Horses are incredibly intelligent animals. (They might even be smarter than some people!) However, most equestrians will tell you that horses are like really, really, big dogs looking for a little bit of love and a kind word. Once you gain a horse's trust, you'll have it forever and they will willingly do just about anything you ask. But that doesn't mean training a horse doesn't take a lot of time and patience.
While horsemanship can be hard work, it's also just as rewarding. Most horse training begins at home or in the horse's main stable, but it continues for a lifetime. Horses learn to follow cues and commands and respond to their riders on trails and in competitions. Young horses learn quickly and respond best to positive reinforcement, whether they are working on horseback riding, standing still during grooming sessions, or getting ready for a dressage competition. One talented horse, Jet, displays exactly how intelligent horses can be on her owner Cristy Vandenhende's TikTok account.
Now almost 8 years old, Jet has been with Cristy since she was just a foal. Cristy began teaching her horse tricks when she was only 6 months old and continues to consistently train her today. In one of Cristy's videos of Jet, the exceptional equine shows off some of the finer points from her training.
@cristy_vandenhende
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In one of their viral clips, Cristy calls to Jet from the window as Jet reaches her long neck down to pick up a shirt. The first command she gives her is "back off the rope," which means that Jet needs to step off of whatever she may be standing on. In this case, it was the shirt that was on the ground.
Cristy instructs Jet to turn around, so the horse is facing the window, at which point she places the shirt in Cristy's hand. Cristy instructs Jet to say yes, and no. Then Jet gives everyone a smile that's meant to say, "Hi, TikTok!" It's easy to see why this sweet girl has so many fans. If you want to see more from Jet, Cristy often goes live on TikTok to show their training sessions.
(Don't worry, she got all the apples and treats she could handle after being such a good girl!)
Can your horse do tricks? Show us on our Wide Open Pets Instagram!
