How to Teach a Horse to Kiss: 15 Steps (with Pictures) (2024)

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Co-authored byRyan Corrigan, LVT, VTS-EVN

Last Updated: April 22, 2023References

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   Give your horse a healthy treat from the palm of your hand. If your horse has a favorite treat, use it! If you're not sure what to use, try carrots, apple slices, or hay cubes. Lots of horses also like bananas. Just try to stick to healthy treats like fruits and vegetables to avoid negatively impacting your horse's diet.^[1]

   • Sugar cubes and mints are common treats but not very healthy.
   • Avoid lawn clippings, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, potatoes, tomatoes, unpitted stone fruits, chocolate, fresh bread, and sweet feed.
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   Hold another treat 2 feet (0.61m) away from your horse. Step back 2 feet (0.61m) to force your horse to walk forward in order to eat it. Be patient and wait if it doesn't come right away.

   • Hold your palm flat and keep the treat in the middle of your hand.
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   Put the treat next to an object and say “touch.” Choose an object that your horse is familiar with, such as its feeder, a post, or a ball, and hold the treat in front of it. Tell the horse “touch” and wait for the horse to touch the object with its snout. As it touches the item, reward the horse with the treat to reinforce the good behavior.

   • You can skip this if your horse already knows the touch command.
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   Hold a treat to your cheek and say "kiss." Start by holding the treat to your cheek. Now, say "kiss" for your verbal command and wait for your horse to touch your face with its snout.^[2]

   • Hold the treat under your chin if that's more comfortable for you.
   • Be patient as your horse circles around your face and wait for it to contact it with its snout.
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   Feed your horse the treat when it touches its snout to your face. Although the horse will try to eat the treat, don't give it to it until it touches your face. This will reinforce the kissing behavior along with verbal praise.

   • Switch the treat for a different one if you find the horse isn't interested in it.
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   Give verbal praise to your horse after feeding it the treat. Always praise your horse when it touches your face. Along with the treat, this will help them associate it with a reward.

   • As you verbally praise your horse, gently rub the tip of your horse's snout as well as the top of its head.
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   Push your horse's snout away if it tries to eat the treat before touching your face. As you hold the treat next to your face, your horse might attempt to eat the treat from your hand. Use the palm or back of your hand to firmly push your horse's snout backward if it attempts this.^[3]

   • Withhold verbal praise as your horse tries to eat the treat.
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   Repeat the process to reinforce the behavior. Start again from feeding it a treat and continue all the way to holding the treat to your face for it to eat. Make sure to always give the "kiss" verbal command every time your horse touches its snout to your face or it won't learn to associate it with the action.^[4]

   • Always give your horse verbal praise as you do this to build a trusting bond and pet its snout after it completes the command.
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   Try saying "kiss" without offering a treat once your horse gets the hang of it. If your horse kisses your cheek without there being a treat next to it, that means it's starting to associate the command with the trick. Reward your horse with treats and praise to reinforce the behavior.

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    Wait 5-15 minutes and say "kiss" again. After the first successful kiss without a treat, give your horse some time for the memory to sink in. Afterward, repeat the "kiss" command and it should repeat the kiss.

    • Continue practicing the "kiss" command each time you're with your horse and eventually it will do it all the time.
    • Be sure to repeat the exercise 5-15 minutes after the first successful kiss. Your horse will learn faster and have an easier time remembering the kiss action.
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    Repeat the training 2-3 times a week. If you repeat the training a few times a week, you will ensure that you reinforce the memory. You can do it more too, but 2-3 is typically enough.

    • As you are training your horse, slowly cut down the number of treats and give pats or some other reward instead.

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   Teach your horse not to bite during grooming. It's natural for horses to make small bites when groomed as being groomed without reciprocating is not natural for them. But this is also when it's important to teach them not to bite or it can spread into other activities. Always stop grooming when your horse starts to nip and don't resume until your horse's head is straight.^[5]

   • Massage your horse's hide when it doesn't nip to reward it.
   • Calmly but firmly respond anytime your horse tries to make contact with you. Always make sure they stand squarely with their head forward before starting again.
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   Move your horse's head away from you whenever it nips. Always keep an arm or elbow free to move your horse's head away if it nips. Regardless of the situation, your horse may try to test situations to see when it's OK to nip. Be sure to stop them from nipping in every situation so this behavior doesn't move into kissing training.^[6]

   • If you're leading your horse with the rope, use the free end to twirl it across its muzzle when it tries to nip. You can also use a riding bat as an alternative.
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   Provide free-choice grass hay for young horses that are teething. Teething creates gum discomfort that can lead to oral behavior such as nipping. Always leave some hay for young horses to satisfy any oral urges they might have.^[7]

   • Keep young horses in large pastures or corrals to allow free movement. This is good for hoof development and decreases the chances that they will start chewing out of boredom.
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   Correct biting behavior immediately but not severely. Discipline and dominance work best when they're applied in a timely manner. However, they also must be appropriate for the action—severe punishment for nipping can create a fear reflex that will make it harder to modify your horse's behavior.^[8]

   • Remove disciplinary actions as soon as your horse corrects its behavior.
   • Give your horse a few seconds to rest before resuming your original activity, whether that's kissing, grooming, or otherwise.
   • Be consistent with your corrections, especially with young horses.

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