind legs continue to stand straight under the body, supporting his hind end. With his front legs stretched forward almost parallel to the ground, he then drops his nose between his forelegs and rounds his neck, stretching through his back. Wallie's neck popped a few times doing this and he got some great physical releases. He licked and chewed, yawned, and even laid down and rolled twice.

Practicing the front crunch helps the horse become more elastic with his front end. When he has a greater capacity to reach, it will help give him more suspension with the forelegs, resulting in a fancy Spanish Walk, extended trot, and passage.

Sometimes Wallie does a sort of back crunch, too. That's where the pelvis drops towards the ground with the hindlegs stretched out behind the body. In the back crunch, the front legs should be standing straight under the shoulder, which we didn't get to yet. Back crunches help open up the joints in the HQs and loosen up those muscles. It really helps the horse's collection and makes it easier for the horse to do high level dressage movements like piaffe.

artofnaturaldressage.com

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• front+crunch
• bow
• deep+bow
• clicker+training
• horse+training
• AND
• art+of+natural+dressage
• pony+pros
• ponypros
• wallie
• zoey
• welsh+pony
• pony
• training
• horse+tricks
• trick+training
• how+to

[Marenlene]

that is so cute! Never seen such a small pony doing clicker training befre :-)

[welcometopemberley]

Small ponies love clicker! It's a great motivational tool for helping them not developing so many typical naughty pony habits.

[Lucy04574]

This is FANTASTIC work!

Go Wally and his competent teachers!!!

[welcometopemberley]

Thanks! He and Zoey are so cute together.

[evergano]

That is absolutely adorable. Can I come visit next time I am in Bend?!

[welcometopemberley]

Absolutely. Just email me to let me know when you're coming.

[realcentre123]

This is lovely!

[MegF142857]

Wallie is a very smart pony. That's quite impressive how fast he picks up new things. 

[Puffinfire]

Lovely, this is how all children should learn to be with ponies and horses!

[hannahbananaroxsox]

My first pony used to do that sometimes! He was taught to 'beg' by raising a front leg long before we got him. You could point at a front leg, say "Flint, beg" and he would do so. Occasionally he would place both front feet in front of him and put his head between his knees, but only if he felt like it :P

[Omar7270]

Wow this channel is so cool. I just started learning how to ride and i'm hoping of becoming a horse trainer when i'm older. These videos are so cool, you are very good at what you do.