Older Horse needs job.

Question
Hi,I saw that you know how to teach tricks.I have a horse with really bad C.O.P.D. and he would love to have a job again.He is very smart but I don't know what trick to teach him or how to teach him. I'm sorry for not telling what I trick want to learn but, I could use your help.Thank you for reading this

Answer
Hi Tabatha,

There are lots of tricks that you can teach your horse, here are a few easy one!

You can teach him to say no...to do this you get a pin or something with a point, the purpose is to not hurt your horse(obviously, but to annoy him!)  You prick the top of his withers and KEEP doing it until he shakes his head, (he will shake it because he thinks there is a fly and is trying to get it iff himself) AS SOON as he shakes his head you stop pricking reward him with patting and once in a while a treat.  Keep doing this and soon enough he will realize that as soon as you touch his withers he is to shake his head!

To say yes you do the same thing exceopt at his chest in the middle, he will bring his muzzle down to brush the fly off (making the yes gesture).  Stop and reward when he does this...

You can teach him to bow...get a treat of some sort, one that is appealing to him and he can see easy (carrot!)
Than as the signal for him to bow touch the top of his leg (he obviously dosn't yet know what this means but he will eventually catch on) after this pick up his leg, hooking your arm around it with the treat in the same hand.  Let him see the treat and he will bring his nose down and try and get it as soon as he touches his knee.  Put his leg down and pat him...THAN give him the treat. Never give him the treat when your arm is still lifting the leg.
Eventually you will be able to touch the top of his leg and than on his own he will lift up his leg and touch his nose to his knee!  Be aware that this trick takes a while for the horse to learn and you have to do it a lot!

Have fun
Echo Savage