Teach your pony a confidence trick
Does your pony ever spook at ‘silly’ things, like puddles, plastic bags, or jump fillers? Don’t worry, that’s all part of being a prey animal, and they just need a bit of help getting used to our human world.
One of the best ways to help your pony feel braver is to teach them this confidence trick. It’s a fun, low-pressure challenge that helps them learn to trust you, solve problems, and approach scary things.
The target touch trick
Teach your pony to touch something with their nose – like a cone, a ball, or even your hand. This might seem small, but it’s a great way to help your pony explore new things without fear.
How to start
- Hold something safe and interesting (like a soft cone or an empty feed scoop).
- Let your pony sniff it, and the second they reach toward it and touch it, say ‘yes!’ and give a tiny treat or a scratch.
- Repeat this, moving the object around.
- Keep sessions short and happy – just 5 minutes is enough!
Once your pony gets the hang of it, you can ask them to touch scarier things like a plastic bag on a stick or a colourful box. Suddenly, scary stuff becomes a fun game!
Why this helps
It teaches your pony that:
- New things aren’t always scary
- You’re someone who makes tricky things feel safe
If you try the trick, send us your photos; we’d love to feature your brave pony in our next issue.
