Feeding a polo as you mount

[sherbet]

I have been having a few mounting problems with my mare which we are working on, but at the mo I need someone at her head feeding her a polo. Do any of you feed a polo as you mount as I think this would be the next step, for me to mound alone but still feed the pole.

 

[sam72431]

My mare was really bad to to mount and she still can be, i now give her a polo/treat if she stands still once I'm on, I started by putting a treat on a chair in front of the mounting block to start off with and then progressed to the stage I'm on now

 

[kinnygirl1]

Hi there - yes had this prob with my boy and used the treat method to overcome (except we used meadow herb treats rather than polos). From having someone else feed him the treat, I spent some time walking him around on the ground fully tacked up, then saying "stand" and when he was still giving him the treat, then progressed from that to saying "stand" giving him the treat and getting on whilst he was still eating it. From that progressed to saying "stand", getting on then feeding him the treat from my hand whilst mounted. It works and can hop on no probs now! Good Luck!

 

[Charlie007]

I feed some nuts as I mount. I have a nice tall mounting block on the yard I use when mounting to hack and not so nice steps to mount with in the school. I have found that if I feed something just before I mount he stands stock still which is good as he is 17.1 hh!! I know alot of people disagree with this but as I won't be selling him its not a problem!! Also makes it easier to mount at shows!!

 

[MyBoyChe]

I do, when I first get on, check everything is where it should be, then Che gets a polo before he walks off. He also gets one for standing still whilst I fiddle with gate catches whilst mounted. Hes quite funny, he wont move without one, quite often Im ready to go and hes still standing there, with his nose turned back towards me waiting for his reward. Still, as a more senior rider, I much prefer this to fidgeting and rushing off. I just make sure I have polos or a carrot in my pocket at all times.

 

[misterjinglejay]

I feed a sugar cube - two purposes; it means the horse keeps still, and helps it salivate thus making the bit comfy.

I also once warmed up give a polo on each side so the horse stretches around to the stirrup.

 

[cazrider]

I do this, but with a horse treat rather than a polo. When I first got Sennie he wouldn't stand still, and kept moving his bum away from the mounting block. As I am an early rider and quite often would be on my own, I used a treat to train him. First of all I used someone holding him, then graduated to them just keeping his bum steady. When he was still he got lots of praise and a treat always from me on top of him. It took him about four goes before he got it and he's been pretty much perfect since.

Now, he will stand like a statue for me to get on. Once I'm ready he gets his treat and off we go.

I've also used this to good effect when having to dismount away from home. Once, we were on a fun ride. My stirrup leather came off the keeper. I got off, tied it back on with baler twine, then stood him next to a jump whilst horses were galloping past. He stood stock still while I got on, had his treat, then bounced off after them.

So definitely recommend it, but i'd always give him the treat from you on his back. If he moves, don't give him the treat, go back and do it again.

 

[shadowboy]

I do once I'm on. It stops them walking off as soon as you touch down into the saddle. He know waits for his great eats it while I adjust my stirrups etc and then we go.

 

[riding_high]

when i started to back my youngster i would give him a reward for standing still. ie. when i leant over him i would offer him a piece of carrot/treat/polo so that he had to turn his head round to me when weight was put on him.

i then progressed with when sitting on him i would give him a treat before moving off. it meant that when someone got on he didn't run off or anything like that and also gave him a positive thing for someone being on him.

i can now mount him with no problems while others struggle to get their horse standing still while they get their foot in the stirrup.

 

[HappyNeds]

I had terrible mounting problems with my boy, untill I read someone's story on here how they had been helped with mounting their horse by feeding polos, which was their instructors idea I think.

I feed a meadow herb treat to my boy once I'm on, he stands still as a rock for me to get on and bends his neck right round to me for me to pop the treat in his mouth. We started with my OH standing and holding him and giving him a treat just for standing by the block, then a treat for me being on the block next to him, then a treat when I got on (it took quite a few treats to begin with).
Now, I can do the whole process alone, I just need one treat in my pocket. The best bit is, bless him, he stands like a rock for his treat, and then stands like rock enjoying his treat whilst I faff around with stirrups and gloves and reins and only walks on when I ask.

It's changed everything for us, I wish I could find the original story on here to thank the person for sharing it. It doesn't matter about anything else, if you can't mount, you can't do any riding! I was finding that when mounting was a stress it set the whole ride off on a bad feel, now the mounting is a doddle, it's so much better.

The only thing is I think he's going to expect a treat every single time for the next 30 years!

 

[MagicMelon]

My horse used to be cold backed so I got into the habit of getting on and when he relaxed, I'd lean forward and give him a polo (or tiny handful of nuts, whatever was lying around). He stopped being cold backed years ago but I still do it out of routine I think and he expects it! Certainly doesnt do any harm. I'll stop and give him a treat when riding if he does something well.

 

[mik]

Yep, when going for a hack, if i need to mount outside the gate on the road, AND now after his 2nd year, he doesn't need it everytime. Works a treat.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I have been having a few mounting problems with my mare which we are working on, but at the mo I need someone at her head feeding her a polo. Do any of you feed a polo as you mount as I think this would be the next step, for me to mound alone but still feed the pole.

I had a similar problem with a previous horse and solved it in the same way that you have.
I now routinely give a treat after mounting. I use pencil-shaped treats, which makes it easier to 'post' a treat into the mouth from the saddle. Every horse I get soon learns to stand at the mounting block, wait until I've adjusted girth etc and turn its head to the left for the treat.