Terrier dogs

Before going to train your mare for a horse ballet like dressage, try teaching her some basic tricks first.

Eventually having your own horse probably made you more determined to become a full-on equestrian. But no matter how fervent you are, your dressage competing days will need to wait until your mare is professionally equipped with the right coaching and experience to handle it. Meanwhile, just enjoy horse riding and better practice your coaching abilities by developing trust between you and your mare by teaching her a straightforward trick; like lying down, for example.

Start by providing your pony protection for her legs. With the rope placed on the pastern found on the mare's leg that's next to you, ask your mare to give you her foot and let the rope help you in holding up the foot. While doing this ask your mare to lean back. Release just as fast as your mare leans back, praise her, and put her foot down.

Next, ask your horse to rock back and continue doing so till her knee gets to touch the ground. Ensure your mare's nose is not pointed between her legs as that will make it difficult for her to lie down. When your mare becomes more comfortable with her knee touching the ground, ask your mare to stay a bit longer before letting her get up. At this point, teach your pony the cue for getting up so she will look for your sign to get up before she does so and remain staying down before the cue.

For the next steps, see if your pony will lift her knee from the ground. If this is the case place the rope under her tummy toward the other side of her body, over her back, and in your hands again to keep your mare's foot up in case she resists the steps that follow.

While your mare's knee is on the ground, direct her nose towards the other side, the complete opposite of where you stand, and ask her to rock back more. Slowly, your pony will come down on her shoulders and lie down. Permit her to get up when she wants to do so.

Give the cue for lying down. Let your mare lie down and get up many times before asking her to remain down which you may do by having your mare bend her head on her side. At last, let your mare stay down longer before signaling her to get up.

Once your mare has learned your cues, it'll become natural for her to lie down and get up when you teach her to do so.

Bear in mind that horses cannot learn this in only 1 day.