Training the lie down with a gelding or stallion is alot easier than
a mare. Why? Because in nature stallions when fighting will bite the
horses legs making the horse kneel. Mare don't do this so it is a
little bit different for mares.
The key is to imitate the lie down. When a horse lies down he kneels
then brings his but to the ground. I heard one famous John Lyons
trainer say that horses lie down on three legs and then he tied up
one leg and pulled the horse down.This is not true! When the horse
lays down this way them often come down hard and is not natural! Also
training them to lie down this way messes up your bow, because when
you ask for the bow they will often than not hold the bow and will
lie down and can even hurt you if you are not ready for him to lie
down!
The key to train the lie down is in three steps teach the bow,
kneel, then once the horse is kneeling then the lie down.
To teach the bow just tap the horse on the leg and say bow. You want
the horse to pick his leg up and hold it up or at least place his leg
way back. You may have to tap then physically pick the horses leg up
and back. Now that the horse is keeping his leg up or back you need
to put a halter/bridle/neck rein on him and as you tap the leg pull
on the reins(a tip is to get the horse to park out then pull the leg
back this can be easily taught by saying streatch out and using you
foot or hand to pull/push both feet forward this sets him up to bow).
Once you get the bow one one leg train the other side as well this is
in the next step for the eventual lay down the Kneel!
Once you have trained both sides for the bow getting the horse to
kneel is very easy! For the kneel tap on one leg then tap on the
other leg and vice versa the horse from training the bow the horse
already knows to pick and place his foot back so when you tap the
other foot he will place the other foot back also into the kneel.
Ok now that you have the kneel the horse might just go down on his
own while this is good and you will eventually want this you only
want the horse to lie down when you want him to! If he lays down ask
him to get up and kneel and hold the kneel until you say other wise!
Now that you have the horse kneeling, the lay down is the next
thing. For the lie down tap the hind leg/or side and push him to get
him to get off balance and to lay down. Eventually you can add your
own cue. I hope this helps and I will try to make a detaliled video
on training the bow , kneel and lie down!