For the past month or so, I've been teaching my horse Zebedee how to "hug" (wrapping their neck around you while you put your arms around their neck :) He is very eager to please and picks tricks up quickly, and this one has been going very well!
Teaching a horse to hug is actually quite simple.
First, you just get in position; facing his neck/shoulder and putting both arms around the base of his neck). I always work this on his left side.
Then you use the cue word-I use "Zebedee, hug!" As you say the cue word take your right hand and pull the leadrope gently so his neck comes around your back. I hold it there for three seconds before release and reward.
Zebedee was given a lot of treats from his previous owner, when we got him he was incredibly pushy because of this. I try to limit the amount of treats he gets so he mostly gets verbal praise and lots of pets, both of which he responds well too. All that to say-I've seen people train their horses to hug by positioning themselves, using the cue while simultaneously holding a treat in the left hand.
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