There are three ways to teach a horse to sit and it depends on if you want your horse to sit on the ground or sit on an object. I am going to cover getting your horse to sit on the ground first. You will first need to teach your horse to lay down. I covered that in a previous article Teaching Your Horse to Lay Down. You may even find that your horse will offer to sit during that lesson.

Polish Arabian horses have a history that is inextricably entwined with war. Lacking natural boundaries, Poland has been a stomping ground for one invader after another: Mongols, Tatars, Turks, Germans and Russians have all taken their turn. Horses were valuable weapons in wartime. Due to Arabian horses’ superior agility and stamina, cavalries in possession of Arabians would have a military advantage over their opponents. Polish horsemen were at first victims on the receiving end of Arabian horses’ astonishing abilities…

Not only is this trick fun to impress friends with, it is also a great lesson to build trust with your horse and even reduce their fear. I do not use treats and do not force the horse down. I use a full check snaffle and a soft lay rope (I like to use the leads made for rope halters with no clasps or hardware) to help hold up the leg on the side I am standing.

The Spanish Arabian horse, like so many Arabian horses, has a history that is defined by its usefulness as a war machine. From earliest times, the breeding of horses in Spain has been a rigid affair conducted by the Department of Defense.

From birth horses are able to learn and overcome their instinctive reaction to flight if given the environment and handling in an appropriate manner. Care needs to be taken when training a horse, not to over-desensitize the foal as this can only create training issues in the future.