How to Train Horses to Kiss

Through the use of positive reinforcement and repetition, you can train a horse to touch its nose to your cheek so it looks like it is kissing you. It is an impressive and entertaining display that you can show off to your friends and family. Teaching a horse to kiss is a straightforward process, and it is perfect for a person who has never trained a horse before. The only things you'll need are treats for your horse, such as horse crunch, apple slices, carrot slices or sugar cubes.

Things You'll Need

  • Horse treats
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Say "kiss," hold a treat up to your cheek and allow the horse to eat the treat. Make sure the horse's nose makes contact with your cheek. Repeat this action several times.

    • 2

      Say "kiss" and don't hold a treat up to your cheek. If the horse doesn't respond, repeat the process of saying "kiss" then holding a treat up to your cheek and allowing the horse to eat it several more times. If the horse does touch its nose to your cheek, feed it a treat, give it a lot of praise and end the training session.

    • 3

      Wait 10 minutes before approaching the horse again and saying "kiss" without holding a treat to your cheek. If the horse kisses you, offer it a treat and plenty of praise. If it doesn't kiss you, repeat the process of saying "kiss," holding up a treat to your cheek and having it eat the treat.

    • 4

      Say "kiss" around the horse without holding a treat to your cheek on a regular basis. Always reward the horse in some way each time it successfully kisses you, even if the reward is just a verbal praise or a pat on the neck.