Dog's Mark Horses Pedestel

Part II by Allen Pogue and Suzanne De Laurentis, all rights reserved, 2005

We believe horses are among one of the species that would benefit most from the utilization of the stay command, as they are prone to act out on their strong flight instinct. The whoa and ground tying are widely taught to pleasure and performance horses and pedestal training certainly adds a new measure of reliability and interest to horse education.

With our own horses, we begin pedestal training on day one of a new foal’s life because baby horses are ready to learn shortly after birth and the first nursing. As the foal’s education advances it learns to wait quietly and patiently on the pedestal either to get back in the stall with mom or for the next request from the handler.

Behaviors most frequently taught with or from the pedestal in addition to ground tying include yielding the hindquarters, yielding the forehand, ground tying, parking out, the jambette or salute, and the rear. A horse can also be taught to retrieve an object and step up on the pedestal while still carrying the object.

Standing with the front feet planted on the pedestal, it is easy for a young horse to learn to yield his hindquarters around the forehand. The pedestal gives the horse a base and a reason to keep the front feet still as he walks the back feet around. The opposite exercise is to ask the young horse who is standing on the pedestal with all four feet to step the front feet back down to the ground and stop. With the hindquarters still up on the pedestal, the horse can understand to keep the back feet stationary as the front feet revolve around the back.
In a round pen, we teach a young horse to go to his pedestal, step up and stay. Standing quietly and patiently on the pedestal is a component of ground tying. The youngster will have learned that being on the pedestal is enjoyable (a break in the work or lesson) and a place to hang out and enjoy scratches and praise. Continue Part III