A pat or a scratch can work just as well, as long as the treat is something the horse really enjoys and is willing to work for. When beginning school, getting a gold star for correct work is a great motivator to do our best. This applies to ground work, manners, advanced performance moves and tricks . It encourages people to scrutinize what it is they want to teach, break it down into little steps, have patience and do it - one step at a time. Humans learn about horses and become better trainers and communicators without using aggressive measures and at the same time, the horses are enjoying their lessons.
Many people are anxious to teach their horse tricks.
Although it is great fun, in my opinion first priority is teaching your horse basic ground work and manners - do not crowd, stand still for mounting, having his feet handled, etc. etc. When he does well in these areas, then have fun with tricks, keeping in mind a horses limitations. A lot of the tricks require an abundance of balance, co-ordination, trust and lack of fear on the horses part. Not all horses are capable of doing some tricks . Decide what is best for you and your horse to work on and if you haven t already done so, buy a clicker .