Help and advice with mounting please

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Monkerhostin

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Hi everyone i am new to the forum so firstly hello to you all.

Secondly... i have just bought a horse who is a 7 year old Thoroughbred horse. He is straight off the track so to speak.

I have had him for around 2-3 weeks now... there seems to be a problem in the fact that he walks off when i try and get him at the mounting block... i imagine this is a result of always being involved in racing and his rider/jockey always getting a leg up whilst on the move.

What is the best way to rectify this... so at the mounting block he knows to stand still and also once i get my feet in the stirrups he doesnt move forward straight away.

What are the best methods and also equipment i may or will need for it.

Thank you for any help.
 
he will learn, its just getting it into his head, praise him all the time when you putting your foot in the stirrup or say sharpley stand stand etc, when he does this tell him how good he is a good rub on his neck, it would be good if you had a full day of learning him to stand at the mounting block .xx
 
Get someone else to hold him, praise, use polos to get him where you want him, put the mounting block in a corner so he can't go back etc. Mine is a bit of a demon for this and needs a sharp 'Stand!' to make him stop messing. He is very keen to work, so wants to set off immediately you're on, but given the road work we have sometimes, I've spent a lot of time practicing standing still, lots of nudges to get him walking on, then stopping and making him wait etc.

I'm way too arthritic to leap on if he's not in the perfect position and I don't do getting on from the ground cos I'm paranoid mummy re his back and the saddle. He goes 2 steps back mostly, so I get him 2 steps ahead of where I want him and then find it takes maybe 3 times to make him perfect! I often have to circle the block once or twice to reinforce the message.
 
Congratulations on getting your new horse! It really is a case of practice makes perfect. Be consistent and patient and insist that he stands well not only at the mounting block but when you are handling him from the ground too. You are half way there in that he is happy to stand at the block! TBs are very intelligent and learn quickly so you have to make doubly sure you are teaching them the right way to do things from the start. Good luck and enjoy him!
 
just wanted to make you feel possitive. my horse always walked of and its taken 6 weeks to get her to stand stil and now she does even to let me do her girth up after im on. aslo i know of another horse who took 6 months but got there. so keep going and just be firm but not angery
 
I would suggest using the voice command for "stand still" whilst you're still on the ground until he is completely sure what it means, then move on to mounting from a block, with someone standing in front of him if you can so that when you use the voice command he cant go forward, polos can be a great asset as well. My own TB was re schooled before I bought him but when mounting I park him next to a fence, lower myself down and before we go anywhere he gets a polo, it's quite comical really, I dont even pick up the reins until Im sitting comfortably and he stands like a rock with his nose on my boot waiting for his sweetie. We also use the same ploy when hacking out at gates, I always have polos in a pocket and he knows the routine:) They are very quick learners, good luck. Oh equipment, mounting block, fence or gate will do and polos, lots of polos!!
 
This is a very common thing with ex-racers as in the racing yards the lads tend to vault up whilst the horse is moving!!!! So he's not being naughty, its just what he's always been used to.

I'd be inclined to go back to basics a bit and just do a bit of groundwork with him. If you can get someone to hold him while you lie across his back, gently, and then slip off again, just like you would when backing a youngster. He needs to understand that he doesn't move off as soon as he feels weight across his back. You could then progress to actually sitting on him, then getting off again and rewarding him (not feeding!!! - pat or rub neck, or loosen girth, or whatever).
 
Thanks everyone - i know he isn't being naughty - he has always been taught to be on the move so to speak when riders and jockeys mount - so definitely not doing anything wrong in that respect.

I have ordered a clicker so i will see how i get on with it - i have been doing a lot of reading on clicker training - so makes sense to give it a good go and see what benefit that has in relation to this behaviour.

Thanks for the replies everyone.
 
Teaching a horse how to come to the mounting block at liberty, stand at liberty to be mounted and wait for the cue to move off is a great lesson to teach. I teach this using clicker training.

I posted some video on youtube of my 7 yr old doing this. I do need to get some better video of it as the light in the video is not great. I just wish the weather would cooperate a little better so I can get video of both of my horses doing this out in the field.

The great thing about teaching horses to come to the mounting block and stand to be mounted is that the day they don't do it, you know something is wrong.

It's a great way to learn to listen to the horses and build a relationship in mutual trust.

Amanda
 
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