Bowing

Horsebrat20 · 01-28-2005, 04:30 PM

I'm trying to teach my mare to bow. Mostly because it teaches her to stretch, and she becomes more flexable. But we have a prob, what i do is pick up her foot and hold the treat under her so she bends down to get it. But when she bends down, instead of keeping her other leg straight, she bends it, so i can only let her reach so far, cuz she'll end up falling over. How do i teach the right way to do it? Thanks.

Tempi Changes · 01-28-2005, 05:44 PM

I've been teaching my horse Nuisance to bow aswell. I usually stretch her right front leg out (Sort of like she is extending the leg and make sure it stays there). Then I put a carrot between her legs and when she bends her left leg she doesnt end up falling over. I think when they have their right leg stretched out in front of them it helps keep them balanced. I hope you understand what I am trying to say. I will show you a picture of what I mean by them stretching there front right leg forward...

Shans5050 · 01-28-2005, 06:11 PM

i did this with my POA gelding, i actually bought a book on it! and in the book it said take a horse with halter and lead on it. Standing on the horses left side, put the lead around the right side of the horses neck (like a rein) (somehow describing it sounds weird) and hold the lead in your right hand just past the wither area. (you DO NOT want to pull the horses leg forward) with a carrot in left hand put between horses legs at about girth area, slightly pull on the lead till the horse leans back to get the carrot. if you want to teach them by signal, ie touching certain spot on shoulder and saying bow while doing this works also. once the horse has this down hold his left front foot as if you were cleaning it (not your body position but the horses position) and slightly pull back on lead and leg at same time while saying "bow" and let him get a bite. eventually all i had to do was touch my horse in the shoulder in that certain spot and he'd bow like a champ!

**** i can take pics to describe this as a visual if it helps tomorrow if anyone wants i know it'll make it easier to understand***

Dawn · 01-28-2005, 06:26 PM

I prefer to first teach with both front legs straight out. It's a better stretch, is simpler for them to learn, but some horses can not do a full 'bow' like this (it's not really a bow, there's another name for it). Also, if you're holding one leg up, they will not keep the other straight as they can not support themselves like that. They have to have the other leg (knee) on the ground to balance themselves.

Shans5050 · 01-28-2005, 06:28 PM

i didnt explain that right, sorry, by holding the leg and slightly pulling back you teach them to lean back on that right leg. then pulling down on the leg at the same time will teach them the down part of it, i stink at explaining sometimes but will take pics to show you in detail which will be better.

and the both legs straight out was the first part of what i was trying to say

Love2TrailRide · 01-28-2005, 06:34 PM

I tried teaching my horse to bow, but shes too darn smart! She just backs up and tries to get it, or she will just give up and not even try anymore and give me a look like "You're crazy if you think I'm working for that carrot!"

SalemWitchChild · 01-28-2005, 06:37 PM

lol. Perhaps you should try a different treat then?

Horsebrat20 · 01-28-2005, 07:51 PM

Thanks a bunch you guys. I knew i was doing something wrong. I didn't know they had to use the left knee to lean on. (the one that's held up) But i will start teaching her to lean back with both feet on the ground. Thanks.

Moostang · 01-28-2005, 08:17 PM

I teach it by picking up the leg I want them to bend, then pulling back on it, when they start leaning back then I release the pressure, eventually they will get further and further down. I was luck, Scout did it on my first try. If they don't yeild to the pressure, you can squeeze on the sides of the withers a little bit and they drop back.

Horsebrat20 · 01-29-2005, 02:45 PM

Ok, so i tryed what you guys told me, and it didn't work. No matter what i did, she would bend her left knee. She would not rock back for the life of her, she would just keep bending her neck in and down. What am i doing wrong? I tryed holding the treat in different spots, and trying to get her to back up slightly so she shifts her weight, nothing worked. Please help.

01-28-2005, 04:30 PM	#1
Horsebrat20 Senior Member+ Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: RI Posts: 1,629 Images: 43	Bowing I'm trying to teach my mare to bow. Mostly because it teaches her to stretch, and she becomes more flexable. But we have a prob, what i do is pick up her foot and hold the treat under her so she bends down to get it. But when she bends down, instead of keeping her other leg straight, she bends it, so i can only let her reach so far, cuz she'll end up falling over. How do i teach the right way to do it? Thanks. __________________ "The biggest enemy to the partnership of dressage is impatience and the human nature to dominate other creatures." Walter Zettl

01-28-2005, 07:51 PM	#8
Horsebrat20 Senior Member+ Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: RI Posts: 1,629 Images: 43	Thanks a bunch you guys. I knew i was doing something wrong. I didn't know they had to use the left knee to lean on. (the one that's held up) But i will start teaching her to lean back with both feet on the ground. Thanks. __________________ "The biggest enemy to the partnership of dressage is impatience and the human nature to dominate other creatures." Walter Zettl

01-28-2005, 08:17 PM	#9
Moostang Senior Moderator Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Northern Calif Posts: 9,910 Images: 681 Blog Entries: 55	I teach it by picking up the leg I want them to bend, then pulling back on it, when they start leaning back then I release the pressure, eventually they will get further and further down. I was luck, Scout did it on my first try. If they don't yeild to the pressure, you can squeeze on the sides of the withers a little bit and they drop back. __________________ Diet Dr Pepper is a gateway drug to the diet sodas http://moostangproductions.com

01-29-2005, 02:45 PM	#10
Horsebrat20 Senior Member+ Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: RI Posts: 1,629 Images: 43	Ok, so i tryed what you guys told me, and it didn't work. No matter what i did, she would bend her left knee. She would not rock back for the life of her, she would just keep bending her neck in and down. What am i doing wrong? I tryed holding the treat in different spots, and trying to get her to back up slightly so she shifts her weight, nothing worked. Please help. __________________ "The biggest enemy to the partnership of dressage is impatience and the human nature to dominate other creatures." Walter Zettl

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01-28-2005, 05:44 PM	#2
Tempi Changes Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 207 Images: 3	I've been teaching my horse Nuisance to bow aswell. I usually stretch her right front leg out (Sort of like she is extending the leg and make sure it stays there). Then I put a carrot between her legs and when she bends her left leg she doesnt end up falling over. I think when they have their right leg stretched out in front of them it helps keep them balanced. I hope you understand what I am trying to say. I will show you a picture of what I mean by them stretching there front right leg forward...

01-28-2005, 06:11 PM	#3
Shans5050 Full Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Connecticut Posts: 203	i did this with my POA gelding, i actually bought a book on it! and in the book it said take a horse with halter and lead on it. Standing on the horses left side, put the lead around the right side of the horses neck (like a rein) (somehow describing it sounds weird) and hold the lead in your right hand just past the wither area. (you DO NOT want to pull the horses leg forward) with a carrot in left hand put between horses legs at about girth area, slightly pull on the lead till the horse leans back to get the carrot. if you want to teach them by signal, ie touching certain spot on shoulder and saying bow while doing this works also. once the horse has this down hold his left front foot as if you were cleaning it (not your body position but the horses position) and slightly pull back on lead and leg at same time while saying "bow" and let him get a bite. eventually all i had to do was touch my horse in the shoulder in that certain spot and he'd bow like a champ! ** i can take pics to describe this as a visual if it helps tomorrow if anyone wants i know it'll make it easier to understand*

01-28-2005, 06:26 PM	#4
Dawn Senior Member+ Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Tennessee Posts: 31,292 Images: 1386	I prefer to first teach with both front legs straight out. It's a better stretch, is simpler for them to learn, but some horses can not do a full 'bow' like this (it's not really a bow, there's another name for it). Also, if you're holding one leg up, they will not keep the other straight as they can not support themselves like that. They have to have the other leg (knee) on the ground to balance themselves.

01-28-2005, 06:28 PM	#5
Shans5050 Full Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Connecticut Posts: 203	i didnt explain that right, sorry, by holding the leg and slightly pulling back you teach them to lean back on that right leg. then pulling down on the leg at the same time will teach them the down part of it, i stink at explaining sometimes but will take pics to show you in detail which will be better. and the both legs straight out was the first part of what i was trying to say

01-28-2005, 06:34 PM	#6
Love2TrailRide Senior Member+ Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Oregon Posts: 1,703 Images: 116	I tried teaching my horse to bow, but shes too darn smart! She just backs up and tries to get it, or she will just give up and not even try anymore and give me a look like "You're crazy if you think I'm working for that carrot!"

01-28-2005, 06:37 PM	#7
SalemWitchChild Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Lawrenceburg, Ky Posts: 612 Images: 39	lol. Perhaps you should try a different treat then?