Working on making my transitions more gentle and smooth, I've been using "Ok team" just before I give the cue to move forward, or to speed up - kissing sound. When the team came to think that this meant "go forward" I would then tell them to "back." Got to the point yesterday when they wouldn't move, but became alert when I said it. I call it a "cue that a cue is coming." It seems to be working better and better to make communication more clear.

It got me to wondering, what do others do?

I use their names.

I say “ready”. I raced and trained sled dogs when I was younger, I found when I started giving the dogs a queue before giving the “alright” to go they would rest better when stopped – racing sled dogs really like to run, stopping and resting their dogs is a challenge for many dog drivers. I find that the horses seem to do the same; as you pointed out Mike, the key is to have them wait until you give the actual command to step forward. One could very easily teach a new command to move forward if they weren’t vigilant about keeping the horses stopped until the driver said otherwise. I often trained with an 18 dog string, good vocal command is really important when running that many dogs, most especially the “wow” command. I heard someone say running a big string of dogs is like walking an elephant on a leash “it works out really well as long as the elephant believes you are in control, as soon as he realizes he is in control you are in trouble”. I think the same could be said about the horses as well.
Billy

I have always used their names and that is a cue to pay attention I am telling you to do something. While I do have casual conversations when feeding or around the pasture, when it is time to get down to business the first word out of my mouth is a name.

Tighten up, then easy for going forward, then OK for a good pull. Nothing moves the load until you say Ok. They need to get used to your commands.
I hate watching pulling teams jump into a load.

Ditto on using their names. It gets their attention and they are then alert and awaiting instruction.

I take up the slack in the lines to get their attention. Then I give an audible cue as the actual command to initiate movement (back, step up, over, walk on). If I take up the slack and touch their mouths and still don't feel like we're going to start off together, I say, "Ladies....." and that definitely brings their brains up and together and makes them receptive to the command to follow. If I'm only working one horse, I use the horse's name. If there's a gelding in the hitch... well, horses aren't all that tetchy about their masculinity.

I was told Duane Bratten bought a team of mules to hay with. Say Maud and she stepped ahead and when you said Mandy, she would step out. Neighbor seen Duane say Maud and cut Mandy with a whip. When asked why, Duane replied "changing her name to Maud so we can start even".

I do as grey described it, when the slack is taken up they need to be waiting for the command, sometimes I say " boys" or just smack my lips, then the voice command follows, it can either be " back" as we back away from the hitch rail or " walk" as we move forward when we are out in the open. Whatever it is, it always has be done in the same way , horses are animals of habit and associate the sound with the requested action. I have seen people slap the lines over the rumps, but that is a bad habit, since it conveys a jerking to the mouths and can result in horses which have trouble understanding slight cues with the lines.

I pick up on the lines, call them bye name and then give them the command. We don't have it down quite yet, but it's coming along nicely.
Shanen

I pretty much do like Grey does.

Dale, you're a funny ol bugger!

It's interesting, I have found myself using the same "voiceless" communication when in town with the buggy. I guess I do that to avoid some person within earshot thinking I'm talking to him/her. I am so shy.

But another advantage to horses knowing their names, for me anyway, is with multiple horses, a2, 3, 4, 6 ... I use the lead horse's name to give notice a command is coming, but if an individual horse needs correcting while underway, he can be addressed specifically. The lead horse usually appreciates the distinction, especially if the sound of the whip happens to be involved.

Some horses are WAY more sensitive to whip training than others. One good gelding here will go to dancing if he hears the lash flying unannounced, when the sting is to be felt by another. If I call the other horse's name first, he stays steady. And I never really got after him much either when he was a pup.

Thanks for all the good responses. I do use their individual names when speaking to one; always impresses me they know it. Used to say, "Ok boys" 'til I got the mare.

I can't give away my secret. That way nobody can take my horses 'cause they won't be able to make them go!

Good one Mr. Tommy,
I say, "Boys, ponies, girls"? depending?? Never cluck or kiss because some yahoo says, "Oh that's what you use to call them to you." (Their friend, TV, or ??? told them that.) Not good if the "teamster", "whip", driver is not on the box with the ribbons in hand. Also use the signal to the mouth, but that can have different meaning to folks' horses and can have "interesting results".
"Good judgment comes from experience, which comes from bad judgment."

I love how my team can seem like they are sound asleep as they wait between tasks, and as soon as I pick up the lines and say "Alright, Boys," their heads pop up and they are listening. I just have to be careful to change up the command frequently, or they start to walk off before the next command. I often have them back a step or two, just to keep them listening for the command rather than anticipating what they THINK I will say and reacting accordingly.