Any tips for mounting problem ?

irishdraft

irishdraft

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I have a 17.1 heavy weight Id whom I have backed about 6 weeks ago, he has a slight resistance mentality with a few things the worst being he will not stand by the mounting block to be mounted. I can place him side on by the fence, stable or whatever happens to be around and he will stand for me to get on but if i have the block in the middle of the school he will just swing his hind quarters away enough for me not to be able to get on, highly frustrating !! I decided that I was not tackling the problem by standing by something so always place the block in the middle of the school if Im schooling, then have a 10 minute battle until i can get on, usually by not properly taking up the reins, as the minute I do he steps away. I have tried the "moving the feet" and walking him briskly round and going back to the block each time, but hes rather "cute" about all my efforts to get him to stand, so do I just place him by the fence each time and hope he will just forget about moving, as after all he is very young ? any ideas ? he has had his saddle, back and teeth checked so no physical problems, I suspect he does it because he can !! other wise he is pretty good about most things.
 
I have spent the last four weeks trying to sort this problem out and the way I did it was...
Walk him up square to the block and give him a treat for standing there. Then had a friend with me who would treat once stood still with me being beside him. Then when he understood that tried it on my own and leant over him (slightly easier on a 16hh) and gave him a treat for standing there and baring some of my weight. We then moved to treat and fully get on and treat again. Now he stands solid as a rock :D
 
To make my mare stand while mounting each time she moved even slightly i'd make her do the smallest circles she could, a few of both rein. Id ask her to stand after circling and when still i'd go to mount her again and if she moved i'd repeat the process again. I'd spend half hour or more every evening on-off, on-off until Eventually she got it (i alternated the sides i do mount though)!!! She now stands for me to mount her and she doesnt move until im ready. The days she dont i still repeat the process, i never shouted at her even though it wasnt a 5 minute job and could be so frustrating at times. That was my way and it worked. Goodluck!
 
I was going through the process of training a youngster to stand at the block for mounting in the usual way of repetition and praise, when a Reiki practitioner walked onto the yard and offered to guide the horse to the block while I stood on the other side.
The woman ran her hands over her quarters and down the back of her off side leg. The horse stood perfectly still and once I was in the saddle, she calmly turned her head to smell my foot in the stirrup.
The RP said she was checking to see where I had gone and once she knew it was me on her back, she was happy.
Wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it for myself.
 
I'm dealing with the same problem - very cheeky, very smart ISH (also about 17.1 very drafty!). He does exactly the same thing as yours - will stand still to a certain stage and then when I take the reins, just one step to the side... cute hoor as they say in these parts :D Then he got very bolshy and started barging whoever was holding him, so then a sharp smack on his chest and a very tight circle seemed to stop that.

I've tried numerous things and the only thing that seems to have worked is just not making a big deal of it. For the last few weeks I've made sure that I've only ridden when there's someone around to hold him, so that it didn't turn into a fight/game. Once I'm on he's been given a fuss and a treat, first by the person holding him, then I got him used to me giving him a treat from his back. We then moved onto the person just standing in front of him, not holding him, then the person standing a little away from him etc.

This morning my 'person' was schooling her own mare in the sand arena so was there if I needed her but she wasn't actually in sight. He side-stepped once, and then stood stock still for me to get on AND do his girth... he even turned his head around to get his carrot... which he got, along with huge praise. I could have cried I was so happy! :D

For him the knob-acting was pure boldness, so just not making a big deal of it made it boring for him so hopefully - although I'm sure he'll be a knobber again for the next week - he's copped on and will realise that it's easier to just let me straight on :)
 
Chellebean said:
I have spent the last four weeks trying to sort this problem out and the way I did it was...
Walk him up square to the block and give him a treat for standing there. Then had a friend with me who would treat once stood still with me being beside him. Then when he understood that tried it on my own and leant over him (slightly easier on a 16hh) and gave him a treat for standing there and baring some of my weight. We then moved to treat and fully get on and treat again. Now he stands solid as a rock :D
Click to expand...

My horse would mostly walk off as soon as I was half on, sometimes before. I did similar to the above but he was only treated by my OH once I was on and then progressed to me giving him the treat when I was on. I always give him the treat on his right side. He stands perfectly now and doesn't try to walk off until he is told (and eaten his treat!).
 
you can ensure he is used to moving off an aid from stick, whip from the ground and when you mount have the stick, whip on the other side.

when he goes to move, ask him back over to you with the stick/whip - it works ,but you need a good response from him consistently on the gorund (both sides) before you start using this method when mounting from the block.
 
Trish C said:
I've tried numerous things and the only thing that seems to have worked is just not making a big deal of it. For the last few weeks I've made sure that I've only ridden when there's someone around to hold him, so that it didn't turn into a fight/game. Once I'm on he's been given a fuss and a treat, first by the person holding him, then I got him used to me giving him a treat from his back. We then moved onto the person just standing in front of him, not holding him, then the person standing a little away from him etc.
Click to expand...

I agree with this. I have a big draught youngster who is very chilled but sensitive with it. I found turning him in circles just stressed him out and that's not what I was aiming for, seeing as I was about to get on! Just sheer bl00dy minded persistance paid off for me. I literally just kept bringing him back and trying again. Eventually he got the message! I also had help sometimes to speed thing up, but it's not always possible to have a spare pair of hands on the ground. Good luck!
 
We sorted this problem with a green 16.3 Clyde by creating a box of bales by the mounting block, thus stopping her side steping. Helper then moved the bales while the rider gave a treat. She went from being a total pain (who also found the circle business too stressful for her) to being an absolute angel.
 
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