Teaching a horse to sit [like a dog

Question
-------------------------
Followup To
Question -
I would like to teach my horses to sit  Have you any ideas  Also where do you live
Answer -
Hi Brenton,

I live in Ontario, near the Ganeraska Forest, which is 11,000 acres of riding trails!  It's a great place to live.

As for teaching the horse to sit, I havn't yet gotten to that.  I'm taking my horse through a natural horse-man-ship course by pat Parelli and I'm only on level 3 of 10 and the higher levels can take years to complete, I'm sure sitting is in there somewhere but I'm not there yet.  But I have cheated because I'm teaching my horse to lie down and he can already bow with his leg on the ground and I have not yet reached that in the course!

I can tell you how to teach your horse to bow but I'm not going to write it if you don't want to know.  My e-mail is echos_troya@hotmail.com,  if you want to know how to teach your horse to bow than e-mail me!

Echo    Thanks for the quick reply  & yes ,could I have your method of teaching the bow & lay down  Thanks again    Brenton

Answer
Hi Brenton

Alright for Bowing...
Pick up your horses leg and with one hand tilt the horses head toward you. Than start pushing his weight backwards by pushing his chest. As soon as he responds to you stop and let him totally loose and let him rest for 30 seconds or so.  By letting him rest it will show him that what he did was correct.  

Than begin again pick up his leg, and grab the lead and tilt his head toward you. Than push his chest and ask him to go backwards, once he responds let him loose to show what he did was right.

This is very repetitive and you have to have dedication to do it. It will take a lot more than one session. Keep asking him the same way and over time you can get him farther and farther down.  It is very important that once he has done it a little bit you release him, this will build his confidence, making him realize that what he did was right.  Because of doing this he will try harder the next time you ask.  Eventually, with you holding the leg you will be able to get him to lower his front leg to the gound and he will be bowing on one knee.

This is based on Natural horse-man-ship, and not forcing him to do it by tying his leg up...it may be eaasier that way but if you don't know what your doing and the horse dosn't completely trust you, you will probebly shatter his confidence.

Now, I know it takes alot of time but it's worth it.  I remember with me, I worked at it for a while about 2 years ago and just couldn't get it because I wasn't taking my time and was rushing him, I gave up. Than about half a year ago I tried again understaning Natural horse-man-ship better and taking it slow.  In two weeks of working everyday, my horse understood exacally what was expected of him.


Now, if you actually do persist and accomplish the bow, laying down is the same thing...it will take time.
The horses have a pressure point behind their withers that they will lower their weight when squeezed.  So ask your horse to bow than push him over a little and push that pressure point, once he responds even a bit release and let him go back to where he was, just keep asking for more and more once time progresses, could take weeks.  Eventually you will be able to push him right over on his side.

Good luck!

Naturally
Echo Savage