Peanut Learning "Lay Down" on the Trail with Clicker Training

We took the ponies to a special place on the trail where horses usually like to lay down. Maddie blended in a cue with Peanut laying down. We repeated it successfully 3 times! Peanut wore a cordeo for most of the day, but we had the halter with us in case he got nervous on the trail. We clipped the lead to his halter when he was laying down so he couldn't get a foot in the cordeo.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• pony
• lay+down
• lie+down
• welsh
• sec+b
• section+b
• ponypro
• pony+pro
• ponypros
• maddie
• peanut
• bonfyre
• clicker+training

[EducationWithEquines]

Great video!! And awesome way to teach them to lay down!! I've wanted to teach my horse to lay down for a long while but every other method I've read/seen has involved some sort of force. He's a incredibly sensitive horse that does not forgive easily when forced to do ANYTHING he's not comfortable with. Thanks again for the tips! I know the EXACT place to teach him to lay down! Yay! :)

[welcometopemberley]

Yeah, I hear ya about the other methods! This one takes some patience, for sure, but both Maddie's pony and her sister, Zoey's, pony, lay down just about on cue now. Wally laid down 6 times on cue in the last lesson. We're pretty excited!

[smoothsailin14]

wow thats amazingg!

how do you teach them to lay down on command like that?

[welcometopemberley]

I like to say cue vs command because command kind of means "force." What we usually do is take them to a place we know they like to lay down, like a place with extra loose, thick, soft sand. We point to the ground and say "down," or use whatever cue seems to make sense to that horse... a lot of horses get the idea of laying down when you pace the dirt on a circle, paw with your foot, rub your hand in the dirt, or pick the sand up for them to smell. Then, when they lay down, we click and treat.

[welcometopemberley]

The "click" sound marks the behavior and the treat rewards them. After they realize that it was a desirable behavior, they will often repeat it to earn another treat. Peanut did 3 times in this case. If the weather is warm, you can drip a little water on their shoulder or back and the little drips of water often make them want to lay down because they tickle.

[welcometopemberley]

Thanks for your comment!

[abirdslife]

Thanks Kali this is a sweet video, good job to Maddie!!