Then, once you have the horse’s attention, release your tension on the reins in order to reinforce other cues for forward movement.
If you ride Western style, you can also lift the reins up and forward towards the horse’s head while you do this. This hug with the legs should be quick and positive, not painful.
Make sure this motion is done with your hips by pushing them down and forward. Don’t use your upper body, as the horse can’t feel those movements as clearly.
Make this sound just once or twice, as doing it repeatedly can get your horse to go into trot or canter. You want the horse to start off gently, not at great speed. You can also give cues that are short words, such as “go” or “move. " However, most horse riders use a short click or kissing noise instead.
For example, don’t push backward with your saddle at all while instructing the horse to go forward. This can happen accidentally if you are leaning forward with your shoulders instead of your hips. Horses are incredibly sensitive animals and can tell where you’re looking and where you want to go. Keep your focus on where you want to go so the horse can read the subtleties of your body position.
If you are using reins to direct the animal, position them below the horse’s head. If they are kept behind the horse’s head, along its neck, communication through gentle tugs will be difficult and you will have a harder time holding onto the animal if it spooks and tries to bolt.
However, do not wrap the leader or reins around your hand. This can lead to serious injury to your hand if the horse tries to run off.
A well-trained horse should start moving with just a gentle tug.
Some verbal cues you could use include the words “go” or “forward. " Many people use a short clicking noise to tell a horse that you want it to move. However, you may have a special noise you use if you are moving your own horse.
Common injuries that can make a horse resistant to moving include problems with its hooves or its leg muscles.
For example, tighten the reins on one side to make your horse turn its head. While doing that, tighten your calves around the horse and ask it to move forward. At first, make the horse move in small circles. Then, reduce the pressure on the reins a little bit, just enough to make the circles a little bigger. Gradually, you can release the rest of the tension on the reins and straighten out the horse. Once your horse becomes more willing to go straight, give it the command to go forward. This will reinforce that the command is associated with that type of movement.
A good rule of thumb is to avoid doing anything to your horse that causes it pain or injury, even if the pain is only temporary. It is better to use repetition and positive reinforcement to get a horse to follow your commands. You will have a much easier time if you train a horse kindly rather than scaring it into submission.
If your your horse doesn’t go forward right when you direct it to, then use your legs to tap its body. Once the horse starts moving, halt it completely. Once the horse is at a stand still, again direct it to move forward. Do this repeatedly until the horse’s response improves. If your horse is particularly stubborn, you can stop the horse and make it wait until it gets bored and then have him go on.
Some good treats to feed a horse include most fruits, such as small pieces of banana, apple, or melon. You can also give it small pieces of carrot, celery, and snow peas. [12] X Research source
