ANY TIPS for getting my mare to stand still out hunting ?

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Horse-Rider

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hey guys , well as the title says - she will not stand still !! i've hunted every weekend this season and she loves it . She is a really good horse / will let the hounds jump up on her , never kick out and quick for a cob too . Just im worried about her spinning around into someone, last week we had a very near incident with her sitting on a car bonnet.
Im scared she may hurt someone when we leave the meet and they're watching us go !!

Anybody else have a horse like this ? or tips ?

ADVICE NEEDED AND APPRECIATED !! THANKYOUUUU
 
I have same issue although he does settle the longer we are out, I turn him in tight circles if he wont stand still then when we attempt to stand still after circles release contact and sit still until he moves then start the circles again when he moves - I do mean tight circles not walking round but almost on the spot !

If nothing else this gives them something to think about and stops them backing up etc

Look forward to any other suggestions though.
 
meesha said:
I have same issue although he does settle the longer we are out, I turn him in tight circles if he wont stand still then when we attempt to stand still after circles release contact and sit still until he moves then start the circles again when he moves - I do mean tight circles not walking round but almost on the spot !

I do this with my cob, he gets very restless and eyes-up any grass verges! Like you I keep turning him in tight circles until he stands still then relax the contact.

This has been our second time hunting and he absolutely loves it. He usually is quite ploddy until we get out into open spaces then he goes like a rocket!:D
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Turn her in circles. Mine can be a bit of a fidget and if we stand around a lot, he can get quite worked up. When he gets worked up, he freaks himself out and starts having a paddy (mini rears, pawing the ground, running backwards). When we stop, I let him stand and if he starts to get fractious, I walk him in circles. If we're waiting in a big field, I just wander him around. Keeping him moving seems to settle him.

I do also let him eat if we're in a field or by a verge/hedge. Easier than fighting and he worked out quickly he could a) be a pain and be made to work harder by walking in circles, or b) stand nicely and get to eat grass (I don't let him eat crops BTW before anyone jumps on me!!).

I can't turn him in very tight circles as that would wind him up more, I just walk him in say 10-15m circles (thankfully we only seem to stand around in fields).
 
My daughter's horse used to be a terrible fidget out hunting, but has eventually learnt to stand still. We tackled the problem by pushing him forward and making him walk round and round when he wouldn't stand still til eventually he realised it was easier just to stand and relax. If you try and force them to stand still to start with it just seems to wind them up more!
 
the answer, I have found, is to make the horse do Something, not try to stop them doing anything!

Walk 10m circles, or serpentines, do walk, halt, walk transitions, anything to keep them listening to you. Keep any halts short, and if they try to go backwards or sideways, or spin then you push them on forwards sharply and ask for the concentration back on you.

Remember - you wouldn't take a kid to a party and expect them to sit still.... the same is true for a young, inexperienced or excitable horse. So give them something to do. They'll soon learnt to stand still when you ask.
 
Mine used to be awful, over time he has improved and stands pretty much still now.
When he gets himself into a tizz (after standing around too much or when he gets an itchy head) i just wander around chatting to people for a few minutes. Chills him out and then he will stand still again. It has taken a while to get him to where he is now, hes not perfect (he pulls) but he now stands most of the time!
Don't force the horse to stand though, makes it all much worse!!
 
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