Medicine Lodge Valley, Dillon, Montana

Playing Tag

This fun game is not only for little kids it can be played with equines also. It is not only fun but it teaches the horse.  It’s not quite like the regular tag. 

1) In the round pen you are on one side and the horse is on the other. 

2) Start walking like you are going toward the horse but don’t go to the horse. 

3) If the horse looks like it is going to run away keep walking but turn away from the horse.  Kind of like when kids fly like they are a plane. 

4) Then as you are going away from the horse go into a jog, do some serpentines or something squiggly and let the horse watch you. And the horse will be watching you. 

5) Then come back just a little closer to the horse and zoom right by the horse. The horse won’t know what to think what you want. The horse is thinking - "does she want to get me out of there or what". 

6)If the horse does move off and run just stop for a second and see what the horse does. 

7)If the horse is still running meet up with the horse again but pass the horse. The horse is doing his/her thing and you are doing your thing (so the horse thinks) and will stop and watch what you are doing. 

8)Then stop again when you are going away from the horse. See if the horse comes to you. 

9)If the horse comes to you curious give her a treat. But the goal is for the horse to follow and come to you no matter what your hands/arms/ body is doing and how hysterical you are running around. 

10) Then after you give the horse a treat take off running away again and then circle around toward the horse and pass the horse and see if the horse follows your pattern of movement.

11) Keep it up until the horse has caught on to following/chasing you.

© Donna Hildreth 1998 - 2009
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