How to Train a Horse to Sit

How to Train a Horse to Sit. Teaching your horse to sit requires patience and practice. Sitting on command is not a natural instinct for horses; therefore, it will take some effort to teach the horse to do so. In order to teach your horse this trick, it will likely need to trust and feel comfortable with you. Once you have a trusting relationship with your horse, you can implement the techniques required to teach it to sit.

Things Needed

• Ropes

Step 1

Command your horse to lie on its side. Once it has, stand next to its back. Using your rope or voice, command the horse to lie on its stomach. If it tries to stand up during this process, push its nose to the side, which will likely prevent it from doing so. Let its nose go when you feel the horse relax.

Step 2

Coax the horse to get up from its stomach into a sitting position with your voice or the use of the ropes. Command your horse to "sit" during this part of the training so it associates that word with what it is doing. Your horse may put its leg out in an effort to stand up. If this occurs, stop it by pushing its nose to the side. The horse's legs should always remain under its chest.

Step 3

Practice this technique repeatedly until the horse can go from a lying to a sitting position without trying to stand up. Once the horse has mastered this, try commanding it to sit when it is standing up. Eventually, your horse will likely be able to perform the trick when it hears you give the command.

Warnings

• Only teach this trick to a horse that you trust and that trusts you. Your horse may become scared or agitated sitting in this unnatural position, and it may hurt you or itself unintentionally. Therefore, choose a horse that is calm and confident.
• Always pet your horse when it does what you ask to enforce that behavior and to let it know that you are pleased.

References

• Jodi Wilson: Three Easy Ways to Train Your Horse to Sit