Train your horse to stand on a mat

'Stand on the mat' is another easy and useful trick to train your horse to do. Mine enjoy this game very much, sometimes even lifting their knees up high to place their feet purposefully on the mat. It's the first step towards ground-tying and teaching a horse to stand on a pedestal. It will also come in useful for: standing for mounting, trailer loading, or if you ever need to soak your horse's foot.

On Alexandra Kurland's website you'll read about Magic who was afraid on the trail. His owner used 'stand on the mat' as a way to teach her horse go out on the trail. She placed mats every 10 feet and walked him to each mat. Now she rides him on the trail and he's calm and confident. Another example of how you can solve problems once and for all by taking the time it takes and using clicker training creatively.

Remember how we discussed that in clicker training, there are several ways to achieve the same end result? Let's look at three ways to train your horse to stand on a mat.

'Stand on the mat' - Shaping Method
Place the mat on the ground near your horse. As she approaches, click and reward. When she puts her nose on it click and reward. When she puts one foot on it, click and reward a jackpot. Continue refining the behavior and add a cue.

'Stand on the mat' - Pressure and Release Method
If you're a Parelli student, you will play Yo-Yo until you get your horse squarely on the mat, click and reward. If you follow some other form of natural horsemanship, you'll ask you horse to come forward or back up, almost like you're dancing, until she is where you want her to be on the mat, click and treat. Continue refining and add a cue.

'Stand on the mat' - Target Method
Use the target (i.e., a training stick, dressage whip, a fairy wand, a flag, a bamboo cane with empty water bottle attached) to draw your horse to the mat. When she is standing on it, click and treat. Continue refining and add a cue.

When I taught my horses this game, I used all three methods. The first thing I did was allow the horses to use their natural curiosity to find the mat and investigate it. For horses like Jubee who tend to be skeptical or fearful, this is the best way to introduce a new object. Lots of click and reward so they associated the mat with good things. Next I used the Yo-Yo game as a shortcut to get them placed where I wanted them. Finally, using my training stick as a target I turned it into a cue where I tap the mat with the stick and they stand on it very willingly.

You may already have an old doormat you can use. I bought mine at Dollar General for about $5. A mat is a very valuable training tool and worth every penny of the cost.

More Information
Karen Pryor's Clicker Training
Parelli Natural Horsemanship
Alexandra Kurland's Clicker Center