Not that I would ever do this on a cattle guard. But laying things like ply wood, and tarps on the ground or good excerises to put your horse over. Those are things that in the Trail Class at shows you have to do sometimes. It's a good way to help your horse learn to trust your judgement about boogers. I've done that with some of my horses. Lead them first, then graduate to rideing them over. You never know when/what you'll come across on real trails.
Becky
I was reading an article in a magazine where a guy that trains police horses teaches them to walk over a mattress. At first they went around it, then tried to jump over it, then hurry and finally he gets them to walk on it.
I heard on Paul Harvey a while back that somewhere in the UK, sheep had learned to cross cattle gates.....by laying down and rolling across! Now THAT'S something I'd pay to see! Apparently sheep aren't as stupid as they look.