Mark training is a form of liberty training. In regular liberty training, a horse is trained to be drawn to the handler, but in mark training, the horse is sent to a mark.
A mark is any object that you train your horse to go to. We typically use a thick piece of wood that is a couple feet long and a couple feet wide. You can also use a mat, a pedestal, et cetera.
Photo by Bronwyn Irwin
What is Mark Training?
Mark training has often been used in the film and television industry. For example, say a horse was being filmed and needed to run into a scene and then stop at a particular spot in an open field. The trainer can’t be standing near the horse, so he must be taught to go to a mark.
The trainer puts the mark down, practices calling the horse to it, and then sends him to it again with the cameras rolling. However, even if you have no practical need to send your horse to a mark, it’s a cool skill and quite fun to teach to horses.
The main concept is that you’re going to work your horse away from the mark and then rest him on the mark. This builds the horse’s desire to be on the mark because he will look at it as a place of rest and comfort.
When I say “on the mark,” I mean the horse’s front feet are both on the mark. For the purposes of this article, we’ll assume you’re using a piece of wood.
Getting Started with Mark Training Your Horse
First, you need the horse to be comfortable standing on the mark. Begin by walking the horse onto the wood and then petting him. You might have to lift up a foot to help position him on the mark the first few times that you do this.
Now back the horse off the mark, walk him around for a minute, and then lead him back onto the mark and pet him again. Repeat this several times.
Remember to back the horse off the mark instead of leading him forward and over it when it’s time to leave. This is because eventually you’re going to send the horse to the mark at a fast speed, and you never want him to cross over the mark or he might overshoot it as speed is added.
Adding Cues
Now that the horse is comfortable standing on the piece of wood, you then want him to begin going to it on cue. Start by standing about 6 feet it front of the horse and position the mark halfway between you and him.
Position the mark roughly halfway between you and the horse and then practice calling him onto the mark. A whip can be used to help guide him. Photo by Bronwyn Irwin
The horse should be outfitted with a halter and lead rope. It’s also a good idea to hold a training stick or a buggy whip.
Now say the word “mark,” and pull on the lead rope to call the horse forward and onto the mark. You can also use the whip to help guide him where you want him to go. The horse will probably fumble around the first few times, but use a lot of patience and help the horse onto the mark. Be sure to pet and reward him once he completes the task.
It’s a good idea to do this drill standing beside an arena wall or fence, because the fence will help keep the horse straight, and it won’t be easy for him to just wander around the mark. You can gradually begin to call the horse to the mark from a farther distance.
Increasing Effort
Once the horse it starting to go to the mark on command, you now want to create more desire in him and have him put more effort into the training.
To do this, position the mark in the middle of the arena. Stand on the mark yourself and begin to longe the horse around you. Assuming your horse is circling to the left, have him go around you a couple times, then call “mark,” and at the same time swing your whip under the lead rope to the left to cut the horse off.
Next, back up and draw the horse onto the mark. You will likely have to help him onto the mark with the lead rope the first few times you do this exercise, but gradually try to guide the horse to the piece of wood using the whip.
Keep in mind that you are going to eventually do this with no halter or lead rope, so you need to work toward not relying on those tools. The reason for longeing the horse around you and then onto the mark is that it shows the horse that being away from the mark is work, while the mark itself is the resting place.
As the horse improves in his training, you can then work toward sending him to the mark. Instead of you being near the mark, you’re going to be somewhere else, and it’s the horse’s job to go to the mark on his own without you guiding him there.
Once the horse can be called to the mark, you can work on sending him to the mark from a distance. Begin by longeing him around you and then send him to the mark. Photo by Bronwyn Irwin
Gaining Independence
Start by positioning the mark beside a wall or fence. Longe the horse slowly around you and onto the mark. Be sure to give the voice cue “mark” right as he nears the mark. You want him to walk onto the mark and stop.
You can block him a little bit with the whip to encourage him to stop. Positioning the mark in an arena corner can also help prevent the horse from overshooting the object.
Go very slow with this part, but as the horse starts to go to the mark on his own, you can then send him from greater distances and at faster speeds. When everything is working well, you will take off the halter and lead rope and do this at liberty.
Photo by Bronwyn Irwin
Remember to use a lot of patience with this training. Make sure the horse views the mark as a very happy place to be, and don’t work too long during any one session because you want to make this fun for the horse as well as for you.
Good luck to you and your horse!
Check out www.thehorsetrainers.com for more training tips from Jason and Bronwyn Irwin.
This article about mark training your horse appeared in the July/August 2025 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!
